Chapter 3

Ava' s attorney, a shark in a bespoke suit named Marcus Thorne (no relation, a coincidence Ava found grimly amusing), moved fast.

He discovered Ethan had already transferred significant assets to Chloe: a luxury condo in Miami, a collection of vintage sports cars.

"Clearly attempts to defraud the marital estate, anticipating divorce," Marcus stated, his voice crisp over the phone.

"Reclaim them," Ava instructed. "They are undivided marital property."

The lawsuit was filed. Chloe was served.

Predictably, Chloe appeared at Ava' s doorstep, minus Leo this time, her face a mask of fury.

"You bitch! How dare you? Ethan gave me those things!"

Ava, dressed in casual silk loungewear, regarded her calmly from the doorway.

"Ethan' s dining with the sharks now, Chloe. Your claims are with me, and through the proper legal channels."

Chloe spluttered, "He loved me! He wouldn' t want this!"

"What Ethan wanted is, unfortunately, no longer a factor," Ava said, her voice cool. "The law, however, is."

She started to close the door.

Chloe, desperate, blurted out, "There' s proof Leo is his! Ethan had a paternity test done! It' s in his home office safe. He showed it to me!"

Ava paused, her hand on the doorknob.

She looked at Chloe, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes.

"His home office?" Ava said, her tone dry. "Ah, yes. I had all of Ethan' s personal effects from his office, the yacht, his various apartments... respectfully disposed of. To avoid painful reminders."

Chloe' s face went white. "You... you wouldn' t."

"Grief is a powerful thing, Chloe," Ava said softly. "One does things to protect one's peace of mind."

She closed the door, leaving Chloe gaping on the porch.

The contents of that safe, Ava knew, had been incinerated days ago. Not by her, but by Ethan's own paranoid protocols for sensitive documents, protocols she had merely allowed to run their course after ensuring anything truly valuable to her investigation was secured elsewhere long ago.

The supposed paternity test, if it ever existed, was ash.

But Ava had her own document.

At the first preliminary hearing regarding the disputed assets, Chloe' s lawyer, clearly out of his depth against Marcus, made a passionate plea about Leo' s paternity.

"My client is the mother of Ethan Hamilton' s only son and heir!"

Marcus Thorne rose, a thin file in his hand.

"An interesting assertion, Your Honor. Especially in light of this."

He presented the document to the judge and opposing counsel.

"These are Mr. Ethan Hamilton' s confidential medical records from approximately ten years ago. Following a rather... reckless period in his youth, involving a severe illness and subsequent treatments, Mr. Hamilton was diagnosed with azoospermia. Complete infertility."

A shocked silence filled the courtroom.

Chloe stared, her mouth agape.

"Statistically speaking, Your Honor," Marcus continued, his voice smooth, "the chances of Mr. Hamilton fathering a child are virtually zero."

Ava watched Chloe' s face crumble.

One lie down. Many more to go.