Chapter 1

Ava Miller stared at the termination letter, the crisp paper cold under her fingers.

"Effective immediately," it said.

Her paralegal job at Vance & Co., Ethan' s company, was gone.

Just like that.

No warning, no explanation beyond "restructuring."

But Ava knew.

Chloe Davenport was back in New York.

The news had buzzed through the office all morning, whispers of Ethan' s old flame, the one he never quite got over.

Ava had tried to ignore it, tried to focus on her work, the endless contracts and case files.

Now, this letter.

It felt like a deliberate, cruel move. Ethan didn't even have the decency to tell her himself.

He owned the company, he made the rules.

And today, the rule was Ava out, Chloe in.

Or at least, space made for Chloe.

Ava felt a knot tighten in her stomach, a familiar mix of anger and helplessness.

She depended on this job, on Ethan.

He' d pulled her out of a financial hole years ago, student loans swallowing her whole, her mom' s medical bills piling up.

He' d been her savior then.

Now, he was just the man who held all the cards, and he' d just dealt her a losing hand.

She picked up her small box of personal items, a framed photo of her and Liam from college, a chipped mug, a few pens.

Her colleagues avoided her eyes, a few offered tight, sympathetic smiles.

No one wanted to be seen associating with the newly discarded.

The walk to the elevator felt long, each step heavy.

She thought of Ethan, his charm, his possessiveness.

He liked control, liked knowing she needed him.

This was control, absolute and undeniable.

The elevator doors opened, and for a second, she saw Chloe Davenport across the lobby, laughing with Ethan' s secretary.

Chloe was exactly as described: sophisticated, beautiful, radiating an effortless confidence that Ava, in her sensible shoes and slightly worn suit, could only dream of.

Chloe glanced over, her eyes flicking over Ava and her box with a dismissive, almost pitying look before turning back.

That look confirmed everything.

Ava stepped into the elevator, the doors closing on the life she thought she was building.

The injustice of it burned.

She was good at her job, dedicated, smart.

But none of that mattered against the return of Ethan' s "perfect" ex.

Her phone buzzed. A text from Ethan.

"Heard about work. We'll talk tonight. Don't worry."

Don't worry?

How could she not worry?

Her career, her stability, all snatched away in an afternoon.

And he thought a casual text would fix it.

The city felt cold, indifferent, as she stepped out onto the bustling New York street.

She was just another person, easily replaced.

The thought hardened something inside her.

This wasn't just a job loss, it was a profound betrayal.

And she wouldn' t just accept it.

Not anymore.