Chapter 3

Ava got the medicine from the pharmacy and got into Liam's car. Sophia was in the front seat, chattering happily.

In the back, Ava noticed suitcases piled up.

"Liam is finally letting me move in!" Sophia announced, turning to smile at Ava. "We'll be one big happy family."

Ava felt a familiar pang in her chest, but it was distant now, muted. The pain was becoming a dull, constant ache she could live with.

"That's wonderful," she said, her voice even. "Welcome."

She felt Liam's eyes on her in the rearview mirror, his gaze intense. She looked out the window, avoiding his reflection.

"Actually," she added, "I've been thinking of moving out. I'm an adult now. It's time I found my own place."

"What?" Liam's voice was sharp, laced with displeasure. "Don't be ridiculous. Where would you go?"

"Oh, let her, Liam," Sophia said with a light laugh. "She's a big girl now. It's natural she wants her independence."

Ava just smiled faintly, a silent agreement.

Back at the house, Ava went straight to her room. This room had been her sanctuary, a space Liam had designed just for her, with a large bay window and walls painted her favorite shade of blue. She remembered him carrying her in here after the fire, promising it would be her forever home.

But it wasn't her home anymore. It was theirs. She deserved to be the one to leave.

She started packing, methodically taking her clothes from the closet and her books from the shelves. It took her the entire afternoon. She moved her boxes to the small, empty guest room at the end of the hall.

As she was about to leave for a follow-up appointment, Sophia stopped her in the living room.

"Are you going out? Have you eaten?" Sophia asked, the picture of a concerned future sister-in-law.

"I'm not hungry," Ava said coolly.

"Liam, Ava is skipping meals again," Sophia called out to Liam, who was reading the paper.

Liam put down the paper, his face stern. "Sit down and eat. You're going to make yourself sick again." His tone was that of a commanding officer, not a caring brother.

The atmosphere grew tense. To avoid a fight, Ava sat down and forced herself to eat the breakfast Sophia had prepared. Each bite was a chore.

Liam drove her to the hospital. The moment his car turned the corner, she got out of the taxi line and went a different way. She wasn't going to the hospital. She had an appointment with the aid organization.

As she was finalizing her paperwork, a familiar voice called her name.

"Ava? What are you doing here?"

It was Captain David Reynolds, Liam's commanding officer and a close friend of Sophia's family.

"Captain Reynolds," she said, managing a polite smile. "I'm just running an errand for a friend."

"Ah," he said, nodding. He looked pleased. "I was just talking to Liam the other day. I'm so glad he and Sophia are finally tying the knot. I introduced them, you know."

Ava's smile felt frozen on her face. "Is that so?"

"Yes," the Captain continued, beaming. "Sophia comes from a good family. Her father is a judge. It's a good match for Liam, very helpful for his career. He's a good boy, Liam. He's worked so hard, especially after taking you in. You've grown into a fine young woman. He's done right by you."

Ava knew exactly what that meant. A marriage to Sophia was a strategic move. It would help Liam climb the ranks.

"He has," Ava agreed, her voice soft. "I'll spend my life repaying him."

Captain Reynolds smiled, satisfied. "That's good to hear."

The smile on Ava's lips didn't reach her eyes. Yes, she thought. I will repay him. My leaving will be the first installment.

When she got home, she went to the safe where she kept her important documents. Her parents had left her two properties. She took out both deeds. One, a small apartment downtown, she put in an envelope on the desk in her new, temporary room. The other, she packed in her suitcase.

She did a quick calculation in her head. The value of the apartment was more than enough to cover the cost of raising her for the past decade. The extra could be her wedding gift to him.

With this, they would be even.