*Ava*A few days after making up with Emma, the picture is finally leaked. Since Emma knows about the relationship, I do my best to ignore it. It doesn’t seem to have the effect that James had been going for, and for that I’m grateful. James has no leverage over us anymore, and I think that’s the best-case scenario. I go about my business, choosing to push James, the picture, and all this drama out of my head. It doesn’t matter anymore. The people in my life know about the relationship and that’s all that I care about.I’m supposed to be graduating in a few days, but because of the charges in Chicago, Dad can’t come. When we speak on the phone, he tells me to go, enjoy the walk, and show everyone that the Williams family is strong.“But I don’t want that memory to exclude you,” I admit. “You can take pictures in Chicago with me,” he tries. I notice he doesn’t include any information about the charges. He doesn’t specify that we can take the pictures soon, or even later. But

*Ava* “Okay, you’ve completely lost me. Noah? Stalking you?” Emma questions, her attention focused on me. “Since when does that boy have a single violent bone in his body?”She’s not wrong, but I still don’t know the whole story. I divert to Liam, looking for answers. “What happened? Did you see him or something?”“You were right, Ava, he’s stalking you. I followed you both today. He watched you while you were working all day, in that coffee shop across the street. We … had words.” It’s very rare I notice Liam at a loss for words. But I see him holding something back. “Words?” I ask, hoping to get even a little bit more information.“Yes.”So much for that. But regardless, I can’t believe I’d been right. Of all the people in my life that I assumed might be a stalker, Noah would never even crack the top ten. James stalking me, that I’d understand. But Noah? Because I turned him down? It doesn’t make any sense. Nothing is making any sense.“I’m going to call Daniel and se

*Ava*“Ava? Will you please come to Chicago? For me?”“Of course!” I reply quickly. “You don’t even need to ask, Dad. I wouldn’t miss it. I told you I’d be there, didn’t I?”My father sounds relieved. “You did. But I know you have your new job and–”“I won’t miss it, no matter what,” I say firmly.“Alright, pumpkin. That’s what I was hoping to hear. I love you,” my father responds, and I can tell he’s smiling.“I love you, too, Dad. We’ll talk soon.”We hang up at the same time, and I turn to Liam, chewing my lip. “Will you … come with me to Chicago for my dad’s trial?”Liam grins at me. “I was hoping you’d ask me. I would love to. I’d like to be there to support you, and your father.”I hop right in his arms and hug him. “I love you.”“I love you more,” Liam teases.“Not a chance,” I say. I let go just so I can grab my phone. “I hate asking for time off when I’ve just started, but there’s nothing I can do about that.”Liam is pulling his own phone out. “I would

*Ava*Of course the “house” Liam rented is actually a mansion.A mansion with more than one private chef, it turned out, and all three of them tried to outdo each other at breakfast, much to Liam’s and my delight.I confess I was a little unfair to Liam this morning, letting my robe drop open just enough to show a lot of cleavage when the staff left us to eat.Liam’s eyes twinkle, and I know he plans to get me back for that later today.He does grope me back in our bedroom while I’m changing, and I’m surprised he leaves it at a single breast squeeze.“You must have something special planned for today,” I remark as he pulls on a nice, black cashmere sweater over a pair of khaki-colored pants.I’m especially sure of it when I help him with his belt and all I get is a pointed clearing of his throat.“I thought we’d explore the city. I want to see Chicago through your eyes,” Liam says.I blush. “What a sweet thing to say.”Liam circles his arms around me. “I mean it.”

*Catherine*“Well, that’s … disappointing,” I seethe at the television screen.Joseph Williams hugs his daughter, that brat Ava, on the courthouse steps in Chicago. Standing next to them…I lick my lips. Standing next to them is my new target. James Kincaid is not nearly as big a fish as Liam Johnson, much as he likes to grandstand about his position. I might not have been able to swim with the whales, but Ava’s sure doing a good job climbing the ladder.It baffles me because she’s not even pretty. She doesn’t take care of herself like I do.I’m the one who should be getting all these men. But now, well, my youth is behind me, and it’s clear men like Liam Johnson and James Kincaid are only interested in women half their age.Bitterness swamps me. I was still better looking than Ava Williams any day of the week, and back in my heyday, I was fucking gorgeous. Seeing these men falling all over themselves for that scraggly little brat was just … infuriating.They’d never t