Time of the Avenger
the upscale hotel. The venerable Paris landmark exuded timeless class, from its golden ceilings to its magnificent ch
ing over contemporary artworks on walls and the unfettered panorama of the Eiffel To
ter and rumpled trousers. The unpretentious clothes were more fa
miling warmly. "Righ
e portfolio. "I brought the painting y
a sleek mahogany table
s and silvers appeared beneath the wrapping paper, glowing softly in the l
s face expressionless. Then he nodded. "I
ough she maintained her professional sm
contemplating doing a series. But
Under t
"Come join us for dinner," he said, his tone casual but assertive. "The terrace
me warmth she had not expected to see in Ethan's deme
, and a panoramic view of the City of Light. As the sun dipped below the horizon, Paris
his movements unhurried. "You've been quiet,
between them build. "I'm just...not used to this."
hing. "You mean expensive
ak smile. "Some
le I usually encounter, Sophie. Most are looking for something-s
I'm not that easily
"Good. Nei
's St
g glimpses of his life-tells that stripp
irled the wine in his glass. "She taught me to notice beauty everywhere. But my
tion, surprised by his candor.
ith my dad, hoping that I could get him to be proud of me. But no matter what I did, it wasn't enough. I thi
to be an inaccessible force, a man who walked over peopl
y," she w
I find it difficult to trust people. Most of the relations
ter, here pretending to be something she wasn't. But for a moment,
's Gua
in ways she hadn't expected. She told him about her passion for art and how it had helped her su
ving hers. "You're remarkable, Sophie," he said, his voice filled with
moment, she felt exposed. She quickly changed
she asked, gesturing with her arm acr
t it's the life I chose. Or
, her eyes examining h
it would be like to just disappear. To leave it all behind an
in search of answers, to uncover the man who had ruined her
rowing Fa
in a way he hadn't expected. She was unlike anyone he'd ev
easing but earnestly spoken. "And I don't know if I want to
little uneasy. "Perhaps it is sa
was fixed. "Maybe. But I thi
as balancing precariously, and Ethan was making i
, Ethan escorted her to the elevator, hi
said, his tone warm. "Tonight
faintly. "Good
l, her emotions in turmoil. She had set out to destroy him, but Ethan Haye
wasn't certain if she wanted