The Heiress Who Refused to Be a Pawn

anger, so vivid now, brought

ess around her was thoughtful, or his cu

islike. Or, at best

ce, an interruption t

hat Ava had dismissed as sibling closeness n

her own naive

for a phantom, a man she had

ood was a stranger, a

a was scheduled for a private ridi

had long since healed, but she stil

aperone her, a rule he'd implemented a

was Etha

perhaps another calculated move by Lily

at her, but at Lily, who was feeding sug

head tilted back, the

ression Ava had craved for ye

e heart, even now, k

he barely acknowledged Ava's presence, w

orbed in Lily, as if

" he asked, his voice flat,

en turn to f

," Ava replied,

chestnut, and began her warm-u

ostensibly watching, but Ava c

dly towards the stables, w

o be her chaperon

man distracted by h

nter, then collected her fo

ing for a smal

the first low cavalett

ust slightly, but eno

reacted to the instabilit

, to hold her seat,

, a sudden, viole

as th

searing pain shooti

ack echoed in

h of the arena, gasping,

face pale, eyes wide with so

Are yo

his hands hovering, u

he stables, her face a m

! What h

sweat beading on her fore

ken as a child. The ir

his touch surprisingly gentle. "

carried her towards the house, shout

hands. "Is she going to be alright, Eth

Lily," Ethan said

ys confirmed it: a cl

one, a new

her side, surpri

est orthopedic surgeon, even held her hand

rn seemed

that still remembered her old infatuation, wondered if perh

ss was so thoro

ed her water, his brow furrowe

onvincing

too con

er everything was being taken care of, Ava lay in her private

was sligh

the corridor. Ethan'

urg

her senses sharpening

saying, his voice hushed but incredulous. "Loos

an cold. Her

ow murmur, but she ca

. making Lily look bad. I didn't think she'd be practicing

eliberately tamper

d* her fall.

orried frowns, the hand-h

as g

ng betrayal, even deepe

tracted; he had activel

for an incident Lily h

ied her, spoken softly to her, was

ing compared to the agony th

isinterest or dece

ght have ever harbored for Ethan Blackwood was extinguis

risk. He had gambled with her safe

onster. And Lil

the overheard words

te. There were no more i