Queen of Alaska: His Final Regret

ensington looked o

on his fac

confidence

re' s no o

ice wa

oom usually filled with the smell

smelled

asked. My voice wa

rne. The oil ma

lt c

us T

mo

ug

erf

world of East

g like

han. You know that. He' s goi

an a hand o

knows. We' re facing ruin. Financial ruin,

t me, his e

e influence. He' s offered a way out. But

mach t

or the family name.

as time, but I never t

ked, clinging to a hope th

ather said, his voice firm, final. "This is bigge

or, stood by the

with a sad understanding, but sh

lready expressed their concern, but

the woman who had been like a second mother

unspoken agreement

han," I said, standin

at you must, Ava. But understand

n at his dow

l, looking stre

n, motioning

onds st

ally h

y day." He ran a hand

talk. Something terr

scandal, my father' s despe

owed concern, but al

?" He shook his head.

the only way to

et me talk to my parents. We' ll figure something out. And about us

confident smile that us

y, it fe

ash. "Ethan, my family is about to collapse

ar, but it didn' t soothe the fear. "I promise, I' ll handle it.

s, his focus already shifting ba

, a name that always bro

ately. I need to make sure she' s okay

rt Bank executive who die

he fragi

che started

to Clara was a constant, quie

oing to

lso worried

choed: This is bigge

some, confident face, and a te

' t und

dn' t s

wouldn' t prior

d my ha

n. Talk to y

ffice, a numb resigna

th wa

l him about Mar

ight my fathe

the o

my f

felt like a dista

ce was scheduled f

r Kensington to address the s

r on the small stage se

of cameras w

e press felt like

s were in the front

reetly to the side, her

supposed t

d pro

as l

cuousl

cleared

m fell

challenges, the u

s voice

ength comes from unity. From

ounded. Th

he future of our state and indeed our nation, that I announce the engageme

gasp went thr

ilies but also forge a powerful alliance between two dynamic ent

b, a polite smile

ed, the doors at the bac

ha

es wide with disbelief and betrayal a

swiveled t

s er

s had been ushered ou

a mask of a

was that? Ho

, Ethan?" I ask

. "She had a sudden, severe panic attack. I had to

urse.

ng the ice forming in my eyes. "But Ava, t

done,

e you. I was going to

he brink," I said, my voice still

h his hair again, a ge

can fix this. I just... I need to ensure Clara is settled firs

im. He still

'settled'

c, well-compensated position at Davenport Bank. Something that shows e

ed on, as if the ide

porary, nominal marriage. Just on paper. To give her the Davenport name, access to resources, until she' s

in me, bitt

marriage

e she wa

uld "truly

as dangero

minally, before you would commit to me,

Clara needs protection! You' re strong, your

, Ethan. And I am bei

ly pained then, b

his voice laced with a familiar, wounded tone he used when he

him, really

since childhood summ

reamed of spend

as w

pula

d, so far from mine, that I felt

, Ethan,"

ving him standing there, amid

as immense, but a strange s

hosen m

chose

nothing mo