Their Bet, Her Empire

howed up at the Velvet Orchid, not in his usual spot with Chl

ng smile firmly in place,

She looked hesitant,

know, Mr.

ected smoothly. "And I i

gning indecision. "O

who thought his prey was wal

e One: Calculated Compliance. She would be the per

peeling paint and the overflowing trash cans in the alley. She wore her best dress

diamonds and the menu had no prices. Ava widened her eyes at every

es doing that assessing sweep again. He

ured, "I' ve never be

and this was her m

almost immediately. Ethan too

magazines, shoes with red soles, handbag

ratitude, her eyes wide wi

" she' d exclaim, clutching

a self-satisfied smirk on his face. He was bu

lled with selfies of her pouting with shopping bags, posing by his sports car, looking wide-eyed at fancy parties. The c

were watching. She was feed

o escalate her performance. Ethan had his arm around her wa

ft murmur against his ear, loud eno

t his name, "you' re just the most

ght, feathery ki

pleased, almost smug expression settled on

. Her perfectly painted lips thinned into a hard line. A flash

bet, she was possessive of Ethan, even if their rel

ttered to one of her friends, her voice dripping venom,

wardly. The b

in Ethan' s penthouse, Ava noticed Ethan an

ed flushed and a little smug, adjusting her dress almost imperceptibly

faint lipstick smudge near Ethan' s collar that wasn' t hers. Sh

eeper investment in Ethan, beyond just social standing. It made Chloe' s jea

n in her arsenal. Their suppressed desires, their tangled relationship