Ava's Echo: A Betrayed Heart Returns

ough the quiet of the

aw, terrif

first to reach her room, with me right behind him

Chloe sitting bolt upright in bed, pointing a sha

oe shrieked, her voice hysterical

pped in a robe, my hair artfully messy. "What is the meaning

said simply, my voice g

sy accessory to his silk paja

did she do?" he cooed, gl

he got out of her room and came in here to terrorize me! She said...

knob. Locked. He pulled out his own key, unlocked it, and pushed it open

ce a thundercloud of

ed, Ava. How could

of innocence. "I was asleep until I heard C

nightmare? He broke your wrist! She's framing me for espionage! And n

e," Mark said soothingly, though his eyes, fixed o

sound. "Look at her. She's the one w

you should ask her why she's s

" my father shot back.

back into Chloe's room, my eyes sca

mall object from beneath the

he kind used for insulin, but this o

up for t

said, my voice casual. "Chloe

don't know what that is! I've never se

her. "How could I have planted it? But Chloe... she's had a nurse.

e syringe, the

something in my sleep? Make it look like an overdose? Or maybe you were going to

a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. He looked a

at Chloe, his jaw tight. For a heart-stopping moment, I thought he saw

frantic denials. He saw

the e

made hi

, concealing it. He turned to me, his

pt that you are more manipulative and cruel than I ever imagin

dismissal absolute. He put a

nough for me to hear. "We'll get you a new nurse. A pr

hoosing

ect daughter was a monster. It was ea

th Mark trailing behind them like a loyal dog, t

n the middle of he

feel disappointment. I felt

ee the truth. He

ect her until

i

ust have to de