---- Chapter 15 "Ethan, you need to leave," Ava said, her voice firm, devoid of any warmth. "This is our home." Liam stood beside her, a silent wall of support. His presence was enough. Ethan looked from Ava to Liam, then back to Ava, his eyes filled with a desperate, uncomprehending pain. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again. He turned and stumbled out of the brownstone, a broken man. The door closed behind him, leaving a heavy silence. Liam turned to Ava, his expression serious. "Ava... are you truly happy? Or is this... this life with me... still part of your revenge against him?" His voice was quiet, vulnerable. Ava looked at him, at this good, honorable man who had offered her a lifeline, who had loved her in silence for so long. She took his hands. "Liam," she said, her voice honest, "when this started... yes, a part of me wanted revenge. He hurt me, humiliated me. And marrying you, with him as Best Man, him giving me away... it was a way to reclaim some power, to make him face what he'd done." She paused, searching for the right words. "But it's more than that now. So much more. These past few weeks, being with you, being your wife... it's shown me what real love, real partnership, feels like. You see me, Liam. You respect me. With you, | feel... cherished." ---- Tears welled in her eyes. "I won't lie and say my heart is completely whole yet. He left scars. But | want to build a life with you, Liam. A real life. A loving life. If you'll still have me, knowing that." Liam's grip on her hands tightened. A slow smile spread across his face, a smile of pure, unadulterated joy. "Ava Carter," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "There is nothing | want more. Your revenge can be our shared project. And your heart... | will help you heal it. | will love you enough for both of us, until you are ready to love me fully. | will wait. And | will cherish every moment." He pulled her into his arms, a deep, possessive embrace that spoke of promises kept and a future unfolding. Their bond, forged in unusual circumstances, was growing stronger, deeper, more real every day. Ethan returned to his Tribeca loft. The space, once a symbol of his success, his bachelorhood, now felt vast and empty. He'd tried to have it restored to how it was when Ava lived there, bringing back some of her favorite things he'd impulsively discarded. But it was no use. Her scent was gone. Her laughter didn't echo in the rooms. Her warmth was absent. He remembered boxing up her belongings, carelessly tossing aside mementos of their five years together. The framed photo from Italy. The little ceramic bowl. Her favorite sweater. He'd thought he was making space for Chloe, for his "dream." He realized now, with a clarity that was excruciating, that he'd been throwing away his own happiness. He had genuinely loved Ava. In his own selfish, immature way, ---- he had. He'd just been too arrogant, too complacent, too haunted by the "what ifs" of his past with Chloe to see it, to appreciate it, until it was too late. He'd always assumed Ava would be there. Loyal, forgiving Ava. His safety net. Now, she was gone. And the regret was a living thing, coiling in his gut, a constant, unbearable ache. There was no going back. No fixing this. He had destroyed it all himself.