Chapter 34 - Lines in the Sand

Ava's POV

The meeting dragged on, and I kept my expression calm, every muscle taut beneath the surface. Rose shot me glances now and then, concern flickering in her eyes.

She knew better than anyone how deep my scars ran where Orion was concerned. But I didn’t need pity—I needed resolve.

I pushed through, outlining the next phases of our strategy, countering objections, shutting down doubts with sharp precision. No one would dare question my authority. Not today.

Underneath, though, my thoughts were a storm. Orion’s words played on repeat, his touch still hot on my skin. He’d always known exactly where to dig in, how to make me bleed.

But this wasn’t the past. I wasn’t that broken girl anymore; I’d put myself back together, piece by jagged piece, into something harder and unbreakable.

When the meeting finally ended, the room’s tension cracked, like a collective exhale. I gave a terse nod, dismissing the advisors. Even Connor.