Chapter 14

• Ava stood alone in the garden, tears streaming down her face as she replayed Dominic's words in her mind. "He is not yours," he had said, his tone cold and detached. The pain wasn't because she felt rejected as his wife; in fact, she had never expected or wanted more from him in that regard. Their marriage was a practical arrangement, a means to an end, and she had accepted that.
• What hurt her was the implication that she had no right to care for Dennis, to love him, or to be a mother to him. Her feelings for Dennis were genuine, and she had grown to love him like her own. Dominic's words felt like a slap, a harsh reminder that he didn't value her relationship with Dennis.
• Ava's sobs intensified as she thought about the bond she had formed with Dennis. She had never expected to feel so deeply for him, but she had, and now Dominic's words made her feel like she was being erased from Dennis's life. She didn't want to be Dominic's wife in the classical sense, but she did want to be a mother figure to Dennis, and she couldn't bear the thought of being denied that role.