Chapter 124

• Ava’s POV
• The kitchen became my laboratory. With Fabio watching my every move from a chair at the dining table, a glass of wine in his hand, I had to be clever. Direct poisoning was impossible, but inflicting discomfort? That was an art form.
• I moved with a practiced grace I didn't feel, chopping red bell peppers and onions with precise, even strokes of the chef's knife he had held just moments before. I seared the chicken breasts in a single large pan with olive oil, garlic, and rosemary, the scent filling the tense silence between us. The entire meal was prepared in one pan, just as he'd commanded. Honest. Safe.