Chapter 6

• Ava’s POV
• I didn't stay long at the ceremony; I headed straight for the exit without looking back. It was suffocating, the way they stared at me like I couldn't breathe. They probably thought I was pathetic because my husband chose another wife. In their eyes, I was nothing now.
• Then, to my surprise, I saw my former mother-in-law, Felicity. "Ava."
• "Felicity."
• She asked, "I don't want to keep you long, but did you ask Dr. Charles to stop seeing me? How could you?"
• "I didn't ask him. It was his decision," I replied, trying to walk away. But she stopped me, her grip tightening on my arm.
• "Please, let go of me." I glared at her and my anger simmered just by looking at her face. If she didn't release me, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from pushing her away.
• She slowly loosened her grip and said, "You've already ruined Pavlov's reputation with this divorce you requested. Do you think the compensation you gave Caspian can erase all that humiliation?"
• "For your information, former mother-in-law, I didn't give him anything. The law awarded it to him because of my mother's wishes—she wanted him to take care of me forever. It was like a payment, but then he betrayed me and married another woman. I'm sure the humiliation, or 'ruining' the Pavlov family's reputation, more than compensates for my mother's fortune." With that, I excused myself and walked away.
• I received a call from my Uncle's secretary when I arrived home. "Your Uncle... he lost his arm. I didn't want to tell you this, Ava, but I think you should know. He's your Uncle, after all." Yes, he was my father's cousin, Uncle Theodore, a man who'd walked a dangerous line with the Pavlovs, dealing in the shadows, brokering deals for illicit weapons with the volatile Russian mafia.
• I sighed. "W-What happened to him?"
• "He was on the same mission as Caspian. The enemy's target was Caspian, but your Uncle Theo saved him. That's why he lost his arm. Everyone thought he was dead, but he escaped and now he's dying... he's in a grave state, Miss Ava. I think it's time for you to see him before his last breath."
• But before I could even respond, her voice broke a raw, ragged sound. “He's dead. He's dead!”
• And then, the line went dead.
• The phone slipped from my fingers, clattering onto the floor. I saw Uncle Theodore, not as he was now, but as he'd been—a vibrant, almost reckless, young man. It was impossible to reconcile that image with the fact he'd died saving...saving them. Saving the wrong people.
• They hadn't even mentioned him. Not a word. They'd just carried on, celebrating their wedding, completely absorbed in themselves. As if his sacrifice meant nothing. If he hadn't taken that blow, neither of them would be standing here today.
• The tears came then, a flood I couldn't stop. I stood in the doorway, just inside, and cried. Not quite tears, but loud, broken sobs. It was like all the pain I'd held in since Dad died, since my brother, since Mom... it all came spilling out. Everything was breaking, falling to pieces around me, and I couldn't hold it together anymore.
• "Miss Ava!" Cecille's voice echoed through the building as she rushed to help me up from the cold floor. "Are you alright, Miss Ava?"
• I wiped away my tears and said, "Please send a bottle of wine to my room." Then, I walked upstairs without looking back.
• A few minutes later, Cecille entered and placed the bottle of wine and a glass on my side table. She stared at me, but knowing her, she chose not to speak or ask what was wrong. She simply sighed heavily and left my room.
• I grabbed the bottle and drank, tears streaming down my face. I was devastated. I don't even remember how many hours I slept; I just woke up mid-afternoon the next day, just as everyone was gathering for lunch.
• I went to the garage and drove off. I needed to speak to the Don. I had to go to northern Italy for my uncle's funeral.
• When I arrived, the Don immediately saw me, and we went to his study. His eyes fixed on my puffy eyes. Right, I'd been crying all night.
• "Have you been crying?" he frowned, a hint of displeasure in his eyes. "Is it about Caspian and Erica's wedding? Why go there yesterday when you were so upset?"
• Before I could answer, he continued, "You requested the divorce, Ava. Since it's final, their marriage is no longer your concern. Why dwell on the past? If you couldn't let go, you shouldn't have asked for the divorce."
• Damn it, why did he always jump to conclusions?
• He was about to speak again, but I cut him off.
• "Can you let me speak first?" I asked, my cheeks flushed.
• “Speak.”
• I cleared my throat and straightened up. "Actually, I'm not crying about them. My feelings for him are gone. This is about my Uncle Theodore. He passed away last night."
• "Ava, your uncle made a significant sacrifice for the mission's success in Russia. We will honor him, you have my word. So, please, try not to grieve too deeply."
• "Are you going to northern Italy?" I asked, meeting his gaze directly.
• "Yes," he replied.
• "Then I want to come with you.”
• He shook his head, “No, it’s dangerous.”
• I handed him the letter from my Uncle Theodore's Consigliere, stating they needed to discuss everything with me and wanted me there. He read it, his brow furrowed, then sighed and looked back at me. I lowered my head. Why should I be afraid of him? I hate that he's my boss, the leader of everything. Asking his permission to attend my uncle's funeral felt absurd.
• "Do you realize I could have your head for this fabricated letter? There's a limit to this foolishness! You asked for the divorce, and now you're unhappy? I gave you a new life, my protection, and now you want to put yourself in danger?"
• I bit my lip. Why was this strict man reprimanding me like a child? I hated him so much that I wanted to escape from this organization.
• "I just want to go there, to learn the truth."
• "Nonsense!" He slammed his hand on the desk, his expression stern and disappointed. "Now that you're the last of the Romanov line, should I take your life and extinguish the lineage entirely?”