Chapter 2

The private jet's engines hummed steadily.

Outside the plane window, Harbore's glittering skyline quickly shrank away, until all that was left was a single blurry dot in the darkness.

Ethan and I sat in the spacious cabin, silent across from each other.

There was a subtle awkwardness in the air.

After boarding, he settled back into his wheelchair, tablet in hand, looking like he was scrolling through his work.

He seemed cold and detached now, like the man who'd shocked everyone at the party earlier was a completely different person.

I broke the silence. "Thank you, Mr. Sterling."

He didn't look up. "You should thank yourself."

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow.

Ethan finally set his tablet aside and looked straight at me. "You made the right bet.

"You guessed I didn't want to keep pretending to be disabled, that I needed a reason to get back on my feet, and most importantly, you figured I needed a wife."

His gaze was razor-sharp, like he could see straight through every mask I wore.

I met his eyes without flinching. "So, does that make us allies now?"

"Allies?" Ethan let out a low chuckle. "Ms. Sullivan, I think you're missing the point. From the moment you linked your arm with mine, we were already a couple."

He tossed out these words like it was no big deal. But I could feel the weight behind it.

"I know I'm a pawn." I leaned in, locking eyes with him. "A pawn you can use to escape that arranged marriage and put Leo and the Whitfield family in their place."

"You're smart." He didn't bother to deny it.

"So, we can make a deal," I said.

"Go on." His interest was clearly piqued.

"Help me for three years." I carefully lay out my terms. "In three years, grant me the status and protection of your girlfriend, and let me establish a firm foothold in Cealwand."

"In return," I paused, then continued, "I'll help you reclaim everything that belongs to the Sterling family."

Ethan looked at me, the playful glint in his eyes fading, replaced by a scrutinizing stare. He stayed silent for so long that I almost thought he was going to reject me.

"Interesting," he finally spoke. "But what gives you the right?

"You're an illegitimate daughter cast aside by your family, a pitiful girl publicly humiliated by your fiancé. What makes you think you have the right to negotiate with me?"

His words were blunt, and they cut deep. But I didn't flinch.

I pulled a document from my bag and slid it across to him. "Firstly, take a look at these."

Ethan picked up the document and skimmed a few pages. For the first time, his face shifted.

It was a detailed report on the financial loopholes in ProsperMarine, the Whitfield family's flagship company.

It laid out every shady transaction, every inflated asset, and the secret offshore accounts of several top executives. It was precise and deadly.

If this report ever saw the light of day, ProsperMarine's stock would tank in a single day, and the entire Whitfield family would be dragged into an irreversible abyss.

"How did you get your hands on this?" Ethan closed the file and looked at me again. For the first time, there was real gravity in his eyes.

"I loved Leo for ten years," I said, my tone calm. "In those ten years, I did a lot for him, including cleaning up some messy numbers in his company."

He thought I was a tool, obedient and easy to control.

He had no idea my mother was once one of Wellswall's top financial analysts. And I took it further.

"This is my first token of allegiance."

I met Ethan's gaze and revealed my second and most important secret. "And secondly, I'm the only heir to the legendary gambling king in Harbore, Charles Harrington."

The plane suddenly jolted, hitting a patch of turbulence.

Ethan's hand holding the glass was rock steady, with not a single drop spilled.

He stared at me, his eyes a storm of shock, curiosity, and a flicker of excitement. "Does your father, Mr. Harrington, know about this?"

"He has no idea." I shook my head. "Nobody in the Harrington family has a clue. Right now, I'm the only one holding my grandfather's will."

That was why I had been holding back all this time. It was also why Luke had always been wary of me, but couldn't help making use of me. He might've picked up on something, but he never had any proof.

He saw me as a disposable pawn, but what he didn't realize was that I was the one who could flip the whole board.

Ethan smiled. This time, it was a smile straight from the heart. "Ava, you really are something special."

He extended his hand to me. "Here's to our partnership, Honey."

I took his hand. It was cold, but steady and strong. "Here's to us."

The plane broke through the clouds, flying toward the bright lights of Cealwand. I knew the real fight was getting started.