Ava’s POV
The air was stifling as I stood in the shadowed hall, my heart pounding like a drum. “Freya? You mean that Freya? The one Liam chose over me?” I trembled, the question spilling out, my voice quaking at the news of her death. It felt like a sledgehammer to my chest.
Steve nodded, his eyes unyielding as he stepped closer. “The very same,” he said, his tone flat but heavy with meaning. “Odd, isn’t it? You never once mentioned her until now.”
I turned away from the cold stone wall, my thoughts a chaotic swirl. “I didn’t want to,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper. Then, a sudden jolt of urgency hit, and I whipped my gaze back to him. “What killed her? What ended her life?”
He took a deep breath, his shoulders easing slightly. “It’s a messy tangle, Ava. Not something you can u
