Cross paths

2. The Revenge Plot in Motion

Getting close to Liam was easier than she had expected. He was approachable, unlike the cold and calculating figures that made up his family. He had a natural charm, an easy smile that disarmed everyone around him. Ava wasn’t here to be charmed, though. She was here to destroy him.

Over the weeks, they began to cross paths more frequently. Liam started noticing her—first as a face in a meeting, then a name in a report, and finally as someone worth talking to. He invited her to lunch one day after a meeting about new charitable initiatives.

“You seem different from the others,” he said, a casual remark that made Ava’s heart skip a beat for reasons she couldn’t explain. “You’re not just here for the connections.”

Ava smiled, masking the turmoil underneath. “I just care about the work. Helping people is more important than rubbing shoulders with the wealthy.”

Liam seemed intrigued. They talked for hours that afternoon, and Ava found herself seeing a side of him she hadn’t expected. He wasn’t the arrogant heir to a fortune. He was thoughtful, passionate about using his influence for good. But every time she felt herself softening, she reminded herself of who he really was—a Donovan. Blood of the people who had taken everything from her.

The next few months blurred together as Ava played her part perfectly. She let Liam into her life, making sure to stay just vulnerable enough to keep his interest, while keeping her true self buried. To her surprise, she wasn’t the only one hiding something. Liam had secrets of his own. Though he rarely spoke about his family, Ava could tell there was tension there. He wasn’t close to his parents, didn’t attend their lavish events or boast about their business.

One evening, after a long day of volunteering together, Liam opened up.

“I don’t want to be like them,” he said quietly, staring into the fire that flickered in the hearth. “I’m not proud of everything my family has done.”

Ava’s breath caught in her throat. For a moment, the lines between enemy and ally blurred. Could Liam truly be unaware of the darkness that shadowed his family’s fortune? Or was this just another layer of the facade he wore?

She had to remind herself—this was all part of the plan. His vulnerability was just another tool she could use against him. But still, a seed of doubt began to take root, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe—just maybe—Liam was different.