Alissa's POV
My words seemed to tear open Avery’s deepest fears and wounds, shattering the walls she had painstakingly built over the years. She broke down, screaming like a cornered beast, her composure completely unraveling. In a sudden fit of rage, she grabbed the ashtray from the coffee table and hurled it at me with all her strength.
It was sheer luck that Ethan arrived just in time. Before the ashtray could strike my face, his hand shot out, grabbing Avery's arm and wrenching the object away.
“Don’t touch her!” Ethan’s voice was sharp as he flung Avery’s hand aside.
She stumbled, collapsing to the floor. For a moment, she stared at Ethan in disbelief, her eyes wide with shock, as if unable to comprehend that he would ever lay a hand on her—all because of me, the shameless vixen s
