The penthouse was too quiet.
Ava stood in the center of her designated room—a space Liam had promised would be hers, though it still felt like a gilded cage. The walls were a soft, neutral gray, the furniture modern and sleek, the bed dressed in silk sheets that whispered of luxury. It was perfect. Impersonal. His.
She ran her fingers over the surface of the dresser, her reflection staring back at her from the mirror above it. The ivory wedding dress hung on the door, a silent sentinel. A reminder.
Tomorrow, she would marry Liam Carter.
Tomorrow, her life would no longer be her own.
A knock at the door made her jump. She turned as it opened, her breath catching as Liam stepped inside. He was dressed in a dark, tailored suit, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar, his gray eyes sharp and
