The penthouse was eerily quiet when Ava returned from her studio, the weight of the deed still burning in her pocket like a secret. She set her keys on the console table, the soft clink echoing in the empty space. Liam’s office door was ajar, the dim glow of his desk lamp spilling into the hallway. She hesitated, her fingers curling around the edge of the doorframe.
Liam sat behind his desk, his broad shoulders tense, his gaze fixed on the documents spread before him. He didn’t look up as she entered, but she knew he was aware of her presence. The air between them was thick with unspoken words, the tension from their earlier confrontation still lingering like a storm about to break.
Ava stepped inside, her voice steady. "We need to talk."
Liam’s pen paused mid-stroke, his expression car
