Ava’s POV

The last image I saw before being dragged away was Chloe and Orion locked in a passionate embrace, like I had become nothing more than a shadow in their world. Orion even dared look at me as the men hauled me out of the house with pity in his eyes.

A flicker of hope had burned in my chest—a foolish, desperate thought that perhaps, to save face in front of the guards and servants, he would choose me. But he didn’t. He let them take me.

“I hate you!” I wanted to scream those words until my throat bled, but they never came.

The rough hands of the...