Chapter Three – A Deal with the Devil
Wolfe Tower – Design Presentation Room
The next morning, Ava stood in front of a sleek glass conference table, layout boards and moodboards spread in a meticulous arc.
She'd barely slept. Between Liam's midnight fever and memories of Damien's ice-cold stare, her nerves were frayed.
But her voice didn't waver.
"This redesign embraces clean, sustainable luxury. Open spaces. Natural light. A contrast to the steel-and-glass austerity of Wolfe Industries' current aesthetic."
Damien sat across the table, expression unreadable, fingers steepled beneath his chin.
"You think this place needs softening," he said flatly.
"I think this place needs humanity," Ava replied. "You're not just building an empire anymore. You're building a legacy."
His jaw twitched. "And you think you know what that looks like?"
She met his eyes without blinking. "I know what it doesn't."
Silence stretched like a taut wire.
Finally, he leaned back. "I'm approving the design."
She blinked. "What?"
"You heard me." He stood, sliding the signed documents toward her. "You've got the job."
Ava hesitated, the papers in her hand burning like they were laced with fire. This was too easy.
"What's the catch?" she asked quietly.
Damien walked around the table, stopping too close. His voice was low and dangerous.
"You walked out once, Ava. I'm not letting you do it again. You'll work here. In this building. My schedule, my rules. No hiding."
Her breath caught. "I'm not the same girl you knew."
"Good," he murmured. "Because I'm not the same man."
Ava's fingers clenched the contract. Every fiber in her screamed to run—but something stronger held her still.
Maybe it was the fire in Damien's eyes.
Or maybe it was the ghost of the love she'd buried five years ago.
🕰️ Character Backstory – What Happened Five Years Ago?
Ava Sinclair
Ava was 24 when she met Damien Wolfe—an architectural intern with dreams bigger than her bank account. She had grit, talent, and a tendency to fall hard. And she fell, fast, for the man who seemed like a walking storm wrapped in Armani.
Damien swept her into a whirlwind romance, full of private jets and boardroom kisses. But his love came with conditions: keep secrets, play the perfect wife, never ask about his past, and don't interfere with his empire.
She thought marriage would change things.
It didn't.
He became more distant. More possessive. She suspected he was keeping something from her—something cold and ugly. Her pregnancy was unexpected, and when she told Damien, he shut down completely. His only response? "This isn't the right time."
That night, she packed her bags. No note. No forwarding address. She changed her name, cut ties with everyone, and built a new life in Chicago with Liam—her only family.
She never stopped loving Damien. But she stopped believing he could love her back.
Damien Wolfe
Damien grew up watching his father destroy everything he touched—his business, his marriage, his children. So Damien built walls and empires, convinced emotions were liabilities.
When he met Ava, he let his guard down—for the first time. He married her quickly, afraid that if he waited, he'd lose her. But once the ring was on her finger, the fear returned.
He couldn't give her the love she deserved. He didn't know how.
When she told him she was pregnant, panic hit. Not because he didn't want the child—but because he didn't know how not to repeat his father's failures. He pulled away to protect her… and instead, lost her completely.
For five years, he hated her for leaving. And hated himself more for letting her go.
Now that she's back, he'll burn the world down before he lets it happen again.