"Sometimes the crown you wear is heavier than the one you dreamed of."
—Ava Carter Reed
---
Ava's Point of View
The morning sunlight filtered through the tall windows of the room, spilling gold across the polished floors. For a moment, I almost forgot where I was. Not home. Not in our tiny house where Ana's laughter usually echoed through the halls or where Mom called me for breakfast. No. This was Dia's mansion. Cold marble, endless corridors, and silence so heavy it pressed down on my chest.
My second morning here. Third, if I counted the night Dylan had kidnapped me. Even now, the thought sent a ripple through me.
