The Quiet Girl’s First Move

Ava's POV

The silence that followed my sign lasted exactly three seconds before my father exploded.

"Have you completely lost your mind?!"

His voice cracked through the room like a whip, sharp and so sudden it made Vivian shake and even Caroline sat straighter, her perfectly composed face tightening at the edges.

I didn't move.

I just stood in the center of the room exactly where I'd planted myself and kept my expression carefully blank, confused and a little frightened. The face of a girl who'd done something impulsive and was now realizing the consequences.

That was the face they needed to see but inside, I felt nothing but cold, steady calm.

"Richard." Ethan stepped forward, his voice measured. "Let's not..."

"Shut up." My father pointed at him without looking away from me. "Don't tell me to calm down."

He crossed the room in four steps and stopped directly in front of me, close enough that I could see the vein pulsing at his temple.

"Do you understand what you've just done?" he said, his voice dropping low. "The contracts are already signed. The merger depends on this marriage. If you pull out now, you don't just embarrass this family but also destroy it."

I held his gaze.

My hands stayed at my sides, I let my chin tremble slightly.

His eyes narrowed.

"You're being emotional," he said. "You had a fall today. You're not thinking clearly."

I almost smiled.

That was exactly what I'd counted on. They would always find a reason to dismiss me. It was either I was too emotional, too confused, too damaged to know what was good for me. For now I'll let them think that.

Caroline rose from the sofa, smoothing her skirt with the practiced elegance of a woman who had never done anything ungracefully in her life.

"Richard, give her a moment," she said, though her tone suggested she was doing me no favors. She turned to me, her expression cool and precise. "Ava. Sit down."

Vivian hovered near the doorway, her arms crossed, watching everything with those calculating blue eyes. She was quiet, which was unusual for her because vivian always had something to say. Unless she was thinking.

Ethan had moved to stand near the window, his back partially turned, one hand in his pocket. His jaw was tight. He wasn't looking at me, he was looking at the floor.

I wondered what was going through his mind. He probably was annoyed, or maybe felt this was an inconvenience. The merger was important to his family too, losing me meant losing the deal, and losing the deal meant answering to his father.

"This is a phase," Caroline said, sitting back down. "She's just nervous about the wedding. It happens." She looked at my father. "Give her a few days. She'll come around."

My father's expression didn't soften but he stepped back.

"You have until the end of the week," he said to me, his voice flat. "And then we move forward as planned. With or without your cooperation."

He said with or without. As if my cooperation was an option to begin with.

I nodded slowly, my hands folded in my lap, my eyes cast slightly downward giving them the picture of a girl who had been put back in her place.

Ethan finally turned from the window. "I'll give her some space," he said, smoothing his jacket. "It's been a long day."

He looked at me then, and for just a moment, something flickered behind his eyes. It wasn't affection, or care, nor concern, it was calculated.

He was trying to figure out what had gotten into me. Whether this was a problem he needed to manage or just a minor disruption that would resolve itself eventually.

I dropped my gaze before he could read anything in my face.

"I'll walk you out," Vivian said quickly, straightening up.

I watched from beneath my lashes as she moved toward Ethan, her hand brushing his arm lightly as she passed him toward the hallway.

Ethan hesitated for just a fraction of a second and then he followed her.

My father was already on his phone, pacing toward his study. Caroline had picked up her water glass again, turning to look out the window, already done with me.

I waited for one, two, three seconds before I finally stood up quietly and followed the hallway.

They were standing near the front door, their voices low. Vivian had her hand on the door frame, her body angled toward Ethan in a way that had nothing to do with saying goodbye.

Then I made sure they could hear my footsteps.

They both looked up instantly, stepping apart.

Vivian smiled. "Ava. Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

I shook my head and signed that I'd forgotten my bag by the door.

I picked it up from the small table, being deliberately slow, giving them time to feel the awkwardness of being caught.

Then I looked at Ethan and signed that I was tired and going upstairs to rest and then I signed that he didn't have to stay.

He looked relieved.

"Of course," he said. "Get some rest and we can talk tomorrow."

I nodded and turned toward the stairs.

But I stopped on the second step and turned back, like something had just occurred to me.

I looked at Vivian and signed slowly.

Could you keep him company for a while? I don't want him to feel like he has to rush off.

Vivian blinked while Ethan said nothing.

I gave them both a small, tired smile and continued up the stairs without waiting for an answer.

Behind me, I could hear the soft sound of the door closing. They were alone now.

I reached the top of the stairs and stood very still in the dark hallway, my hand resting on the banister.

My heartbeat was steady. My breathing was even.

The first move had been made and neither of them had any idea.