#4.

Ava didn't hesitate. She shoved Dominic’s chest, stumbling back as if she’d been struck, her breath coming in ragged, shallow hitches. By the time Dominic father stepped onto the balcony, a single, perfect tear was already tracking down her cheek.

“He wouldn’t stop,” she whispered, her voice trembling with a fragility that made Dominic’s blood run cold. “I told him I wasn’t interested, sir. I told him to let me go.”

The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the sharp, stinging crack of George’s, Dominic’s father palm connecting with Dominic’s cheek. The force snapped Dominic’s head to the side.

“I raised you better than this,” George roared, his face mottled with a sudden, dark fury. “A man who doesn't understand the word ‘no’ is no son of mine.”

Dominic’s jaw flexed, his nostrils flaring as he slowly turned his head back to face his father. The red mark on his skin was already darkening. “You’re choosing to believe a woman you’ve never met over me? Look at her, She’s a serpent.”

“We all saw it, Dom,” Silas interjected from the doorway, leaning against the frame with a smirk that didn't reach his eyes. “You were practically wearing her. It wasn’t a pretty look.”

“Shut your mouth, Silas,” Dominic hissed.

George ignored him, stepping toward Ava with a softened expression. “Are you alright, dear? Did he hurt you?”

Ava pulled her wrap tighter around her shoulders, her fingers shaking. She looked down at her feet, playing the part of the shattered innocent to perfection. “My wrist hurts. I told him… I’ve never been with anyone like that. I wanted to save everything for my husband. My first kiss was supposed to mean something, and he just… he took it.”

Dominic’s eyes nearly bulged. The audacity of the lie was so profound it left him momentarily speechless. “You’re a pathological liar,” he finally managed, his voice a low, dangerous growl as he took a step toward her. “How dare you? We both know—”

“That’s enough!” George stepped between them, his hand held up like a shield. “Look at the girl. She’s terrified. Did you come here with anyone?”

Ava shook her head slowly, a stray sob escaping her throat.

“Wait,” Silas started, his tone shifting to something more mocking. “Are you saying the great Dominic took a girl's virtue on a balcony? That’s low even for you, brother.”

“I said enough,” George snapped. The patriarch reached into his pocket and pulled out a heavy, embossed business card, pressing it into Ava’s hand. “I won’t have a scene at this gala. Come to my office tomorrow morning at ten. I will decide how we’re going to settle this. Silas, walk her to one of the drivers. Ensure she gets home safely.”

Silas straightened up, gesturing for Ava to follow him. As she passed Dominic, the sobbing stopped for a fraction of a second. She tilted her head, her gaze meeting his with a faint, razor sharp smirk, a silent victory that only he could see. Then, as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced by the mask of a victim.

Dominic watched her disappear into the light of the ballroom, his hands clenched into white knuckled fists.

“Son, the disappointment I feel right now…” George shook his head, looking at Dominic as if he were a stranger.

“It was a setup, Father. Every word out of her mouth was a calculated lie. I didn't touch her.”

“I saw you pressed against her with my own eyes,” George countered, his voice weary but firm. “We’ll finish this tomorrow. Mr. Hamilton just arrived, and I have a reputation to salvage. Fix your face and get inside.”