Ethan survived.
Barely.
The doctors said another few minutes without surgery and he wouldn't have made it.
He remained unconscious.
Machines breathing beside him.
Ava sat next to the hospital bed, staring at the powerful man who once controlled empires.
"Rest," she whispered. "I'll handle it."
And she meant it.
The next morning, she walked into Blackwood Industries.
The same boardroom where Ethan once commanded silence now buzzed with tension.
Adrian sat at the head of the table.
Confident.
Untouchable.
The board members looked uneasy as Ava entered.
Adrian smiled faintly. "I wasn't expecting you."
"I'm not here for expectations," she replied calmly. "I'm here for accountability."
Murmurs filled the room.
Adrian leaned back. "You don't hold executive power."
"No," she said. "But I hold something more dangerous."
She placed a folder on the table.
Inside were leaked offshore accounts connected to Miranda — and indirectly tied to Adrian's shell companies.
The room went silent.
"You were careful," Ava continued. "But not perfect."
Adrian's eyes darkened slightly.
"You've grown."
"You forced me to."
The board members exchanged glances. Investors feared scandal more than power shifts.
Ava delivered the final blow.
"If this becomes public, Blackwood won't just lose stock value. It will collapse."
Adrian studied her.
For the first time…
He didn't look amused.
"You're playing a dangerous game."
She met his gaze steadily.
"So are you."
The tension thickened.
Neither blinked.
And in that moment, something changed.
Adrian no longer saw Ava as leverage.
He saw her as opponent.