Ava remained in the dimly lit study, knuckles pressed against the wooden desk. Theo stood across from her, silhouette firm and majestic, a rich, dangerous king in a domain of his own making. His piercing green eyes softened just a fraction when meeting hers — a glimmer of the man she fell in love with beneath the hardening armor of power.
A silence fell — heavy, rich, dramatic — filled with years of promises, doubts, and the raw thread tying their fates together. Ava drew in a shaky breath. "I need the truth, Theo… all of it."
For a moment, Theo remained silent, battling himself, wondering if confession meant the destruction of their marriage or its renewal. Finally, in a rich voice gravelly with regret and resolve, he said: "I did it… for us. To keep us safe. To control the chaos that tried to destroy us. But it grew… it changed me… more than I meant it to."
Ava walked forward, closing the physical distance between them, until her fingertips pressed against his chest — feeling his beating heart, strong and wild beneath her touch. "I fell in love with you, Theo Harper… not a kingpin, not a monster… a man who would do whatever it took to protect his family. But we need to find a way back… back to ourselves… back to the love we made under purple skies."
For a moment, the rich silence seemed to tremble under the weight of their choices. Theo pressed his forehead against hers. "Together, then. Whatever it costs me… whatever it means… we will redeem this… we will find our way back."