Mr. CEO's Darling Shame

AVA'S POV

The doors slammed behind me with a cruel finality, the echo rattling through my chest. I stumbled onto the cold stone steps outside Voss Tower, the guards releasing me like trash tossed to the curb.

My knees buckled, and I clutched my bag to me, the paper with its life-altering words crumpled somewhere inside. A child. Our child. Yet the only words ringing in my ears were Adrian's: I don't know this woman.

The world tilted. My stomach churned, and for a moment I thought I might collapse right there on the steps.

"Ava?"

The familiar voice froze me.

I turned, my eyes blurring, and saw him.

Ethan Sinclair-my older brother. His tall frame cut a sharp figure in his navy suit, his usually composed face shadowed by anger as he hurried toward me.

"What the hell just happened?" His hands gripped my arms, steadying me. His eyes darted from my trembling body to the massive building behind me. "I just saw you being dragged out by guards. What's going on Ava?" I couldn't get a word out.

"Did Adrian do this?" I avoided his gaze.

"Ava-why would your husband have you thrown out like that?"

My lips parted, but no sound came. I tried to smile, to brush it off, but tears burned my eyes. "It's-it's not what you think. Adrian was just... upset. T-today is a big day for him, so he's under a lot of pressure. He didn't mean it."

"Upset?" Ethan's voice thundered, his sharp blue eyes narrowing. "Ava, I've seen hostile takeovers handled with more respect than what I just witnessed. He humiliated you. In public."

I shook my head desperately. "No, Ethan, please-don't make this into something it isn't. He's under a lot of pressure with the Sinclair deal. I shouldn't have shown up without warning."

Ethan's grip tightened slightly. "Sinclair Global is only at the table because you begged Father to give him a chance. If Dad knew you were being treated like this-"

I jerked back, panic surging through me. "No!" The word tore from my throat. "Please, Ethan, don't tell him. You know Father. He'll pull the deal immediately, and Adrian-"

"I will never understand what you saw in him. Adrian doesn't deserve you, let alone Father's trust," Ethan snapped. His chest heaved as he glared toward the glass doors as if he could storm in and drag Adrian out himself. "Does he know who you are? Have you told him yet? Does he even know who he married?"

My heart stuttered. The question cut too close.

"No," I whispered. My throat tightened. "He doesn't. And I want to keep it that way. I didn't marry him as a Sinclair. I married him as me. Just... Ava."

Ethan's jaw clenched. "And look what 'just Ava' gets you." His voice softened then, and his expression shifted from fury to something worse: pity. He pulled me into his arms, his voice a low rumble above my head. "I can't stand seeing you hurt like this. You deserve better."

The dam broke. My body shook against him, silent sobs spilling free as I buried my face in his chest. My brother, my protector. The only one who had ever stood between me and Father's ruthless expectations.

Ethan stroked my hair, murmuring, "I won't stay silent about this, Ava. He can't treat you like dirt and walk away unscathed."

I shook my head against him, gripping his jacket like a lifeline. "Please, Ethan. For me. Don't tell Father. Promise me. It was just a misunderstanding. Adrian didn't mean it."

Ethan leaned back, searching my face with an intensity that made me tremble. "Ava-"

"Promise me!" My voice cracked.

His shoulders sagged, defeat etched into the lines of his face. Finally, he sighed heavily. "Fine. I won't tell him. But, Ava, I'm warning you-if he humiliates you like this again, I will step in. With or without your permission."

I nodded, swallowing hard, though dread curled in my stomach.

He kissed my forehead and hugged me once more, tighter this time, as if he could shield me from the truth of my own choices. His cologne was familiar, grounding. I clung to it, desperate to believe everything could still be fixed.

To anyone else, it looked like comfort. But in the right hands, with the right poison, it could look like something else entirely.

As Ethan led me toward his car, shielding me from curious stares, I never looked back at the building. I never saw the shadowed figure smiling behind the glass.

"Perfect," Selene whispered, lowering her phone, her eyes glittering with malice. "Absolutely perfect. This is gonna be interesting."