Chapter 52

Ava's eyes gleamed with calculated intent as she faced Vivi. "Here's what's going to happen. You're going to keep playing the perfect wife to Reginald, and I'll keep Damien satisfied. Everyone maintains their position, and no one gets hurt."

"Are you threatening me?" Vivi kept her voice steady despite the tremor in her chest.

"Think of it as a mutually beneficial arrangement. You clearly care about your family's welfare. I care about my future with Damien. Why complicate things?"

Vivi's fingers curled into fists at her sides. "What exactly do you want?"

"Distance. Complete and total. No more lingering looks, no private conversations." Ava stepped closer, her perfume cloying in the small space. "I've worked too hard to let some trophy wife ruin things now."

"You don't know anything about me."

"I know enough. The desperate girl who married for money, trying to save her family from ruin." Ava's smile widened. "How noble. How tragic. How utterly predictable."

Steps echoed in the hallway. Both women tensed as Damien rounded the corner, his expression darkening as he took in the scene.

"Everything alright here?" His gaze flickered between them.

"Perfect timing, darling." Ava's demeanor shifted instantly as she looped her arm through his. "Mrs. Blackwood and I were just finishing up our chat."

Vivi met Damien's questioning look with a blank stare. "Yes, we're done here."

Vivi watched Ava lead Damien away through the glittering crowd, her perfectly manicured nails digging into his arm. Something about Ava's threats felt off - too calculated, too precise. The blonde's words echoed in her mind as she sipped her champagne near one of the towering floral arrangements.

No one that confident would feel threatened enough to corner her like this. Ava clearly wanted something more than just Damien. The way she'd emphasized Vivi's position as Reginald's wife, how she'd brought up the family's financial situation...

A waiter passed with fresh drinks. Vivi exchanged her empty glass, studying Ava's body language across the room. The other woman kept casting glances at Reginald between her animated conversations with other guests. Her laughter seemed practiced, her movements choreographed.

"She's playing some kind of game," Vivi muttered under her breath. But what was the endgame? Simple jealousy wouldn't drive someone to such carefully planned confrontations.

Vivi's stomach twisted as she remembered how quickly Ava had appeared in their lives, how smoothly she'd inserted herself into their social circle. The timing was too perfect, especially with all the recent drama around the family name.

Through the crowd, Ava caught her eye and raised her glass with a knowing smirk. The gesture sent chills down Vivi's spine. Whatever Ava's true motives were, she'd severely underestimated who she was dealing with if she thought Vivi would back down so easily.

Vivi moved through the mansion's halls with renewed purpose. Her mind raced, analyzing every interaction she'd had with Ava over the past weeks. The calculated smiles, the convenient appearances at family events, how she always seemed to know details about their business dealings that weren't public knowledge.

She paused at Reginald's office door, hearing voices inside. Ava's melodic laugh drifted through the wood paneling. Vivi's eyes narrowed. What business did Damien's supposed girlfriend have with her husband behind closed doors?

"The projections look promising," Ava's voice carried. "Though I'd suggest moving the timeline up."

"You've proven yourself invaluable," Reginald replied. "I never would have spotted those discrepancies without your insight."

Vivi's breath caught. Ava wasn't just playing girlfriend to Damien - she had wormed her way into the family's business affairs too. The pieces started falling into place. Ava's threats weren't about keeping Vivi away from Damien at all. She was using their complicated relationship as cover for something else.

"I should head out," Ava said. "Damien's waiting for me."

Vivi quickly ducked around the corner as the office door opened. She watched Ava's confident stride down the hallway, phone already in hand, fingers flying across the screen. Who was she messaging? What information was she gathering?

One thing was clear - Ava was more dangerous than any of them had realized. The question was whether she was working alone, or if someone else was pulling the strings.

Vivi rushed to find Sophia, locating her in the library surrounded by stacks of financial documents.

"We need to talk," Vivi said, closing the door behind her. "I just overheard something concerning."

Sophia looked up from her papers. "What is it?"

"Ava was in Reginald's office discussing business projections and timelines. She's involved in company matters now." Vivi paced the room. "Why would Damien's new girlfriend have access to sensitive information?"

"That is strange." Sophia shuffled through some papers. "Actually, I've noticed some unusual patterns in recent transactions. Small discrepancies that didn't make sense."

"What kind of discrepancies?"

"Amounts that don't quite add up, paperwork filed with slight errors. Nothing major on its own, but together..." Sophia trailed off, biting her lip.

"Together it looks suspicious," Vivi finished. "We need to figure out what she's really after."

"I can dig deeper into the financial records," Sophia offered. "See if I can trace where these irregularities lead."

"Do it quietly. If Ava realizes we're onto her, who knows what she might do." Vivi ran her fingers through her hair. "I should warn Damien."

"Be careful. If she's as calculating as we suspect, she'll be watching his reactions closely."

"I know. But he needs to know who he's really involved with." Vivi headed for the door, then paused. "Thank you, Sophia. For everything."

"That's what family's for," Sophia replied with a small smile. "Even if we're a rather complicated one."

Vivi found Damien in his office later that evening, going through reports. She hesitated at the doorway, their recent intimate encounter still fresh in her mind.

"Can we talk?" She closed the door behind her.

Damien looked up, his expression guarded. "About?"

"It's about Ava." Vivi moved closer to his desk. "I overheard her in your father's office earlier, discussing company matters."

"She's been helping with some projections." Damien shrugged, but his shoulders tensed.

"Don't you find it strange? She's only been around for a few weeks and already has access to sensitive information."

"What are you suggesting?"

"Sophia found discrepancies in recent transactions. Small things that don't add up." Vivi leaned against his desk. "The timing coincides with Ava's arrival."

Damien pushed back from his desk. "Are you implying she's up to something? Or is this because-"

"This has nothing to do with us," Vivi cut him off. "Something isn't right. I can feel it."

"You don't know her."

"Neither do you, not really." Vivi met his gaze. "Just... be careful. Watch how she acts around company information. What questions she asks."

"I appreciate the concern, but I can handle my own relationships." His tone was clipped.

"Fine. I've said what I needed to say." Vivi turned to leave, but stopped at the door. "Just remember - she showed up right when our family was most vulnerable. That timing seems convenient, doesn't it?"

She left before he could respond, her heart heavy. Whether he believed her or not, at least she'd tried to warn him. Now she needed to help Sophia dig deeper into whatever Ava was planning.