Chapter 46 I Refuse To Succumb

• The quiet hum of the bathroom fan was the only sound between them as Alexander emerged from the shower, his movements relaxed but purposeful. Ava, standing by the vanity with the phone still clutched tightly in her hand, barely glanced up as he wrapped a towel around his waist. Her thoughts were a chaotic storm, Linda's cutting words replaying in her mind like a broken record.
• Alexander, ever observant, caught the subtle stiffness in her posture. "Everything okay?" he asked, running a hand through his damp hair.
• Ava forced a neutral expression, slipping his phone onto the counter. "Linda called," she said simply, her tone clipped.