Chapter 5 - The Drive Away From The Estate
I watched through the Mercedes window as the front doors of the mansion swung open and two security guards dragged Ryan outside.
His arms were pinned behind his back, his face bruised and swollen, his designer suit ruined by dirt and bloodstains.
They threw him into the backseat of an unmarked black van waiting at the edge of the circular driveway like a common criminal.
Eleanor was escorted out behind him, carrying a single cardboard box containing her personal jewelry and legal documents provided by our attorneys.
As the black SUVs began to pull away from the estate, my father opened the passenger door of our car and slid into the leather seat beside me.
He looked at the purple bruises still visible across my cheek, his jaw clenching tightly as a deep, protective fury flashed in his dark eyes.
“Are you alright, Ava?” my father asked, his voice softening completely as he reached out to touch my hand with gentle warmth.
“I’m okay, Dad,” I answered, a quiet sense of peace finally settling over my soul after two years of silent suffering.
“Thank you for coming to my birthday party.”
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“I’ll always protect you, sweetheart,” my father promised, placing his hand over mine before signaling the driver to head toward our Manhattan penthouse.
Behind us, the grand Greenwich mansion—the symbol of Ryan’s arrogance and my imprisonment—went completely dark as power was cut off.
