Avery needed an escape. The weight of the impending engagement had been pressing down on her for days. After another tense meeting at Parker Tower where Ferdinand had barely spoken to her except to criticize minor details, she finally texted her friends.
Girls night. Tonight. No excuses.
Lila, Marcus, and two of her old college friends, Zoe and Priya, agreed immediately. They chose Eclipse, an upscale rooftop bar known for its cocktails and stunning city views. Avery dressed in a sleek black off-shoulder dress that made her feel confident and powerful. She needed to remember who she was before the Parker name tried to swallow her whole.
The night started perfectly. Laughter flowed easily as the five of them claimed a corner table. Colorful cocktails arrived one after another. Lila was in the middle of telling a dramatic story about a difficult client when Avery finally began to relax.
“I still can’t believe you’re actually going through with this,” Zoe said, stirring her drink. “Ferdinand Parker? The man is basically a walking iceberg.”
“I don’t have much choice,” Avery replied, sipping her martini. “My father has made it clear what will happen if I refuse. So tonight, I just want to forget about him.”
Priya raised her glass. “To forgetting cold billionaires and living for ourselves, even if it’s just for one night.”
They clinked glasses and dissolved into laughter. For a while, Avery felt free. The music pulsed around them, and the warm breeze carried the scent of expensive perfume and citrus cocktails.
But freedom never lasted long.
She had stepped away from the table to get some fresh air near the railing when a tall man in a fitted shirt approached her. He had the cocky swagger of someone who believed money and looks gave him rights.
“Hey beautiful,” he said, leaning too close. “You’ve been turning heads all night. Why don’t you let me buy you a drink and show you a better time?”
Avery stepped back. “No thank you. I’m here with friends.”
The man ignored her refusal and grabbed her wrist. “Come on, don’t be like that. A girl like you shouldn’t be alone.”
His grip tightened. The smell of alcohol on his breath made her stomach turn.
“Let go of me,” Avery said firmly, her voice sharp.
Instead of listening, he pulled her closer, his other hand reaching for her waist. “Feisty. I like that.”
That was all it took.
Avery reacted on pure instinct. She brought her knee up hard and fast, connecting directly between his legs with perfect aim. The man let out a high-pitched scream and crumpled to the floor, clutching himself and gasping in pain.
“You bitch!” he wheezed, rolling on the ground.
Avery stood over him, breathing heavily. “Touch me again and I’ll make sure you never use that part of your body for the rest of your life.”
The people nearby had turned to watch. Some gasped, others whispered. Security started moving toward them.
From a shadowed corner of the rooftop, Ferdinand Parker watched the entire scene unfold.
He had come to Eclipse for a quiet business meeting with two overseas investors. Claire stood beside him, tablet ready as always. Ferdinand had noticed Avery the moment she walked in with her friends. He had told himself he was simply observing the woman he would soon marry. Nothing more.
When the drunk man grabbed her, Ferdinand’s jaw had tightened. He turned slightly to Claire and spoke in a low, dangerous voice.
“Send two men. Get that idiot away from her. Now.”
Before his assistant could even move, Avery had already acted. The knee strike was swift, precise, and merciless. The man was now curled on the floor, screaming in agony.
Ferdinand froze.
For the first time in years, the corners of his mouth twitched. A ghost of a smile, barely there, touched his lips as he watched Avery stand tall over the crumpled man, fierce and unapologetic.
Claire noticed immediately. Her eyes widened in genuine shock. In all the years she had worked for Ferdinand Parker, she had never seen him smile. Not once. He was known as the Ice King for good reason. His cold stare alone was enough to make grown executives sweat and children cry. Yet here he was, almost smiling while watching Avery Sinclair handle her own problem with impressive strength.
“Sir?” Claire said softly, unable to hide her surprise.
Ferdinand wiped the expression from his face instantly, returning to his usual mask of ice. “Nothing.”
But inside, something stirred.
He had been ready to send his men to destroy the harasser. Yet seeing Avery defend herself so boldly, without fear or hesitation, affected him in a way he did not expect. Sophia had always relied on him for protection. She had played sweet and fragile. Avery was the opposite. She was fire and steel.
He found it… intriguing.
Avery returned to her table where her friends were cheering her on. Lila hugged her tightly. “That was incredible! Did you see his face?”
“I can’t believe you actually kneed him,” Zoe laughed. “Legend.”
Avery smiled, but her eyes scanned the rooftop instinctively. For a brief second, she thought she saw a familiar tall figure in the shadows. But when she looked again, he was gone.
Ferdinand had already turned away. He signaled to Claire that the meeting should continue elsewhere. As they left the rooftop bar, he remained silent.
Claire walked beside him, still processing what she had witnessed. “Miss Sinclair seems quite capable of taking care of herself.”
Ferdinand did not respond. But later, sitting in the back of his Maybach, he allowed himself one quiet moment of reflection.
Avery Sinclair was becoming more dangerous to his peace of mind than he had anticipated. She challenged him. She refused to bow. And tonight, she had shown him she could fight her own battles.
The ice around his heart felt slightly thinner.
He crushed the thought immediately.
No. He would not allow it. He had loved Sophia with everything he had, and she had destroyed him. He had hidden his true self for years searching for something real. That kind of vulnerability had no place in his life anymore.
Yet as the car moved through the glittering streets, Ferdinand could not completely erase the image of Avery standing strong, knee raised, eyes blazing with defiance.
And the almost-smile he had almost allowed himself.