Chapter 4 - The Shadow of the PastLife inside the Wilder mansion became a surreal dance of grief and discovery. Ava was sharp, sarcastic, and possessed a wicked sense of humor that Theo instantly recognized—it was his own.
But there was a shadow. Ava’s wheelchair wasn't just for convenience; she had a degenerative condition that required specialized care.
"Mom used to say," Ava said one night as they sat in his massive, empty library, "that you were a man who knew how to build towers, but you didn't know how to live in them."
Theo, who was struggling to adjust the settings on her new, custom-built chair, stopped. "She was right. I’ve spent my life trying to outrun the fact that I couldn't have children. I built a monument to my own perceived failure."
"You didn't fail," Ava said, reaching out to pat his hand. "You just had to wait for me to grow up so I could show you."
Suddenly, a security alert blared on Theo’s tablet. A photographer had been spotted on the mansion grounds.
Theo grabbed his coat, his eyes turning hard. "Stay here, Ava. Lock the door."
He sprinted through the dark hallways, the billionaire genius replaced by a man protecting his own. He caught the intruder in the rose garden. It wasn't a journalist.
It was a private investigator hired by Thorne, holding photos of Ava.
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"Who sent you?" Theo roared, pinning the man against a marble fountain.
"Thorne," the man gasped. "He wants to prove she's not a Wilder. He’s going to sue for full custody, claim you're unfit because of her medical needs. He’s already bought off a judge."
