Chapter 23

Rowan vanished from Harborcrest as if he had evaporated into thin air. After his bankruptcy and the lifelong disabilities from his severe injuries, no one knew his whereabouts. It was only in the small sections of some obsessed tabloids were there occasional mentions—a lame, numb-looking man seen in some southern border town or a small foreign country, barely surviving by painting clumsy landscapes and living in solitary and destitution. These unverifiable rumors no longer caused even a ripple in Harborcrest's high society. Meanwhile, Ava's world had long since turned to a brand-new chapter. Under Landon's quiet yet unwavering protection, the last of the frost in her heart finally melted completely. She accepted his deep feelings of affection that had long been placed before her, not out of repayment, but because she felt genuinely moved and trusted him. Landon held a globally sensational engagement ceremony for her, choosing the private island where he had once sheltered her dur