Crown of Thorns

In a city where the Hawthornes and Sterlings have long been bound by arranged marriages, Ava Sterling is engaged to Caleb Hawthorne. When photos of Caleb with a college girl named Chloe go viral, he becomes obsessed with her, parading her through the city. Three months later, Chloe arrives at Ava's doorstep pregnant. Caleb insists Chloe is innocent and only wants his love, while assuring Ava that her place as Mrs. Hawthorne is secure.

As the Memorial Gala approaches—a sacred event honoring Ava's parents, who died saving the Hawthornes—Caleb demands that Chloe be invited. When Ava refuses, he cancels the gala entirely, claiming Chloe would feel like an outsider. At a family dinner, Chloe takes the matriarch's seat, and Caleb defends her, dismissing Ava's outrage. Ava must decide how much she will endure as Caleb prepares to become Head of the House.