Orion's POV

The more I thought about the mastermind behind this, the more Chloe's face kept popping up in my head.

I glared at the man as he hesitated to answer me. I could see the fear in his expression as his lips quivered. Whoever was behind this had him scared out of his mind. Maybe it wasn't Chloe after all but I can't rule her out entirely. “I—I can’t say. They’ll kill me,” he replied.

I leaned in closer, my voice low and dangerous. “You should be more worried about what I’ll do to you right now if you don’t talk.”

He swallowed hard, his resolve crumbling under my glare. “I don’t know their names. They contacted me through a third party. But—” He hesitated, his eyes darting nervously around the room.

“But what?” I snapped.

“They said to keep an eye on her. That she’s—she’s important for some reason. And to make sure she stays scared throughout her stay here. I haven't done anything else aside from the text message, I swear on my life.” His words were rushed, like he was trying to get it all out before he lost his nerve. “That’s all I know. I swear.”

I stared at him for a moment, weighing my options. He was clearly just a pawn, a disposable piece in someone’s twisted game. But that didn’t mean he was innocent. “If I ever find out you’re lying,” I said, my voice cold and unyielding, “you’ll wish I’d killed you today.”

I released him, and he stumbled back, clutching his arm. “Get out of my sight,” I barked. He didn’t need to be told twice. He bolted for the door, disappearing into the shadows.

As the adrenaline began to fade, I felt a new wave of anger wash over me. Someone was playing a dangerous game with Ava’s life, and I had no intention of letting them win. I pulled out my phone and called Colin again.

“Trace every possible lead tied to that burner phone,” I ordered. “And dig deeper into everyone around Ava. Everyone including Chloe and the people she has been in close contact with since the last couple of weeks. Find anything that might explain why someone would target my wife.”

“Yes sir,” Colin replied without hesitation.

I ended the call and leaned against the wall, my mind racing. I remembered when she told me about the day she left the mansion and was nearly kidnapped. Could it be the same person? Who is behind this and why?

This wasn’t just Ava's fight anymore. Whoever was behind this had made one critical mistake—they had underestimated me. And that was a mistake they wouldn’t live to make again.

****

Meanwhile, Mason had his own storm to steer back in New York after seeing Ava off at the airport.

“That was a close call with Ashley,” he thought as he swirled a glass of whiskey in his hand. He thought of how far he had come to get close to Ava, only for Ashley to pop up and risk ruining everything. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. The last thing he needed was another public scene from her.

He remembered how he had gotten rid of her when his intel told him about Ava's sudden trip to California. He had left Ashley while she still ranted in the bar and dashed out to make his own plans.

He briefly thought about the hug at the airport and smiled in content. “It's only a matter of time before Ava sees me the way I want to be seen,” he said to no one in particular.

‘Ashley cannot ruin this for me,’ he thought to himself.

But just as the thought crossed his mind, there was a loud knock on his apartment door. His heart sank. Only one person knocked like that—Ashley. He stood, bracing himself, and opened the door.

Ashley barged in without waiting for an invitation, her eyes wild and glistening with unshed tears. She was clutching her phone tightly, her knuckles white. “You think you can just walk away from me, Mason? After everything we’ve been through?”

Mason shut the door behind her, already regretting it. He kept his voice calm. “Ashley, we’ve been over this. We’re not together anymore.”

“Oh, we’re not together anymore? So that’s your excuse now, huh? Is that what you were working out? Screwing some rich woman while I was back in Philly waiting for you to come to your senses?” Her voice cracked, and she took a shaky breath.

Mason rubbed his temples, feeling the weight of the conversation already. “Ashley, calm down. You’re jumping to conclusions.”

“Jumping to conclusions?” she scoffed, her voice rising. “My friend saw you with her, and you didn’t even bother to hide it! How long has this been going on?”

He crossed his arms, his patience thinning. “Ashley, listen to yourself. We haven’t been together for months. Didn’t I tell you I needed space? That I needed time to work things out?”

“Oh, so this is what you were working out?” she shot back bitterly. “You said you needed space to figure things out, not to shack up with some rich girl!” Her voice was loud enough that it echoed through the apartment, making Mason wince.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice in an attempt to handle the situation. “Can you stop shouting? You’re embarrassing yourself.”

Her eyes narrowed, and tears began to spill down her cheeks, but they didn’t soften her expression. “Oh, now I’m embarrassing myself? That’s rich, Mason. You embarrassed me the day you walked away without giving me a real reason. And now I know why. You were seeing her, weren’t you? Even back then.”

Mason clenched his jaw, frustration building. “No, I wasn’t. And for the last time, Ashley, we’re done. We’ve been done since I caught you in bed with your so-called cousin. Or did you forget about that conveniently?”

Ashley flinched as if he had slapped her, but the defiance in her eyes didn’t waver. “That was a mistake! You know it didn’t mean anything.”

“It meant enough for me to walk away,” Mason said coldly. “You made your choice, Ashley. And now I’ve made mine. You need to move on.”

Her lips quivered as she processed his words. For a moment, Mason thought she was going to break down completely, but then her expression hardened into something darker. “Move on?” she repeated, her voice eerily calm. “You think you can just walk away and leave me behind like some old toy you’re done playing with?”

He didn’t respond, knowing anything he said would only fuel her anger. She took a step closer, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper. “Fine. You want me to move on? I will. But don’t think for a second that you can get rid of me that easily. Because, Mason… you and I? We’re not over. You belong to me!”

A shiver ran down Mason’s spine at her tone. There was something unsettling in her eyes, something unhinged. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, she turned on her heel and walked out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her.

Mason exhaled slowly, running a hand down his face. He had expected drama, but this… this felt different. Something about the way Ashley had looked at him before leaving made him uneasy.

He silently prayed that she wouldn't end up ruining the progress he's made with Ava so far.

As Mason turned back toward the living room, her final words echoed in his mind. He poured himself another drink, hoping it would calm his nerves. But no amount of whiskey could shake the feeling that Ashley wasn’t done with him.

And whatever she was planning next, he knew it wouldn’t be pretty.