Ava’s POV

The morning had been endless, each tick of the clock echoing like a countdown to my unraveling. I could barely breathe properly, my mind looping through the events of the previous night and the damning headlines that followed.

I just want to disappear for good and resurface whenever I have the courage to clear my name.

Where the fuck is Orion and why is he doing this? I thought he wanted to make things right? He pleaded for another chance, so why would he do this to me?

The harsh buzz of my phone had become unbearable, a relentless reminder that the world outside was feasting on my humiliation. I ignored every call, every text—except for one. Mason’s name had lit up my screen again at 3:00 p.m., and though I didn’t answer, a small part of me clung to the hope that he’d find a way to fix this. He always did.

If he was here, this wouldn’t have happened. He wouldn’t have left like Orion did. Why didn’t I choose him to come with me?!

By evening, I was still sitting by the window, wrapped in a blanket, staring blankly at the sky. The knock on the door was soft but deliberate, pulling me from my haze. My pulse quickened.

Who could it be this late? Another ploy to get more pictures?

For a moment, fear gripped me. What if it was someone from the press? Or worse, someone who’d been sent to threaten me into silence or make the whole situation worse?

The knock came again, firmer this time.

“Ava, it’s me. Open up.”

Mason? How is Mason here?

Relief flooded me, loosening the tightness in my chest. I stumbled to the door, my legs unsteady beneath me. Unlocking it, I barely had time to take a breath before the door swung open, and Mason stepped inside, his expression a mixture of worry and determination.

Without a word, he pulled me into his arms as he shut the door firmly.

“I got here as fast as I could,” he murmured, his voice low and soothing. His embrace was warm and steady, a stark contrast to the cold chaos that had taken root in my life.

“Why weren’t you picking my calls, Ava. I was worried,” he said, patting my back lightly.

In response, the dam broke. Tears I hadn’t realized I’d been holding back streamed down my face as I clung to him, my fingers twisting into the fabric of his coat.

“Mason, I don’t know what to do,” I choked out. “It’s all falling apart. I’m scared, I’m so ashamed of myself. And I can’t find Orion anywhere!”

He pulled back just enough to look at me, his hands firm on my shoulders. His tender eyes searched mine, unwavering. “You don’t need him. And you don’t have to do anything. I’m going to handle this. All of it.”

His words were a balm to my frayed nerves, but doubt still gnawed at me. “You don’t understand. The video, the headlines—it’s everywhere. People think—”

“I don’t care what people think,” he interrupted gently but firmly. “What matters is the truth. We’ll figure out what happened, and we’ll make it right. But first, I need you to breathe.”

“But…last night…something—no—someone spiked my drink, Mason, I was out of it. I didn’t know what I was doing so…Mason I did it! And the fucking annoying part is…”

“Hey, I’m here now. Just take a deep breath. I’ll fix this, Ava. You’re stronger than you think, so don’t let them get to you, okay? You’ve done nothing wrong.”

I nodded shakily, his calm authority grounding me. He led me to the bed, his arm still around me, and sat down beside me.

“Tell me everything you remember,” he said, his tone steady as he handed me a glass of water.

I hesitated, the fractured pieces of my memory slipping through my fingers like sand. “I don’t remember much,” I admitted. “I was at the bar… drinking. Someone helped me to the elevator, but after that, it’s all a blur. But…but, I’m pretty sure my drink was spiked and I think—I think I slept with a stranger.”

Mason’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t interrupt.

“When I woke up, I was in the hotel room… and he was gone. There were cufflinks on the table—custom-made ones. I think they belong to him.”

He frowned. “Cufflinks?”

I nodded. “They’re still there.”

Mason stood and walked to the table, his movements purposeful. He picked up the cufflinks, studying them with a sharp eye.

“These aren’t ordinary,” he said after a moment. “Whoever owns these isn’t just some random guy. He’s someone with money and power.”

The implications hung heavy in the air, as my suspicions about Orion grew heavier.

“Mason, do you think… do you think this was planned? That someone set me up?”

He turned back to me, his expression unreadable. “It’s possible. The timing, the video—it’s all too perfect to be a coincidence. But I won’t jump to conclusions until I have more information.”

My heart sank. “I can’t believe this is happening. My career, my reputation… it’s all ruined.”

He crouched in front of me, taking my hands in his. “Ava, look at me.”

I met his gaze, tears welling up again.

“This isn’t over,” he said firmly. “You are not ruined. You are not broken. Whoever did this underestimated you—and me. I promise you, we’ll find out who’s behind this, and we’ll make them pay.”

His conviction was like a lifeline, pulling me out of the depths of my despair.

“But what do we do now?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“First, we get ahead of the story,” Mason said, his mind already working. “I’ll call in some favors, and bring in a crisis management team. Rose is already working towards getting the video taken down and issuing a statement. In the meantime, I need you to lay low. No public appearances, no interviews. Just focus on staying strong.”

I nodded, trusting him implicitly. Mason had always been the one person I could count on, no matter how dire the situation.

“And the cufflinks?” I asked.

“I’ll have them analyzed,” he said. “They’re a lead, and leads can be traced.”

As he stood, a wave of exhaustion washed over me, but for the first time in hours, it wasn’t accompanied by despair. Mason’s presence had brought a sense of hope, however fragile.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

He smiled, a rare softness in his expression. “You don’t have to thank me. You’d do the same for me.”

I watched as he pulled out his phone and laptop, already making calls and setting plans into motion. Mason was a force to be reckoned with, and I knew he wouldn’t stop until he uncovered the truth.

As he worked, I allowed myself to believe—just for a moment—that everything would be okay.

But deep down, I knew this was only the beginning.

Whoever had done this to me hadn’t just targeted my reputation—they’d declared war.

And with Mason by my side, I was ready to fight back.