Ava’s POV

The silence after my confession was deafening. Orion stared at me, a mix of disbelief and cautious admiration in his eyes. Rose, on the other hand, was visibly shocked.

“You don’t have anything?” she repeated, her voice sharp. “Ava, this isn’t a game! You just threatened to expose Chloe with evidence that doesn’t even exist!”

I leaned back in my seat, crossing my legs, my confidence unwavering. “Rose, the truth is irrelevant when you’re dealing with someone like Chloe. The moment I put her on the defensive, she starts unraveling. Did you hear her on the phone? She’s scared.”

“Scared isn’t the same as beaten,” Rose countered, her arms crossed. “What if she calls your bluff?”

I glanced at the clock on the wall, the ticking of the second hand louder than it should have been.

“Then we think of another plan,” I said coolly. “But trust me, Rose, she won’t. People like Chloe thrive on control, and when you threaten to take it away, they crumble.”

Orion stepped forward, his brows furrowed. “Ava, are you sure about this? Chloe’s dangerous when cornered. You’ve backed her into a wall, but if she figures out there’s a way out and you’re just bluffing…”

“Then I’ll make sure there isn’t a way out,” I said, meeting his gaze head-on. “This isn’t just about clearing your name, Orion. This is about making sure Chloe doesn’t get to hurt either of us or the company. Ever.”

Orion’s lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn’t argue. He knew as well as I did that Chloe’s web of lies had to be dismantled piece by piece.

The next few minutes passed like a slow drip of water torture.

Every tick of the clock felt like a hammer pounding against my skull. Rose paced the room, muttering under her breath, Colin stayed calm, while Orion stood at the window, his gaze fixed on the city skyline.

Just when I thought the tension might suffocate us all, my phone buzzed on the table. We all froze, staring at the screen as if it might detonate.

“It’s Chloe,” Orion said, his voice low. He picked up the phone, putting it on speaker.

“Well, Ava,” Chloe’s voice drawled, though it was tinged with a nervous edge she couldn’t quite hide. “Congratulations. You’ve managed to amuse me. But if you think I’m going to roll over and admit defeat, I just called to let you know that you’re delusional.”

I smirked, leaning closer to the phone. “Oh, Chloe. I don’t need you to admit anything. I just need you to slip up, which you’re doing wonderfully. Go on, tell me more about how you’re not afraid. I’m listening.”

“You’re bluffing,” she hissed. “I know you are. You have no proof, no footage. You’re just trying to scare me.”

“Am I?” I said, my tone deceptively light. “Because here’s the thing, Chloe: you’re so convinced that I’m bluffing that you’re not even considering the possibility that I might not be. That’s your problem. You’re predictable.”

There was a beat of silence, and then Chloe laughed, though it was hollow. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you, Ava? But let me tell you something. Even if you do have something, I’m not going down alone. I have substantial dirt on all of you.”

My blood ran cold, but I didn’t let it show. “Oh, Chloe,” I said, my voice dripping with mock pity.

“Do you really think threats will work on me after all you’ve done these past few days? You’re not the only one who knows how to play dirty. And remember Chloe, the clock is ticking.”

Before she could respond, I ended the call, tossing the phone back onto the table. My hands were steady, but inside, my nerves were fraying.

“She’s rattled,” I said, more to myself than anyone else.

Rose, however, was less convinced. “She’s also dangerous,” she said, her tone grim. “If she’s desperate enough, who knows what she’ll do next?”

“She’ll make a mistake,” Orion interjected, his voice steady. “She always does. Ava’s right. Chloe thrives on control, and when she loses it, she panics. That’s when we get our chance.”

The tension in the room was thick as I paced back and forth, my phone resting on the coffee table. Chloe had ten minutes left to make her move. The silence was broken only by the occasional creak of the floorboards beneath my steps.

Orion leaned against the wall, his jaw clenched, while Rose and Colin sat on the couch, with Rose tapping her foot nervously against the hardwood.

"Do you really think she'll do it, Mrs Miller?" Colin, Orion’s assistant finally asked, his voice cutting through the quiet. I stopped pacing and turned to face him. "She has no choice," I replied, my tone resolute. "Chloe loves attention, but she fears public humiliation even more. Once she realizes she can't win, she'll fold."

I’m sure there’s something she wants to hide knowing her kind of person. If she releases the video just as I asked, then there's really evidence against her in the mansion.

Orion’s gaze lingered on me, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Ava.” I smirked. “It’s not a game if you’ve already won.”

Still, doubt gnawed at the edges of my confidence. Chloe was cunning, and cornered animals often lashed out in desperation. I glanced at the clock on the wall. Five minutes to go.

Orion stepped closer, his voice low enough that only I could hear. “Are you sure this is the right move? What if she calls your bluff?”

I met his eyes, unwavering.

“Then we’ll release the evidence. But trust me—she won’t risk it. Not with her reputation hanging by a thread. There’s something she’s trying to hide, trust me.”

Just then, Rose’s tablet buzzed, drawing all eyes to the table. I snatched it up, my heart pounding. It was a notification.

Chloe was going live on her social media.

“She’s doing it,” I said, exhaling a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The four of us crowded around the phone as I opened the app. The screen filled with Chloe’s face, her usually flawless appearance marred by stress. Her eyes were red-rimmed as though she had been crying, her expression tense.

“Hello, everyone,” she began, her voice wavering. Over 5,000 viewers had already tuned in, and the number was climbing fast. “I know this isn’t the kind of livestream you’re expecting to see from me, but there’s something I need to address.”

Orion’s hand brushed mine, a silent reassurance as we watched her unravel in real time. Chloe took a deep breath, her gaze darting away from the camera before she forced herself to look back. “Earlier today, a video surfaced of... Orion and me. It caused a lot of pain and confusion, and I want to clear the air about it.”

Her words were slow, deliberate, like she was walking a tightrope.

“I made that video,” she admitted, her voice breaking slightly. “It wasn’t real. I recreated the scene. Mr Miller didn’t lie, he was nearly beaten to death the year he had to fake his death.”

The comments section exploded instantly, a flurry of shock, outrage, and disbelief. Chloe pressed on, tears welling in her eyes.

She’s obviously faking the tears.

“I know it was wrong,” she continued. “But I was angry, jealous, and hurt. Orion was the love of my life, and I couldn’t stand seeing him with someone else. I wanted... I wanted to hurt him the way I felt he hurt me.”

I glanced at Orion, whose expression remained stoic, though I could see the muscle in his jaw tighten.

Chloe wiped at her eyes, her mascara smudging. “I didn’t think about the consequences. I didn’t think about the people I was hurting—Orion, Ava, or anyone else. I just acted out of spite. And now, I have to live with the damage I’ve caused.”

Her voice cracked, and for a moment, she seemed genuinely remorseful. But I know better.

“I want to apologize,” she said, her tone softer now. “To everyone I deceived, to everyone who believed me, and most importantly, to Mr and Mrs Miller. What I did was unforgivable, but I hope one day, you can find it in your hearts to move past this.”

Chloe paused, her eyes darting away from the camera again. “I’m stepping away from social media for a while. I need to figure out who I am and how I let myself become this person. Thank you for listening.”

The livestream ended abruptly, leaving the four of us staring at the now-dark screen. The room was silent for a moment before Rose let out a low whistle.

“Well,” she said, leaning back against the couch. “I did not see that coming.”