Orion’s POV

Cradling Ava's limp form against me, her body cold and still, the past week came crashing into my mind like a relentless tide, dragging me back to the darkest moments. Chloe’s voice, as clear as if she were standing right here, played over and over in my head.

I closed my eyes, fighting the flood of memories, but they came anyway. The first time she’d called after the scandal had faded—her calm, unnervingly calculated tone—it had felt like the beginning of something dangerous. Something insidious.

“I want you there at six,” she'd threatened, her voice oozing venom masked as sweetness. “Or I’ll make sure this goes public. Think I’m bluffing? I’ve got a video that’ll destroy you, Orion. Imagine how she’ll react when she sees it. All those nights... How do you think she’ll feel watching our sex video?”

The poison in her words sank into my skin, the memory of that call still fresh.

“Remember Chicago?” Chloe had murmured, her breath deliberate, every word a careful caress. “I filmed it, just in case you ever tried to walk away.”

The bile rose in my throat. Her smug laugh echoed in my ears long after the call ended. I had wanted to tell Ava, to tell her everything, but I couldn’t bring myself to drag her into that nightmare.

When the day came, I showed up early—4:30 p.m. to be exact—at the spot Chloe had texted me. I stayed hidden in the shadows, a predator watching his prey. Then I saw him. The man from years ago. The same one who’d kidnapped Ava months ago in that mansion.

Why was he here? Why was he meeting Chloe?

I crouched lower, unseen, as their argument escalated. Chloe was frantic, trying to control the situation, but he wasn’t backing down. He was demanding the money she owed, and threatening to expose secrets that I never knew existed. He was the man she’d hired to do her dirty work in the past—the one who orchestrated the shooting. And now, he is finished. He wanted payback.

Chloe’s nect words shattered everything I thought I knew.

“I was going to pin this pregnancy on him, but for you, I’ll let that go,” Chloe purred, her voice chilling. “Instead, when Orion shows up, we’ll make him transfer all his money to us. And when we’re done... we’ll kill him and disappear.”

The words struck like a blow to the chest. My world spun as I tried to process what I’d just heard. I had to get away, to think. I slipped into the night, my mind reeling, my hands gripping the steering wheel as I raced back home.

Every word Chloe had ever said had been a lie. Every single thing. How could I have let this happen?

By the time I got back, I couldn’t keep it to myself. I played the audio for Ava—every cruel word, every detail of their conversation. She listened in silence, her face unreadable, until the truth sunk in.

Before Mason even came with his news, Ava had known everything about Chloe.

I told her my suspicions about Mason’s involvement with Chloe, and as I expected, she defended him. She laughed it off, saying Mason was a friend and would never do anything to hurt her.

Still, I could see the doubt in her eyes. We had planned this, after all—to put on a show for Mason, to test his reaction when we had a “disagreement” in front of him.

The moment came when Mason dropped his bombshell about Chloe. Ava and I exchanged a knowing look. The game was on.

But then... she passed out.

Ava stirred in my arms, her eyes fluttering open, snapping me back to the present. I’d been so lost in my thoughts, I’d forgotten about everything around me. She looked up at me, her face pale but calm.

“What happened?” I asked softly, the question cutting through the tension in the room. “You already knew about all this... so why did you pass out?”

Rose, standing nearby, blinked in confusion. “Wait, you knew about Chloe?”

Ava nodded faintly, her gaze never leaving mine.

Rose’s eyes widened, half-impressed and half-perplexed. “You’re good, Ava,” she said with a mix of amusement and awe. “A real actress.”

I rubbed Ava’s shoulders lightly, trying to comfort her in the aftermath of the storm swirling around us.

“Ava,” I said, my voice low with caution. “What did you mean by the marks?”

Her voice barely rose above a whisper, but it hit me like a physical blow. “He’s the one... the one who broke into the house that night.”

A cold silence fell over the room, and my suspicions flared into certainty. I knew it. I’d known from the start there was something off about Mason—about everything he did.

"How are you so sure?" I asked, my voice laced with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.

Ava's eyes met mine, unwavering. “Remember the intruder? You cut his neck with something sharp. I saw the mark when his turtleneck shifted as he took off his coat, and there were fingerprints on his arms. When he was dragging me away, I dug my fingernails into his skin. Those marks... they match."

Her words hung in the air, each detail clicking into place with eerie precision.

I sprang to my feet, a thought striking me like lightning. Could it be?

“Rose,” I barked. “Call the CCTV control room. Get me the footage from the day before yesterday.”

As Rose scrambled to make the call, Ava looked at me, concern in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

I turned to her, my mind whirling. “Maybe it’s not Chloe he’s working with. Maybe it’s the Jamesons.”

Ava’s blood drained from her face, and I held her tightly, afraid of what she might say next. The weight of it hit her too. I knew what she was thinking; The fact that he’d created all those problems, all those dangers, just so he could “fix” them, get close to her, and betray her when the time was right.

“It’s going to be alright,” I whispered, holding her close. “I’m here. I’ll protect you. We’ll fix this.”

Rose’s voice brought me back to the present. “The footage’s here.”

I snatched the tablet from her, scrolling through the images. And there he was—Mason, sneaking into the database, swiping files, drafting documents and stamping them with Ava’s seal.

I looked up at Ava. She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. “No... not Mason. He couldn’t have...”

But it was true. The betrayal was complete. Mason had been the mole all along.

“What do we do now?” Rose asked, her voice tight.

Ava wiped her tears and stood. “I’m doing what anyone in my position would do,” she said, voice firm. “I’m calling Mason.”

“Why?” I asked, stepping closer.

Ava’s eyes were cold, her resolve hardening. “He’s going to deny it. But I want him to deny it to my face.”

I pulled Rose aside, giving her swift instructions. “When Mason shows up, call security. I’m arresting him for everything.”

Minutes later, the door opened. Mason walked in, his expression smug.

“I knew you’d call, Ava,” he said, his grin spreading. “I knew you wouldn’t leave me for Orion. I always knew...”

Before he could finish, Ava slapped him across the face.

“How dare you?” she shouted, her voice breaking with fury. “So it was you all along? You were working with the Jamesons? You’re the leak? The one who stole everything? And you broke into my house to kidnap me?”

Mason just smirked. He didn’t even try to deny it.

“Well, you missed a few things. I was the one who had Holly kidnapped that day,” he said, a sick grin spreading across his face. “And I was the one who told those men where you and your driver were headed.”

Ava lunged for him, but I held her back.

“No hard feelings, Ava,” Mason taunted, his hands raised in mock surrender. “I was just doing my job.”

I nodded to Rose. “Call the guards. Now.”

Mason tried to dash for the window, but he wasn’t fast enough. They had already restrained him.

“Lock him up,” I ordered, turning back to Ava. I held her tightly, trying to reassure her. “It’s over. I’ll fix this.”

Just then, a shadow crossed the door. Another figure entered the room.