Orion’s POV

I stood there, replaying Ava's accusations in my head. She thought I'd ordered a hit on her? Despite my resentment, the idea was absurd. But someone had tried to take her, and if she believed I was behind it…

Before I could process it, Chloe broke the silence, an unsettling smile curling on her lips.

“Well, that was unexpected,” she said, almost amused. “But don’t act so surprised, Orion. You think she’d suspect you were behind it if she hadn’t seen the man who tried to take her?”

My gaze snapped to hers, confusion morphing into dread. “What are you talking about?”

She leaned in, her voice a dark whisper. “Ava's too clever for her own good, isn’t she? She saw the man who tried to grab her. And she’ll remember him... because he's your hired security."

A chill ran down my spine. I felt my pulse race, each beat hammering against the walls of my chest.

“Wait—what do you mean? Are you saying—”

Chloe’s smile widened, eyes glinting with something twisted, almost playful. “Oops,” she murmured. “Maybe I shouldn’t have told him to get so... hands-on with her. Guess we’ll just have to see what she does next.”

My throat tightened as the pieces started to fall into place. She’d set me up, orchestrated this entire plot without me knowing. And now, Ava believed I was out for her blood.

Ava was ready for war—and I’d just become her enemy without even lifting a finger.

As Chloe’s words sank in, the room seemed to close in around me. My throat felt dry, and an uncomfortable tightness settled in my chest.

Chloe’s smug expression didn’t waver, her satisfaction radiating like a twisted victory. She’d been plotting this all along. “Why would you do that?” My voice was barely above a whisper, laced with a mixture of anger and disbelief.

She tilted her head, as if my question amused her. “Because, Orion, sometimes people need a push. Ava won’t hand over your father’s legacy willingly, and you clearly weren’t doing anything to… motivate her. So, I took matters into my own hands.” “By making her think I tried to have her killed?” I hissed, fists clenching as I fought the urge to snap.

“Oh, please. She was already suspicious of you. I simply confirmed her suspicions,” Chloe replied, her tone smooth and unnervingly calm. “And it worked, didn’t it? Look at how rattled she was—angry enough to hit you, desperate enough to start digging into every corner of this family. If we keep this up, she’ll be halfway to insanity in no time.”

I shook my head, disbelief twisting in my gut. “This wasn’t the plan, Chloe. I was supposed to inherit my father’s fortune fairly. Not… like this.”

Chloe stepped closer, placing a hand on my arm. “Orion, you’re too soft on her. Your father’s will was just his final way of mocking you, and you know it. He put Ava in that position to watch you squirm, to make you suffer for thinking you could escape him. He thought he could humiliate you from the grave.”

I stiffened at her words, a wave of anger surging through me. She wasn’t wrong. My father’s last act had been an insult—a reminder of everything he’d held against me. But this… this was crossing a line I hadn’t been prepared to breach.

“And what about when she finds out the truth?” I asked, my voice cold. “What then? If Ava knows we’re trying to push her to the edge, she’ll fight back. And we’ll be the ones at risk.”

Chloe’s eyes narrowed, and she looked at me with something close to disdain. “You’re really worried about her feelings, Orion? After everything? She married your father just to get close to you. She played him, and she’s still playing you. The sooner you see her for what she is, the better.”

My jaw tightened, anger bubbling beneath the surface. I didn’t trust Ava, not anymore, but Chloe’s approach was ruthless—even for me. I’d been willing to reclaim my father’s legacy, but not through manipulation and deceit like this. Chloe’s methods were making it clear she wasn’t just helping me—she was orchestrating her own agenda.

A tense silence filled the room, and Chloe seemed to sense my hesitation. She stepped back, folding her arms with an exasperated sigh. “Fine,” she said, her voice laced with impatience. “If you don’t have the stomach for it, then step aside. I can handle this on my own.”

“Just what exactly do you plan on doing?” I asked warily.

Chloe’s lips curled into a smile that sent a chill down my spine.

“Leave that to me. I know how to make her life… inconvenient.” She leaned closer, lowering her voice as though revealing a dark secret. “Trust me, Orion. When I’m through with her, she’ll be questioning every thought, every decision. She’ll start doubting her own sanity.”

I swallowed, my unease growing as Chloe’s plan began to take shape in my mind. She was relentless, and if she had her way, Ava would be trapped, spiraling into paranoia with no way out.

But as much as I resented Ava, a part of me recoiled at the idea of pushing her over the edge.

“I’m not sure I can go along with this,” I admitted, forcing myself to meet Chloe’s gaze.

Chloe’s eyes darkened, her smile vanishing. “Orion, this is the only way. She’s a threat. As long as she holds your father’s fortune, she’ll never let you or your mother rest. She’ll drag you both through the mud. So, unless you’re prepared to lose everything, I suggest you get on board.”

Her words weighed on me, pressing down like a stone. I was at a crossroads, torn between loyalty to my mother and the morality that Chloe seemed so eager to disregard.

If I continued with this plan, I’d be betraying everything I once stood for. But if I backed out now, Chloe and my mother would see me as weak, and Ava… Ava would never stop.

I exhaled sharply, a resigned resolve hardening in my chest. “Fine. But I’m not dragging this out. Whatever you’re planning, make it quick. I don’t want this to turn into a spectacle.”

Chloe’s smile returned, triumphant. “Good. You’ll thank me for this one day, Orion. Trust me.”