Ava's POV

The drive back to the office was cloaked in silence, the kind that crackled with everything left unsaid. Orion's face was stoic, but the tension in his jaw betrayed his irritation. I kept my gaze forward, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of any reaction. He’d dragged me into his personal mess, and if he thought he could control me now, he was dead wrong.

By the time we arrived, I was mentally rehearsing my pitch for the afternoon board meeting. I stepped out of the car, chin held high, striding toward the office doors. Just as I reached for the handle, Orion’s hand closed over mine, his grip firm.

“Ava,” he said, his voice low. “You think I don’t see what you’re doing?”

I pulled my hand free, leveling him with a calm stare. “And you think I don’t see through you? You may think you have some leverage, Orion, but I’m not here to play your games. Not anymore.”

A flicker of something—anger, maybe regret—passed over his face, but I didn’t wait for his reply. I strode inside, heels clicking, the sound echoing through the marble lobby as I left him standing by the door.

The meeting went smoothly, and I wrapped it up with an air of confidence that I didn’t entirely feel. By the end of the day, exhaustion was setting in, but I couldn’t afford to let it show. I had barely settled back into my office when Rose popped her head in, a sly smile on her face.

“Guess who’s waiting for you in the lobby?” she said, her tone full of intrigue.

I arched an eyebrow. “Rose, just spill it.”

“It’s Connor,” she said, looking like she was about to burst from excitement. “And he’s got that ‘let’s grab a drink’ look.”

My pulse quickened. The timing was almost too perfect, and part of me knew it might be wise to keep things strictly professional. But I wasn’t about to let some mirage marriage to a dick head dictate my choices.

“Tell him I’ll be down in five,” I said, slipping on my jacket and touching up my lipstick in the reflection of my office window.

I needed an escape from the relentless pressure of work, the drama with Orion, and the painful thoughts lingering from the will and Mrs. Miller’s troubles. And because of that, I found myself excited to meet Connor.

Connor was waiting by the grand entrance, hands in his pockets, that confident smile of his brightening the dimming lobby lights. When he spotted me, his eyes lit up.

“Ava, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” he greeted, offering me his arm which I gladly took with a soft smile.

The bar he picked was close by, intimate but lively. I leaned into the ambiance, letting the buzz of conversation and soft clink of glasses lull me into a relaxed state. Connor was easy company, charming and witty, his confidence a welcome relief from the relentless tension with Orion.

I laughed and leaned into Connor, the world around us faded. The weight of everything I’d been carrying seemed to dissolve into the background, replaced by the comforting rhythm of clinking glasses and Connor’s easy charm.

I had lost track of how many drinks I’d had by the time Connor offered his hand. "Come on, let’s get you out of here. I can take you home, or if you'd like, you can crash at my place. No strings."

I blinked, feeling a bit lightheaded as I took his hand. The ground felt unsteady beneath me, and I swayed slightly, letting out a giggle that wasn’t entirely sober. Just as Connor helped me up, the energy in the room shifted.

A familiar figure stood at the entrance, his tall frame radiating authority. Orion’s piercing gaze swept over the scene, locking onto me with a mix of fury and possession that was unmistakable.

With swift strides, he closed the distance, his voice low but unwavering. “She’s my wife. I’ll take it from here.”

Connor hesitated, looking between us, but I was too dazed to fully grasp the tension in his expression. Orion didn’t wait for a response. Before I knew it, he had his arm around me, pulling me close as he led me toward the exit. I could barely process what was happening, only that the warmth of Orion’s touch was steadying me.

As we stepped outside, the cool night air hit me, and I stumbled. Orion caught me effortlessly, his hands strong and sure. I couldn’t help but reach up, tracing my fingers across his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my fingertips. My hand slid up, grazing his neck and finding its way into his hair.

A low, almost frustrated sigh escaped him as he gathered me closer, his grip tightening possessively. “Ava, stop,” he muttered, but his tone was laced with something unspoken, something that fueled the recklessness surging through me.

“You’re always so serious,” I murmured, letting out a soft laugh, though it sounded weak even to my own ears. “Why didn't you just stay dead?”

He didn’t answer, only lifting me into his arms. My head fell against his shoulder, and my eyes began to drift shut, lulled by the comforting scent that was unmistakably his.

In the quiet, as the car doors closed around us, a voice whispered in the back of my mind—a warning, maybe, or perhaps it was the faintest glimmer of hope. Just before darkness claimed me, I whispered, barely conscious of my words, “Why did you come back?”

Orion’s silence stretched, but just as sleep overtook me, I felt his hand brush against my cheek, his fingers lingering as if I were something precious, something breakable. Was it the alcohol?

The car hummed into the night, leaving unanswered questions in its wake, as Orion’s silent reply left me teetering on the edge of a truth I wasn’t sure I was ready to face.