Ava's POV

I sat in the back of the car, my hands clenched in my lap, nails digging into my palms until I could feel the sting of blood.

The city streets blurred past, too bright, too vivid, mocking the storm raging inside me. I closed my eyes, letting my head rest against the cool glass.

I could still feel the touch of Orion’s fingers against my skin from the night before—how they had gone from tender to cruelly indifferent within hours. He had played his role well. Too well.

I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek, the taste of iron mingling with the bile rising in my throat. Let him think I was broken. Let him believe his betrayal had shattered me beyond repair. He would learn soon enough what true devastation looked like.

The car slowed, jolting me back to the present. Joe’s eyes met mine in the rearview mirror, a silent question lingering between us. “Where to, Ms. Ava?”

For a moment, I considered telling him to take me far away, to some forgotten corner of the world where Orion and Chloe’s schemes couldn’t reach me. But I dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. Running wasn’t an option. Hiding wasn’t in my nature. Not anymore.

“To the mansion,” I replied, my voice steady despite the turmoil in my chest. “We need to go over every security measure. I don’t want a single blind spot left.”

Joe nodded, his jaw tightening. He’d been with my family long enough to know when I was deadly serious. “Understood.”

The rest of the ride passed in tense silence. The estate loomed ahead, its iron gates swinging open to greet me.

I stepped out of the car, the gravel crunching beneath my heels, and strode inside with purpose. Every step I took strengthened my resolve. Orion thought he had me cornered, but he had no idea what I was capable of.

—--- I stood in front of the living room, staring at the fireplace with a cold, calculating gaze.

Every inch of me screamed fragile, desperate, broken. I had to be. I had to make them believe it, make them think I was losing control. But inside, I was far from it. I was orchestrating my revenge—every detail, every moment, was part of the plan. Tonight, I will be in charge.

"Joe," I called out, my voice cool, composed. He appeared in an instant, as always. His eyes, sharp and observant, met mine. "Ma'am?" he asked, his tone neutral.

I didn’t waste time. “I need a hidden camera placed in the living room,” I said, my voice low. “Make sure it's at a strategic angle where Orion can’t see it. I want every second of what’s about to happen to be caught on film.”

He nodded without question. Joe understood me better than anyone. He knew how to follow orders, how to stay in the shadows and make sure everything went exactly the way I wanted.

Once he was gone, I turned my attention to the kitchen maid, Alice. I found her in the hallway. All my staff are loyal to me. I single handedly picked them myself.

Alice was the one that told me about what she overheard between Chloe and Orion.

"Alice," I said, my voice calm but commanding, "I need you to do something for me. If Orion comes home, I want you to act like you've seen a ghost. Be scared—terrified. Tell him I've been acting out of place, like I'm losing your mind and that I locked myself inside. You understand?"

Her face paled, but she nodded quickly. She didn't argue, and that was good. She understood the importance of this.

"Good," I murmured, my eyes narrowing. "Make him believe you. I'll take care of the rest."

She hurried off, and I felt a sense of satisfaction wash over me. It was all falling into place. Orion would think I was unraveling, that I was losing my grip. But he didn’t know half of it. I wasn’t losing control. I was taking it.

—-

Hours passed. The sun dipped below the horizon, and the house grew quieter. The time was almost here.

I heard the front door open downstairs. Orion had arrived. I held my breath, listening as the sound of his voice mingled with Chloe’s—her laughter, her soft teasing. I felt a familiar knot twist in my stomach. He thought I was weak.

But he didn’t know how wrong he was.

I heard Alice in the hallway below, raising her voice, panicked. "I don’t know what’s wrong with her, Mr. Miller. She’s been acting so strange… like she’s losing her mind. She locked herself in her room this afternoon. I swear, I—"

I couldn’t hear Orion’s response, but I could imagine it—calm, rehearsed, the tone of someone who had convinced themselves they were the good guy. I smiled to myself, knowing exactly how this would play out.

A moment later, his footsteps were unmistakable, climbing the stairs toward me. I could hear the faintest sound of Chloe’s voice behind him, but he ignored her, his focus completely on me.

I closed my eyes, letting the silence stretch on until he reached my door. I heard him knock, sharp and confident.

"Ava?" His voice was smooth, but there was a hint of something else. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t ready to answer yet.

“Open up,” he called, his voice deeper now, as though trying to convey concern. I stayed silent, letting the tension build.

He knocked again, harder this time. I could hear his frustration mounting. "Ava! Open the door."

More minutes passed. I could hear the sound of him shifting his weight outside the door and Chloe's silent remarks. His voice grew louder, more insistent.

"Ava."

I took a breath, savoring the moment. This was it. This was where everything would start to unravel for him.

I screamed, letting the words fly from my mouth like shards of glass. "Leave me alone!" My voice cracked on purpose, a perfect imitation of hysteria.

"I feel like I’m losing my mind! I can’t take it anymore! Please, just leave me alone!"

For a beat, everything was silent. I could hear Orion’s muffled voice outside, his words indistinguishable now. But I knew exactly what he was doing.

After a long moment, I heard Chloe’s voice from behind him. "I think It's working, Orion."

It’s okay, Ava,” I heard Orion whisper softly, his voice a mockery of concern. “Maybe you’re just overwhelmed. You’ve been working too hard. You need rest. Take some time off. I’ll handle everything.”

I could feel his eyes on me through the door. The moment was perfect.

I let the silence stretch until it felt like it would suffocate him, then I whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. "Orion… please, come to bed with me. I’m scared. I don’t want to be alone tonight."

I didn’t wait for a response. I knew he was going to step inside the moment I opened the door. It was exactly as I had planned.

He had walked right into my trap.

As he stepped into the room, I slowly lifted my head towards him, a wicked smile playing at the edges of my lips.

Orion had no idea what he was about to face. And I'm prepared to make it a night he won't forget in a hurry.