Ava

Nothing prepared me for this scene.

Orion was already on one knee, a sparkling ring between his fingers that caught the light and seemed to mock me with its brilliance.

The cold, calculated smirk on his face told me everything I needed to know: this was not a proposal—it was another performance, orchestrated to perfection.

The entire room, filled with the board members and, to my disgust, his mother, Mrs. Priscilla Miller, watched with rapt attention.

“Surprise,” he said smoothly, his voice oozing false sincerity. “I thought you might appreciate something a little more… impressive this time.”

The last time he’d asked me to marry him, the ring had been simple, understated—perhaps the only honest gesture I had ever seen from him. I’d refused, believing it was the end of this charade. But here he was, armed with a massive diamond and an audience ready to applaud my defeat.

I clenched my jaw, struggling to keep my composure. “What is this, Orion?” My voice was cold, every word carefully controlled. “Another twisted public drama?”

Priscilla stepped forward before he could answer, her face painted with a sickeningly sweet smile. “Darling Ava, we’re all just so excited for you two. Isn’t this what you wanted? What Richard wanted?”

She swept a hand through the air, as if presenting us as the perfect couple. It was revolting. She’d spent years undermining me, and now she acted like I was her best friend, her daughter in-law.

I saw through her mask, but the board didn’t—or maybe they just chose to ignore it. They needed the company secured. They needed their late CEO’s will honored.

“Ava,” a board member piped up, his tone admonishing, “we don’t understand your hesitance. You once assured us that you and Orion would solidify your partnership. It’s becoming clear this delay is solely on your end.”

My heart pounded in my chest. I couldn’t breathe. This was a trap, and I fell right into it. Every eye was on me, judging, waiting. Another board member spoke, his words like knives. “The terms are clear. To run Miller Empire and gain full access to the late Richard Miller’s assets, you two must marry. Why the hold-up?”

“Enough!” I spat out, fury boiling to the surface. “Is this what you all want? To reduce my life to a spectacle? To trap me into—”

Orion cut me off, his eyes gleaming with false concern. “You seemed unhappy with the first ring. So I got you something better.” He lifted the new ring higher, its facets catching and reflecting the light. “It’s everything you deserve…And more, of course.”

The smugness in his voice sent a wave of rage crashing through me. “You think this is about a ring?” I asked, rage coloring my words. “You think throwing money at a problem makes it go away?”

I leaned closer to him and whispered to his ears alone. “You disgust me.”

He didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. His silence, his arrogant smile—they were answer enough. He was enjoying this, relishing every second of my discomfort.

Then he pulled out his phone. “Perhaps a familiar voice will help you see reason.” With a few taps, he initiated a video call. Holly’s face appeared on the screen, her expression strained.

“Ava,” she began, her voice gentle but firm. “Listen to me. I know you’re angry. I know you feel trapped as though you're losing control. But Orion is a nice person. He'll make a good husband too.”

“You don’t understand,” I choked out. I felt like I was suffocating. Holly, who had always been my rock and only family, was siding with him. “You don’t see what’s really happening here.”

“He begged me to talk to you, Ava,” Holly continued, her voice wavering. “He just wants a chance. Can you say yes for me? Please?”

The walls seemed to close in. I was surrounded—by board members, by Priscilla’s gloating smile, by Orion’s infuriating calm. Even Holly’s betrayal pressed in on me, heavy and suffocating.

Priscilla’s voice cut through the noise. “Ava, darling, everyone here supports this union. It’s time to make a choice: give up the entire fortune and let down Richard’s legacy, or marry Orion and seal the deal. It’s simple, really.”

Simple. That word echoed in my mind. Nothing about this was simple. It was a carefully constructed cage, with every word, every gesture meant to corner me. I glanced around the room, at the faces of the board members who saw me not as a person but as a tool—a means to their end.

One of them spoke up, his voice cold. “Remember, you promised the union would be sealed soon. You’ve delayed long enough.”

I was out of words, out of options. Every protest, every argument had been turned against me. I looked at Orion—still on one knee, ring in hand, his eyes dancing with triumph. He had won. They all had.

“Fine,” I whispered, the word tasting like ash. I extended my hand, barely able to contain the tremor. Orion slipped the ring onto my finger with a flourish, pulling me to him and wrapping his arms around me. He kissed my forehead as the room erupted in cheers and applause.

As he leaned in, he whispered one word that made my insides boil with fury. “Gotcha.”

I was furious. I had been cornered, betrayed, manipulated. I met Orion’s eyes, seeing the smug satisfaction there, and vowed that this would not be the end. I would find a way to break free.

In that moment, as the board celebrated and Priscilla beamed, I locked eyes with Rose. Her expression was carefully neutral, but I saw it—the flicker of sadness, the hint of concern and pity. She saw what was happening. She understood.

And as I stood there, trapped in Orion’s embrace, I made a silent promise to myself: This was not over. Not by a long shot. I will make this marriage a living nightmare for him.

The cheers faded into the background as I forced myself to smile, my mind already turning, searching for a way out of this cage. One way or another, I would take back control.

I am Ava Miller—and I would not be defeated.