Ava

I leaned my forehead against the wardrobe door, my breath shaky, chest tight. The silence behind me was deafening, like a storm waiting to break.

I could feel Orion's anger hanging thick in the air, even with the door separating us. Memories clawed at the edges of my mind—his hands around my waist, his lips soft against mine in Venice. Now, those same hands were nothing but chains.

As if on cue, the image of him tangled in sheets with Chloe flashed through my mind. What kind of animal is he? What does he take me for?

I dressed quickly, pulling on soft silk and tailored lines. It wasn’t about vanity—it was about feeling protected, cloaked in control. When I stepped out, Orion was still there, his back to me, hands clenched at his sides.

"Why are you still here? Why does seeing me with someone else bother you anyway?," I asked, my voice calm but edged with steel.

He turned slowly, his eyes a dangerous storm. "You're really asking me that? Watching my wife entertain strangers while I'm right next to her, didn't you think for a second how disrespectful that is?"

A bitter laugh escaped before I could stop it. "Is that what you call it? Disrespectful? While you're in someone else’s bed? And did you just call me wife? Did you forget so soon?”

His jaw clenched, eyes narrowing. "It's different with Chloe. You know that."

"No, Orion. It's the same. Why are we even having this conversation?” I crossed my arms, meeting his glare. "You lost the right to accuse me of anything the moment you decided our marriage was a game. And now, you're losing something else—my patience."

For a moment, I thought he’d lash out again, but he just stood there, breathing hard. Finally, he spoke, his voice low. "Do you really love him?"

I blinked, surprised. "What?"

"The stranger at the airport. Do you love him?" His eyes searched mine, desperation flickering beneath the anger.

I shook my head slowly, stunned beyond words. The guts of this annoying man to think he has the right to ask me that. "I barely even know him, what is your problem?"

"That didn’t stop you before." The venom in his voice cut deep, but I refused to flinch. “Isn't that how our story began in the first place?”

"You have no right to judge me, Orion. Meeting you wasn't my decision. I was forced, I was a child! And I can't begin to explain how I regret not escaping with my sister back then. But keeping my distance from you is a choice I'm willing to make boldly." I stepped past him, grabbing my phone from the bed. "We're done talking."

He didn’t stop me as I left the room, but I felt his eyes burning into my back the whole way.

---

Downstairs, the house was quiet. I found Holly in the living room, curled up with a book, oblivious to the war raging upstairs. She looked up, her eyes brightening. "Can we watch a movie together before I leave tomorrow?"

I forced a smile, sitting beside her. "Of course. You pick."

As the opening credits rolled, I let myself sink into the moment, Holly's presence a balm on my frayed nerves. She leaned against me, and for a little while, everything felt normal. Safe.

But my phone buzzed, shattering the fragile peace. A message from Mason.

‘Hope you’re okay. Here if you need to talk.’

I stared at the screen, my heart twisting. Part of me wanted to reply, to let someone in, but another part—a bigger part—knew it was dangerous. Letting someone close meant giving them power, and I couldn’t afford that. Not now.

I have enough on my plate already. I can't accommodate another person that could turn out worse than the monsters I'm battling right now.

I put the phone away, wrapping an arm around Holly.

The glow of the screen faded, but Mason’s message lingered in my mind, a whisper of something I couldn’t quite name—hope, maybe, or a warning. I glanced at Holly, lost in the movie, her small frame nestled against me. For her, I had to stay strong, keep the chaos contained.

But chaos had a way of finding cracks.

Before long, Holly’s head drooped against my shoulder, her breath slowing into the soft rhythm of sleep. She would always want to watch movies but never made it past the first 30 minutes. I smiled faintly, brushing a stray curl from her face. She looked so peaceful, so innocent—too young to carry the weight of everything our family had been through.

A wave of nostalgia washed over me, bitter and sweet. I remembered our childhood when our mother was still alive, and every day felt like Christmas. Warm cookies, laughter that echoed through the halls, a lightness that seemed so foreign now. Tears welled up, but I quickly blinked them away. There was no room for that kind of weakness anymore.

My mind drifted to what Holly had overheard—the hushed conversation between our father’s new wife and her mysterious caller. I made a mental note to speak to Rose. She would know someone who could dig deeper, unearth whatever secrets were being buried. No one was untouchable. Not in this century.

“Collins?” I whispered. One of the younger servants appeared instantly, waiting for instructions. “Take Holly to her room. Be gentle.”

He nodded, carefully lifting Holly into his arms. I followed them upstairs, tucking her into bed, whispering a soft goodnight before closing the door. As I stood in the hallway, the silence pressed in on me.

My room was dark when I slipped inside, the shadows wrapping around me like a cloak. I climbed under the covers, exhaling slowly, trying to shake off the tension that clung to me.

But as I shifted to find a comfortable spot, I collided with something—or someone. A solid, immovable presence. My breath caught. I reached for the bedside lamp, but a strong hand closed over mine, pulling me down.

“Orion?” I hissed, trying to yank away, but his grip was firm.

His voice was low, rough with sleep. “Don’t fight me. Just... sleep.”

My heart hammered in my chest. I didn’t want to feel this way around him. I didn’t want to remember the way his arms felt, the rise and fall of his chest against mine. But as if under a spell, my body began to relax, my limbs growing heavy.

For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of his breathing, the warmth of his presence seeping into me. It felt dangerous, intoxicating. I hated it.

But I hated how much I didn’t hate it anymore.

---

Somewhere in the middle of the night, a heavy knock shattered the fragile calm.

I bolted upright, my heart pounding. Orion stirred, his eyes snapping open. We exchanged a glance, tension crackling between us.

Another knock—louder, more insistent.

“What the hell?” Orion muttered, swinging his legs off the bed.

I followed him every step like walking through a nightmare. My fingers curled around the doorknob, hesitating. Something felt... wrong.

When I opened the door, Rose stood there, eyes wide with fear.