Ava

I pressed my hand to my throat, the bruises already searing like a brand, and pushed myself to my feet. My entire body trembled, not from fear anymore—but from anger. A rage so deep I could taste it.

This wasn’t going to be my life.

I wiped my face with the back of my hand, turned sharply, and pulled the bell cord. It wasn’t long before a hesitant knock tapped against the door. I straightened my back as much as I could, ignoring the sting as I forced out a steady voice.

“Come in.”

The door creaked open, and Maria, one of the younger maids, stepped in, her eyes darting around the room. Her gaze landed on the shattered vase on the floor before snapping back to me.

“Miss Ava? Are you… alright?” Her voice was quiet, but I could hear the edge of concern.

I nodded curtly, keeping my voice sharp. “Clean this up. And have Orion’s things moved back into the room he used to share with Chloe.”

Maria blinked at me, clearly startled. “Sir Orion’s—?”

“You heard me,” I cut in. “Move everything out of here. Now.”

Her lips parted, but she bit back whatever she wanted to say, bowing her head instead. “Yes, ma’am.”

I walked over to my vanity, dragging my fingers across its surface to ground myself. “And while you’re at it,” I added, “bring my sister’s bags back to this room.”

Maria hesitated, clearly confused but not daring to ask questions. “Of course, ma’am. Right away.”

She turned to leave, but I wasn’t done. “One more thing.”

Maria froze, her hand on the doorknob.

“If anyone asks, tell them I said so. No explanations. No arguments. Understood?”

“Yes, Miss Ava.” She scurried out, leaving me alone again.

The moment the door clicked shut, I let out a slow breath, the weight on my chest easing just slightly. Orion’s grip might have left marks, but I wasn’t going to let him win. He could shove me, choke me, try to corner me—but he would not have the satisfaction of seeing me cower in fear.

Putting him back into Chloe’s room wasn’t about reclaiming space. It was about control. He wanted to treat me like a pawn in this twisted game, but two could play. He didn’t get to share a room with me anymore. He didn’t get to pretend this marriage was anything other than a power play.

I walked back to the bed and sank down, rubbing my temples as the day’s chaos washed over me. My mind wouldn’t stop spinning. Richard. My mother. The shares.

The pieces were coming together, but they weren’t forming a picture I could make sense of. I needed answers. Real answers.

And tomorrow, I would get things started on how to find them.

I pulled out my phone again, opening my sister’s contact. My thumb hovered over the call button. She needed to know what was happening, so she wouldn’t fall for Orion’s schemes later, but I couldn’t let her hear the panic in my voice. Not yet. I’d deal with Orion first.

My mind briefly went to what he said earlier about the poison. Could it be he was telling the truth? If it wasn’t him then it has to be Chloe. Either that, or they are in on it together.

Dealing with Chloe should be a piece of cake. I’ll put her in the corner where she belongs. She wants to be the mistress of this mansion right? I’ll help her achieve her dreams in the most brutal way.

I looked at the locked drawer where I’d hidden the documents. I would hold onto them like a weapon, one I’d wield when the time was right. Orion thought he was untouchable, that no one could challenge him.

But Richard had left me the key to his downfall, and I intended to use it.

I leaned back against the headboard, staring at the ceiling. Tomorrow, Mason would help me start to untangle this mess. Tomorrow, I’d take my first step out of this entire mess.

The tension hung heavy in the room as I leaned my head back against the headboard, trying to steady my breath. My pulse still drummed in my ears, a bitter reminder of Orion’s hands wrapped around my throat. But the quiet didn’t last long—because it never did.

A knock echoed against the door, this one sharper, more deliberate. I straightened, an eerie calm settling over me. I knew that knock.

“Come in,” I said evenly, already bracing myself.

Chloe swept into the room like she owned it, the silk of her dress whispering around her legs. Her smirk was like a dagger aimed right at me.

“Well, well, Ava,” she drawled, pausing by the shattered remains of the vase as if admiring the chaos. “Looks like the honeymoon phase is already over.” Her gaze flicked to my throat, and I saw the flash of satisfaction in her eyes. “And here I thought you’d keep it together longer.”

I rose slowly, the bruises screaming with every movement, but I refused to let her see it. I smoothed my shirt down, ignoring the sting in my palm where the porcelain had cut me earlier. “If you’re here to gloat, Chloe, don’t waste your time.”

“Oh, but I wouldn’t dare waste this moment,” she replied sweetly, stepping closer. “You’ve done such a wonderful job putting Orion and me right where we belong—together. It’s only fitting you’ve accepted your role as nothing more than a placeholder.”

I let her words slide over me like smoke. I wouldn’t give her what she wanted. Instead, I tilted my head, letting my eyes rake over her in a slow, assessing way. “You really should thank me then, shouldn’t you? After all, you don’t seem to thrive unless you’re begging for scraps at Orion’s table.”

Her smile faltered, only for a second. “You can act superior all you want, Ava, but you and I both know where this is headed. This little life of yours? It’s temporary.”

“Temporary?” I stepped toward her, closing the distance. “Is that what you call slipping poison into someone’s drink? Temporary?”

Chloe’s smirk sharpened. “Oh, I see where this is going,” she purred. “Looking for someone to blame for poor Holly’s condition? I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve only been sharpening my claws. You’d better get ready for the main event.”

I didn’t flinch. Instead, I smiled—cool, controlled, deadly. “If you think that rattles me, you’ve underestimated me, Chloe.” My voice dipped lower. “But here’s a warning for you: you play with poison, and you’ll find yourself the one choking on it. Accidents happen, after all, and you wouldn’t want Orion to see you as disposable, would you? Because we both know that’s all you really are to him.”

Her face hardened, though her lips curled into a mockery of a smile. “You really are delusional, Ava. I’ve known Orion far longer than you ever could. I’ve seen parts of him you never will. And now that he’s brought Peter back…”

I froze.