Running From Orion

Ava’s POV

The walls of this house, once a cold and indifferent prison, now felt alive with mocking whispers. Every creak of the floorboards seemed to taunt me, echoing with memories I desperately wanted to erase. I needed to escape—not just from Orion and his relentless web of manipulation, but from the version of myself I had become under his shadow.

How did I get entangled in this mess? I had my shit together all these while, but all it took was a few nights together with Orion, and suddenly I thought that we could have a happy ending?

My feet carried me down the grand staircase, my hand grazing the ornate railing. Each step I took felt heavier, laden with the weight of this morning’s betrayal. Orion and his mistress—again. How many times would I allow myself to be their pawn, their fool?

At the bottom of the stairs, I paused, looking back with a longing I didn’t welcome. My eyes instinctively darted to the east wing, to the bedroom we shared. Would he come after me? Would he chase me down, beg me to stay, or was I truly nothing to him?

But there was no sign of him. Just silence. And the fact that I had wanted, or even longed for that made me feel worse than I already did.

“Get it together, Ava,” I muttered under my breath, forcing my legs to keep moving.

The shrill ring of my phone jolted me out of my thoughts. I froze, glancing at the screen. For one wild moment, I thought it might be him. But it wasn’t.

Mason Brown.

The name sent a wave of hesitation through me. After the scene earlier today—Orion’s public humiliation of him, my failure to defend him—I wasn’t sure if I could face Mason.

I Ignored the call and continued downstairs with my bag. Mason has proven that he’s someone that would be there for me, a shoulder I could lean on and what have I done for him? Let Orion walk all over him?

The phone rang again and I stared at the screen, biting my lips nervously. But I answered after the second ring.

“Ava,” his voice came through the line, smooth and composed, as if the day’s events hadn’t shaken him at all. “I’ve been reviewing the site plans for the construction. There are some updates I need to share with you. Are you available to discuss?”

His calm demeanor threw me off. Wasn’t he angry? Embarrassed? Yet here he was, acting like nothing had happened.

“Yes,” I said, my voice faltering slightly. “I’m...I’m listening.”

I proceeded towards the entrance as Mason began detailing the project’s progress—zoning permits, contractor bids, budget estimates—I tried to focus, but my mind wandered. My fingers clenched the phone tighter as a figure emerged from the corner of the hallway.

The other Mrs Miller. Pricilla.

At first, she was limping, leaning heavily on her cane, her face twisted in a mask of discomfort. But as she glanced around, ensuring no one was watching, her posture straightened. The limp vanished.

My breath hitched. That sly woman. She wasn’t injured at all.

What game was she playing now? Pretending to be weak, garnering sympathy—what was her end goal? Was she working with Chloe, plotting something behind the scenes? My chest burned with frustration. I didn’t care. Not anymore.

“Ava?” Mason’s voice pulled me back. “Are you alright? Who’s there?”

Before I could answer, a sharp voice cut through the air behind me.

“Well, well, Ava. Running away again?”

I turned to see Chloe standing at the foot of the staircase, a towel wrapped loosely around her slender frame, water dripping from her hair onto the marble floor. Her smirk was a dagger, her eyes gleaming with malice.

“There is no room for a gold digger here. Of course she has to run off like some rat,” Pricilla sneered with a tight grin.

“I didn’t think you’d have the guts,” Chloe continued, tilting her head. “But I suppose that’s all you’re good at. Running away.”

Mason’s voice crackled in my ear, laced with concern. “Ava, who’s talking to you like that? What’s going on?”

An image of her and Orion, pressed into each other in the shower flashed through my mind and I clenched my hands tighter around the phone, willing it to go away. ‘Don’t let her get to you, Ava,’ I muttered under my breath.

I ignored Chloe’s venomous words, letting them bounce off me like raindrops on a window. She wasn’t worth my energy. None of them were.

“I’m fine, Mason,” I said firmly into the phone, my gaze locked on Chloe’s. “I just...need to get away for a few days. Clear my head.”

Mason paused, then said, “I can help with that. I know a place—quiet, private. No one will find you there.”

The weight in my chest eased slightly. “Thank you,” I murmured, taking note of the address he provided before hanging up.

Without another glance at Chloe or Orion’s mother, I strode to the front door, where Joe was already waiting with the car.

As I slid into the backseat, I gave Joe the new address. The engine roared to life, and the car began its journey down the long, winding driveway. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.

But as we neared the gates, something made me glance back.

There he was.

Orion stood in the east wing window, his tall frame silhouetted against the dim light. His expression was unreadable, but his presence was unmistakable.

My heart clenched. For a brief, agonizing moment, I thought he might come after me. That he might fight for me. But he didn’t move.

I turned away, the gates of the estate closing behind me.

I was free.

Or so I thought.

As we merged onto the highway, the car jolted suddenly, the tires screeching against the asphalt. My body slammed against the seatbelt as Joe cursed under his breath.

“What’s wrong?” I demanded, gripping the door handle.

Joe pointed to the rearview mirror. “We’re being followed.”

My stomach dropped.

Through the mirror, I saw it—a sleek black SUV, its headlights glaring like twin predators.

And just like that, my escape turned into a chase.