Choices that Burn

Orion’s POV

The fluorescent lights of the hospital hallway buzzed faintly, a stark contrast to the storm raging inside me. I paced the corridor, my fists clenched and chest tight, replaying Ava's words over and over.

Her hatred burned into me like a brand.

She was right, wasn’t she? I had made my choice. And my choice had been Chloe.

Not because I wanted to, but because I couldn’t let go of the guilt.

But standing here right now, alone in a hospital that felt more like a tomb, I wasn’t sure if the weight of that guilt was worth everything I’d lost.

I needed air.

Without sparing another glance toward the ER, I turned and walked away. The cool night air hit me as I stepped outside, but it did nothing to calm the storm within. I leaned against the wall, my hands on my knees, trying to steady my breathing.

My mind drifted back to Ava, to the blood on her clothes, to the anger in her eyes, and to Mason’s hand on her back—a hand that lingered too long, too familiarly.

Jealousy and rage twisted in my gut, suffocating the guilt that had been clawing at me moments ago. I straightened, my jaw tight.

No.

I wouldn’t stand there like a fool while Mason played the savior. I couldn’t do anything for Ava now, but there was one person I could face without feeling like I failed the whole world.

Chloe.

I made my way back inside, the sterile smell of the hospital making my stomach churn. Her room was on the third floor, far from the chaos of the ER. The elevator ride was suffocatingly slow, and when the doors finally slid open, I stormed down the hallway toward her room.

The door was open, and I could hear her soft, even breathing as I stepped inside.

Chloe sat propped up on the hospital bed, her black hair cascading over her shoulders, her face pale but composed. She looked up as I entered, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“Orion,” she said, her voice quiet but sharp. “What are you doing here? I thought you left me to go be with your family.”

“I came to check on you,” I replied stiffly, crossing my arms.

Her lips curved into a faint smirk. “How thoughtful.”

The sarcasm in her tone grated on my nerves, but I ignored it. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been hit by a truck,” she said dryly. “But I’m alive. So there’s that.”

I nodded, unsure of what to say. An awkward silence stretched between us before Chloe broke it, her voice laced with steel.

“Why did you fire Peter?”

The question hit me like a slap, and my jaw tightened. How is it any of her business how I run my company?

“Because I didn’t trust him anymore,” I said, my tone clipped.

Chloe’s eyes flashed with anger, and she straightened in bed, wincing as she moved. “Bullshit,” she snapped. “Peter has been loyal to you for years. He practically ran your company while we were hiding from those criminals.”

My teeth clenched, but I kept my voice steady. “Not like I owe you any explanation Chloe, but for what it’s worth, I fired him because he’s a bad memory for my wife.”

Her eyes widened in disbelief, and then she laughed—a bitter, hollow sound that made my stomach twist. “A bad memory for your wife?” she repeated, her voice rising. “What the hell does that even mean?”

“It means,” I said coldly, “that Peter knew things about Ava's past or rather, did things to Ava in the past that I don’t want brought up anymore. He’s a liability and bad luck.”

Chloe’s laugh turned into a snarl. “A liability? Peter has been nothing but loyal to you, Orion. He looked after your company when you couldn’t be bothered. He kept everything thriving while you played the dead husband to this so-called wife you claim to care for.”

My hands curled into fists at my sides, but I didn’t respond. I wanted to so badly shut her up for good but couldn’t. She did take the fucking bullets for me.

“And now you cut him off because of Ava?” Chloe continued, her voice shaking with fury. “Because of someone you barely even knew back then and even now?”

“Don’t,” I warned, my voice low.

“Don’t what?” she shot back, her eyes blazing. “Don’t tell the truth? Don’t call you out on your bullshit?”

Her sudden movement sent a wince of pain across her face, and she clutched her shoulders, her breathing ragged.

For a moment, I considered stepping forward, offering some kind of comfort. But I didn’t. I’ve come to understand that everything I do for her has a way of coming back to bite me and I already have so many scars from the previous bites.

Her pain didn’t move me anymore.

“Do you even hear yourself?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You’ve thrown away everyone who’s ever been there for you, Orion. Peter, I and your mother. For her. For someone who hates you now.”

Her words hit harder than I wanted to admit, but I kept my expression cold, unyielding.

“I made my choice,” I said quietly. “And I don’t regret it.”

Chloe’s eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head. “You’re a fool,” she said, her voice breaking. “And one day, you’re going to realize just how much you’ve lost. But by then, it’ll be too late. But guess what, Orion, I will always be here to help you pick up the broken pieces.”

I turned away, unable to look at her any longer. I don’t want her close to me anymore but at the same time, I can’t get rid of her. Not yet. Her words followed me as I walked to the door, my chest tight and my mind racing.

The only thing on my mind as I walked further down is how to make things right. How to get back on track with Ava. How to make her see that I can’t live without her anymore.

But as I stepped into the hallway, I ran into the person I’ve been dying to tear apart since I saw him.

Mason Brown.