Heart of the Storm

Orion's POV

I barely glanced in Ava’s direction as my mother tore into her, her sharp voice filling the room with pointed insults. Ava stood there, taking it, her face set in a rigid mask, but I didn’t care. She’d chosen this. She’d married my father, knowing what it would mean. When things hadn’t worked out between us, she’d gone for the next best thing—the man with the wealth and power to keep her comfortably in our family. To think she’d wormed her way into this life by wedding him…

A sick feeling settled in my stomach. Ava had seen how vulnerable Rmy father was, how his health was failing. Was it possible she’d even had a hand in his death? The idea crossed my mind, but I shook it off.

Ava was a lot of things—opportunistic, manipulative—but a killer? No, that seemed a stretch. Still, the bitterness lingered, an icy thorn in my side.

Once Ava stormed out, I turned to my mother, keeping my expression neutral. “So, what is this ‘glitch’ you mentioned?”

A triumphant glint flashed in her eyes. She looked like she’d been waiting for me to ask. “You don’t have to marry her to get back everything your father left her,” she said slowly, savoring each word as if it were a rare treat.

I frowned. “What are you talking about? The will was clear.”

“There are always loopholes, Orion. Richard may have been thorough, but he left a couple of back doors. You could say his devotion to her only went so far.”

I arched an eyebrow, urging her on. “Such as?”

A wicked smile spread across her face. “There are two ways to reclaim everything from her. One, we make her disappear. Permanently.”

A chill ran down my spine at her words. She was speaking so casually, as though the idea of killing Ava were as routine as ordering her morning coffee.

“That’s your preference, I assume,” I said, keeping my tone as steady as I could. I hated the idea, but it was clear my mother had already put a disturbing amount of thought into this.

“Of course,” she said with a shrug. “It would solve things quickly and cleanly. But if that makes you uncomfortable, there’s a second option.” She leaned in, her voice lowering. “We prove she’s mentally unstable. According to the will, if she’s declared incompetent, all assets revert to you as her guardian. And as her ‘loving husband,’ you’d naturally be responsible for handling her estate.”

My jaw clenched as I processed her words. Declare Ava insane? It was conniving, cruel. But it was also…clean.

Chloe, who had been sitting silently in the corner, let out a small laugh, finally breaking her silence. “I think that’s brilliant,” she said, leaning forward with a gleam in her eye. “Imagine it, Orion. We could slowly drive her mad. Play with her until she starts doubting her own sanity. It would be… fun.”

I frowned. Despite my resentment toward Ava, this wasn’t how I wanted things to play out. But my mother’s voice was back in my head, reminding me of what she’d endured. My father had made her feel worthless, had ignored her, belittled her. Maybe I did owe her this, after all. If this was the only way to secure my family’s legacy, I’d go along with it.

“Fine,” I said, meeting my mother’s gaze. “We’ll do it your way. But I don’t want things getting out of hand.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” my mother replied, her voice like silk. “It’ll be subtle, precise. No one will be able to trace it back to us.”

With the plan settled, my mother and Chloe started discussing tactics. I barely listened, my mind elsewhere. They seemed to enjoy the plotting, almost too much. Still, I was resolved. Ava had to pay for inserting herself where she didn’t belong.

Once we wrapped up, I left with Chloe. The house was quiet as we arrived, and I felt an unexplainable impulse to look for Ava. I scanned the hallways and the living room, but she was nowhere to be found. Her car was in the driveway, but the house seemed strangely empty. Maybe she was hiding away, licking her wounds after the verbal lashing my mother had given her.

“Looking for someone?” Chloe’s voice was teasing, her gaze sly as she moved closer, her hand drifting along my arm. She was always forward, a little too bold, but tonight I didn’t mind.

“Not really,” I lied, though I continued glancing around as we walked into the den. Chloe stepped closer, pressing her body against mine, her hands sliding over my chest.

“Forget about her,” she murmured, tilting her head up, her lips brushing against my jawline. “She’s nothing but a parasite. You deserve someone who actually cares about you.”

I knew where this was going, and I didn’t stop her. Chloe’s lips found mine, soft but insistent, her hands tugging me closer. A part of me hesitated, knowing Ava was somewhere in the house. But Chloe’s hands were warm, grounding me in the moment, pulling me away from my doubts.

I wrapped my arms around her, surrendering to the heat building between us. She pressed herself against me, her hands slipping beneath my shirt, her nails grazing my skin. I caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye and turned, my gaze landing on Ava as she walked into the living room.

A surge of satisfaction washed over me. If Ava wanted to be part of this family so badly, then she could suffer for it. I deepened the kiss, letting it linger, making sure Ava saw every second of it.

She stopped, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene. For a moment, she simply stared, a mixture of anger and something else—jealousy, maybe—flickering across her face. Then, with surprising swiftness, she strode forward, grabbing Chloe’s arm and pulling her away from me.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, her voice cold and furious.

Chloe just smirked, but before she could say anything, Ava turned to me, her eyes blazing. And then, before I could react, she slapped me, hard enough to sting. I staggered back, more shocked than hurt.

“Ava, what the hell?” I growled, rubbing my cheek. I hadn’t expected this kind of reaction. Did she actually think she had the right to be jealous?

But Ava wasn’t done. She took a deep breath, visibly restraining her anger, but her words came out in a rush, each one sharper than the last.

“How dare you,” she spat, her voice shaking. “How dare you send people to kidnap me in broad daylight? Have you lost all sense of decency?”

“What are you talking about?” I snapped, my mind racing. Kidnap? I hadn’t sent anyone after her, and I certainly hadn’t given any orders like that.

“I’ve tried to be patient, to be accommodating,” she continued, her voice laced with contempt. “I know you hate this marriage, and I’ve respected that. I’ve even turned a blind eye to your little fling with Chloe in the house your father left us. But plotting against me? Trying to have me killed? That’s a line I won’t tolerate.”

“Ava, I don’t know what you’re—”

“Don’t lie to me,” she interrupted, her eyes blazing with fury. “If you want out of this marriage, fine. Walk away. I’ll even settle things fairly. But if you and your mother are going to play dirty, don’t expect me to keep my hands clean.”

With that, she turned and stormed off, slamming the door to her room behind her. I stood there, stunned, my cheek still tingling from the slap.

Chloe huffed beside me, crossing her arms. “Who does she think she is, acting like she has any control over this situation?”

But I was barely listening. Ava’s words echoed in my mind, each accusation landing like a punch. She thought I’d sent people after her? That I’d actually stoop to that level? Anger surged within me, mingling with a strange sense of unease. Someone had come after Ava, that much was clear, but it hadn’t been me.

And now, she was ready to fight back.

I clenched my fists, feeling a storm brewing. This wasn’t going to be as simple as I’d thought. Ava had just declared war—and I had a feeling things were about to get far more complicated than any of us were prepared for.