The Marriage Clause

Ava

I strode out of the conference room, leaving the chaos behind me. The echo of Pricilla’s shrill outrage and Orion’s stunned silence still echoed in my ears, but I didn’t look back.

Each step I took down the corridor was deliberate, a reminder to myself that I was in control. I could feel the eyes of the employees on me, sensing the storm that had just passed through.

Good. Let them watch. Let them wonder.

I reached the elevator, pressing the button with more force than necessary. The doors slid open, and I stepped inside, the quiet hum of the machinery a stark contrast to the battle I’d just walked out of. As the doors closed, I released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My fingers tremble slightly, not with fear, but with the residual adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Orion. Pricilla. Even Chloe. They had no idea who they were up against.

The elevator descended, and I tried to push the memory of Orion’s furious eyes out of my mind. The way he’d grabbed me, the intensity in his voice—it was infuriating. Infuriating because for a moment, just a moment, I had felt something other than disdain. I clenched my fists, trying to suppress the unwelcome flutter in my chest.

As I stepped out into the hallway to my office, my phone buzzed. A text. From him.

Orion: ‘You can’t run from this. We’re not done’.

I scoffed, slipping my phone back into my pocket without replying. He always thought he could intimidate me, control the narrative, but he was wrong. This war wasn’t about power; it was about survival. And I have someone to protect.

I walked out into my office, the peace and calm doing little to ease my tension. The weight of the company’s future pressed down on my shoulders, but it was a burden I had chosen. Richard had trusted me with his legacy, and I wouldn’t let Orion or his viper of a mother destroy it.

As I sank into my chair, a flicker of doubt crept in, uninvited. Was I becoming too much like them? Cold, ruthless, consumed by ambition? I shook my head, dismissing the thought. There was no room for hesitation—not now.

My phone buzzed again, but I ignored it this time. Instead, I wheeled myself closer to the window, I stared out at the skyline, the towering buildings like sentinels of my ambition. Orion thought he could outmaneuver me, but he didn’t understand the depth of my resolve.

Let him try. I’ll make sure he bleeds.

Minutes into my thoughts, an urgent knock at the door shattered the brief silence I had gotten comfortable in. I didn’t even have to ask; the door swung open, and Rose, my assistant, hurried inside, her expression tight with urgency.

She approached my desk, her hands steady as she placed a stack of papers in front of me. Her eyes flickered with something close to pride. “As you requested, Ava,” she said, a hint of satisfaction in her voice. “The shares from Orion’s company. It’s done.”

I picked up the documents, a slow, victorious smile curling on my lips as I scanned through the signatures and details. “Good work, Rose.” My voice was cold, but the flicker of triumph beneath it couldn’t be missed. This was the beginning. Orion thought his empire was unshakeable, his defenses impenetrable. But I would slip through the cracks, one by one, and tear it all down.

I looked up, my eyes meeting Rose’s. “He won’t see it coming. Every angle he thinks is secure—I’ll be there. And when it all crumbles, he’ll have nothing left.”

Rose nodded, her expression unwavering. “I know you will.” There was a pause before her demeanor shifted as she clutched her tablet, urgency returning to her eyes. “But Ava, that’s not why I came rushing in. Did you see the text I sent?”

I set the papers down, my brow furrowing. “What’s so urgent?” Confused, I frowned, reaching for my phone. I thought it had been Orion again, but when I looked, there was a message from Rose—one I hadn’t read.

‘Call me now. Urgent.’

Rose hesitated, her fingers twisting together. “It’s about the lawyer… and something you need to know. Something that changes everything.”

“What’s going on, Rose?” I demanded, my heart beginning to race again. “What’s the meaning of this message?”

Rose hesitated, her eyes darting to the closed door as if afraid someone might overhear. “I spoke to the lawyer,” she said softly, her voice strained. “You asked me to check on the divorce proceedings and the division of the company.”

“Yes,” I snapped, impatience creeping in. “I want that divorce finalized. Richard only required the marriage to secure the inheritance, and now we’ve fulfilled that. Orion and I can split the shares. I refuse to spend another second tied to that man.”

Rose’s eyes met mine, filled with hesitation. “Ava... the lawyer said you can’t divorce him and divide the company.”

I stared at her, the words not registering immediately. “What?” My voice was ice.

“The moment you divorce, the marriage is nullified. It’s a clause Richard put in place. If you two split, it’s as if the marriage never happened, and you both lose access to the company.” Her voice faltered. “The company will be sold off, and the money given to charity.”

A scream of frustration tore through me before I could stop it. I slammed my fist on the desk, my vision blurring with rage. “Why?” I hissed through clenched teeth. “Why can’t I get this fucking asshole out of my life for good?”

I leaned back, my mind spiraling. Leaving the company had crossed my mind. I could take what I had, start over somewhere far away, somewhere peaceful. The grand hotel was in my name, after all. But then, Richard’s face flashed in my mind—the man who had trusted me, believed in me. He wouldn’t want me to walk away. And I owed him that much.

I couldn’t abandon the company to Orion and his scheming allies. No. That wasn’t an option.

Rose’s quiet voice broke through my thoughts. “Are you sure... he’s the one who gave Holly the drink?”

My hands trembled as I gritted my teeth, the fury boiling just beneath the surface. “Yes,” I spat. “I saw him. It’s on the footage I watched.” My voice cracked. “Why would he want to hurt my sister, Rose? And then lie next to me that same night like he’s not the devil himself?”

Rose’s eyes softened with concern, but I barely saw it. “Why not me?” I continued, the words bitter. “Why poison Holly? Bringing her into his schemes to force me into this marriage was one thing, but this? It’s a new low. And I swear, I’ll go to hell and back to make sure he suffers for it.”

The door burst open suddenly, crashing against the wall. Orion stood there, his eyes blazing with fury.

“What did you just say?” His voice was low, dangerous. “You think I poisoned Holly?”