The Intruder

Orion

The sound was loud enough to silence the room, like a gunshot shattering glass. My instincts sharpened immediately. I glanced at Ava, who had gone still, her expression unreadable except for the flicker of something—fear, maybe, or suspicion—that passed behind her eyes. Chloe, for once, looked unsure, her bravado slipping as she clung to my arm.

I had entered the room, wanting to confront Ava about moving my things back to the room I shared with Chloe. Maybe, also apologize for hurting her.

I didn’t expect to find Chloe with her. But I did expect the disgust and fury underneath Ava’s gaze. Did she hurt herself? I thought to myself as my eyes flickered to her bloodied hand. I felt instant regret but tried to mask it under indifference and anger.

Chloe’s words about Peter and Ava’s reaction confirmed my suspicions. Something did really happen between her and Peter. Something that scarred her. And now, she thinks I purposely planted Peter back into her life.

Another noise—a heavy thud—vibrated through the floor, causing me to turn towards the direction of the door.

“What the hell was that?” Chloe whispered, her voice tight.

Ava moved first, striding past me toward the door. I caught her wrist, stopping her. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Her eyes snapped up to mine, blazing. “To find out what’s going on.”

I tightened my grip just slightly. “You don’t move until I say so.”

“And what, you’re going to go play hero while I sit here and wait to see your bravado?” she shot back, yanking her arm free.

“Stay behind me,” I ordered sharply. Whether out of pride or recklessness, she didn’t argue.

I pushed Chloe back with a curt look. “You. Stay behind me as well.”

Chloe frowned, indignant but my voice left no room for debate.

I didn’t wait to see if they’d listen. I moved quickly and Ava followed, tension crackling between us. My mind raced. I’d fortified the estate with the best security—cameras, guards patrolling the perimeter. Whoever had gotten in had skill—or a death wish.

After Chloe mentioned her ex and his threats, I had to do something to keep her safe.

When we reached the stairs, I caught the distinct sound of hurried footsteps—soft, calculated, not like someone stumbling around blindly. An intruder. I knew it.

Ava froze at my side, scanning the dark expanse of the lower floor. The chandelier above cast faint, wavering light, turning every shadow into something sinister. She hugged herself tightly, her face revealing her exhaustion.

Chloe moved towards me just as I was about to take a step closer to Ava, and stood beside me, her hands gripping my arms tightly.

“What if it’s him?” She said in a panicked voice. I swore under my breath and moved her hands away.

Just then, the lights went off, and a loud gasp escaped both Ava and Chloe’s lips.

“Maybe you should stay in the room, Chloe. Just to be safe.” She didn’t argue, but nodded and scurried away into our room.

“Who’s there?” Ava called out, her voice stronger than I expected.

“Quiet,” I muttered, gripping her arm and pulling her close to me.

“Let me go, Orion. I’m not a child,” she hissed, pulling free. I didn’t argue; my focus was on the presence I could feel lingering below us.

I descended the stairs first, moving silently, Ava trailing close behind. The living room was empty—but something was off. The air itself felt charged, like we weren’t alone.

“Where are the security guards?” Ava whispered, her voice barely audible.

I didn’t answer. My gaze swept the space. The back doors were locked, the windows intact, and yet someone had been here. The sound had been real.

Then I saw it: a shadow flitting past the hallway near the kitchen. Too fast for a guard. Too deliberate for an accident. My pulse spiked. I lunged forward, following the movement, my steps silent and deadly. Ava, stubborn as always, followed.

By the time I reached the kitchen, the back door was open, a faint breeze blowing in from the outside.

“They got out,” I muttered, rage curling in my chest like smoke. I turned toward Ava, whose face had paled slightly. “Stay here.”

But I didn’t get the chance to follow them. A pair of guards burst in from the front, both winded, their weapons drawn. “We lost them,” one of them said breathlessly. “Whoever it was—they knew the blind spots.”

Blind spots. My jaw clenched. Whoever had gotten in hadn’t just been skilled; they’d been informed. Someone on the inside let them in.

But who?

Ava stepped forward, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “Did you see who it was?” she asked sharply.

The guards shook their heads. “No. Masked. They disappeared into the woods before we could catch up.”

I turned back to Ava. She was watching me carefully now, as if piecing together her own conclusions. Her suspicion burned like a spotlight aimed directly at me.

“This was no random break-in,” I said, my voice low. “Someone planned this.”

“No kidding,” she shot back, her bravado returning as anger overtook her fear. “And yet another game. You and Chloe are really doing great if you ask me.”

“Don’t test me, Ava.” I closed the distance between us, lowering my voice so the guards wouldn’t hear. “What does this have to do with Chloe and I?”

“Maybe because it’s just too convenient?” she laughed bitterly. “The intruder got away. Holly was poisoned by you and your mistress. And for some reason, Peter turned out to be your assistant. So convenient, Orion.”

Her words struck a nerve. Where is she getting all this information from? Wait, Chloe poisoned Holly? But before I could respond, something outside caught my attention. A sound—soft, almost like a whisper. I glanced toward the door, my instincts still on high alert. Whoever had come here wasn’t done.

“Get the guards to double patrols,” I barked at the men. “And lock down the estate. No one leaves or enters.”

Ava’s panicked voice cut through the chaos, sharp and desperate as I started to walk away.

“Orion!”

I turned slowly, and my blood ran cold.

Ava stood frozen, a knife pressed against her throat.

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.

I just... froze.