Chapter 35 - Shattered Ego

Orion's POV

The roar of blood in my ears was deafening as I marched out of the building, each step driven by a pulse of fury. Ava’s rejection replayed in my mind, a relentless loop of her cold, unyielding stare and the quiet venom in her words. She’d humiliated me. In front of everyone. The council, the advisors, everyone who mattered—and everyone who thrived on weakness.

I wrenched open the car door and slid in, the leather seat creaking under the pressure of my weight. Chloe was already there, her eyes bright with a mix of expectation and wariness. She reached for my hand, but I pulled away, staring out the window instead.

“So… how did it go?” she asked, her voice light but hiding the edge of something sharper.

“What do you think?” I bit out, barely containing my rage. “She made a spectacle of it. Rejected me in front of everyone!”

Chloe’s lips twisted into a sneer. “She always had a flair for drama. Did you really expect her to fall at your feet?”