Clash of Fury

Orion

Ava's calm composure only fueled the inferno raging within me. The room had become a battlefield, and she stood at the center, claiming victory before the war had even begun.

I clenched my fists, barely containing the fury threatening to explode. Before I could respond, the heavy double doors to the conference room slammed open with a resounding bang.

Every head turned sharply, and there she was—my mother. Who the fuck informed her about this?

Her entrance was dramatic, as always, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. She was dressed impeccably, her figure cutting a sharp silhouette as she stormed inside. Her eyes were alight with fury, and her gaze zeroed in on Ava with the precision of a predator.

“Everyone, leave,” I growled and the board scrambled up, members rushing up to leave the tense room.

“I knew it,” she hissed, her voice slicing through the room like a blade. “I knew you were up to no good, you conniving little snake!”

“Mother,” I started, my voice warning, but she ignored me entirely.

“You stay out of this, Orion,” she snapped, her sharp heels clicking as she strode toward Ava. “This doesn’t concern you. This is between me and this brat.”

Ava remained seated, her calm demeanor unshaken despite the storm brewing before her. She tilted her head, a ghost of a smirk playing on her lips. “Ah, Pricilla. How lovely of you to join us. I didn’t realize this was a family affair.”

“You don’t get to address me like that, you gold-digging witch!” my mother spat. Her voice was venomous, dripping with contempt. “First, you sink your claws into my husband—may his soul rest in peace—and now, my son? Was this your plan all along? To weasel your way into this family, use my son and steal everything from us?”

“Steal?” Ava finally stood, her icy composure cracking just enough to reveal a glint of steel beneath. “That’s rich coming from you, Pricilla. Richard left me this company because he trusted me to protect his legacy. If he didn’t trust his own son or you, that’s hardly my fault.”

“You—”

“Enough!” I roared, my voice booming as I stepped between them. My mother looked at me, stunned by the sheer volume of my outburst, but I didn’t care. “This is my company too, Ava. You don’t get to make selfish decisions and pretend I’m not standing right here!”

Ava met my glare, her eyes cold and unrelenting. “I am not denying you rights to your father’s company Orion. This very subsidiary? The one I and the board were discussing before you walked in, is mine. I’m only moving to have you removed from board on matters that are not your business. Why are you so rattled?”

My mother gasped, clutching her pearls as if Ava’s words had physically struck her. “Your subsidiary? How dare you?! Everything, every subsidiary, every little thing that has my husband’s name to it belongs to my son. You dare to trick him out of it?”

“Trick him?” Ava’s laughter was sharp, cutting through the tension like a whip. “Do you honestly think your precious son would’ve stood a chance without me? Richard saw his potential, but he also saw his recklessness. I was the anchor, the stabilizer. This company thrives because of me, not him.”

I took a step forward, my jaw tightening as the weight of her words pressed down on me. “You’re unbelievable, Ava. After everything that happened I thought—”

“Thought what, you piece of shit,” She scoffed, crossing her arms. “Let me remind you, Orion, that this—” she gestured between us, “—was never about love or agreement. It was about a will. Your father’s.”

Before I could respond, my mother exploded. “You vile, heartless—”

“Careful, Pricilla,” Ava interrupted, her voice smooth but threatening. “Throwing around insults won’t change the fact that Richard trusted me more than he ever trusted you or your son. Maybe he saw something in you both that I see now—shamelessness.”

My mother lunged at her, but I caught her by the arm just in time. “Mother, don’t!” I growled, holding her back. “This isn’t the place.”

She wrenched her arm free, glaring at me. “She’s ruining everything, Orion! Can’t you see that? She’s poisoned this company, this family—”

“This family,” Ava interrupted again, her tone sharp as a dagger, “was broken long before I came along. Don’t blame me for the cracks you couldn’t fix.”

I turned back to Ava, my patience finally snapping. “What do you want, Ava? What’s your endgame here? You’re pushing me out, undermining me at every turn—why are you suddenly so vile?”

Her expression softened, just enough to confuse me. “Because, Orion, you started playing dirty. I didn’t know you would be willing to go that far, all because of this?” She spat, motioning to the company.

The room was dead silent, the tension suffocating. My mother looked at me, desperation etched into her features. “Don’t let her win, Orion. Fight her. Fight for what’s yours.”

But I couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. Ava had suddenly gone really cold. And what did she mean by that? How did I play dirty?

“I’m moving to have this company divided,” Ava announced suddenly, her voice cutting through the room like a whip.

The words slammed into me like a freight train.

“And when it’s finalized,” she continued, her gaze locked on mine, “I’ll make sure you never have a say in my business ever again.”

She turned to walk away but I dragged her to the other end of the conference room. I leaned forward carefully, making sure every breath touched her skin. She didn’t react. Not the way I wanted and for a brief moment, I thought I had really lost.

I held her chin, forcing her eyes to stay glued on mine, her wide brown eyes, reflecting what I fear she felt inside. Rage. Hatred.

“You really think that I’ll let you walk all over me? Do I look like a pushover?” I growled and felt her shiver a little bit.

“Yes. You are a pushover and let me warn you Orion, the next time you put me in a disgusting position like this, I’ll make sure the last face you see before your destruction is mine,” she sneered angrily, her voice low and icy.

I grabbed her waist, pushing her forward, our chests colliding, our mouth inches away and in that moment, all I could think of was tasting her lips. I clenched my teeth furiously, angry with myself.

“Watch your tongue, whore,” I whispered quietly into her ears, “we both know you don’t really mean that.”

Suddenly, she slapped me and wiggled herself out of my grasp.

My mother’s scream of outrage echoed in the room as Ava strode past us, her head held high. I could only watch as she walked away, leaving anger in her wake. Did that just happen?

For the second time in my life, I felt truly powerless.

And I hated it.