CHAPTER 5: Same Intensity

Erin shivered with profound disappointment. No! This shouldn't be happening. She endured more than her share over the past year, not just a year but seven years of punishment. Now, witnessing Orion's eyes devoid of emotion feels like a rejection of her dignity.

Tears flowed down her cheeks as she gathered the clothes she had discarded. She shouldn't let herself break completely. Erin had misunderstood Orion. It seemed he was cutting off what little sanity she had left.  

"I shouldn't have done this." She went to the bathroom and let out all her tears there.  

Sadness surged through her chest. Perhaps she carried some responsibility for the death of Orion's brother, Daryl, but did he realize that Daryl had also deceived her?

After getting dressed, she found Orion waiting outside the bathroom. The man was adept at concealing his feelings; she detected no anger, pity, or disdain in his eyes. Erin wondered about his motive for waiting.  

She surpassed Orion's presence.  

"I hope you enjoyed what you saw." She would never repeat it.  

She exited the room with a weight on her chest. She had put Orion out of her mind for seven years; doing it again wouldn't be challenging.  

***  

Orion's brow furrowed as Erin made her way to the bathroom. Afterward, his chest tightened upon hearing her sobs from inside the room. He felt a strong urge to knock on the door, but what could he say to her?

'Damn it!'  

He sensed Erin's anguish as he heard her cries. Unfamiliar with her story, he found the need to compose himself, attempting to harbor resentment towards her.  

When the door opened, he felt caught standing there. He tried to speak, but Erin hastily left the suite.  

After taking a shot of alcohol, he dialed Mr. Lawrence's lawyer.  

"Mr. Arvesso!" Even over the phone, he could sense the man's delight.  

He had spoken to him earlier when inquiring about Erin's availability. He wanted to determine the percentage Erin would receive. Her father bequeathed fifty percent of the company. Mr. Arvesso, his dad, also possesses fifteen percent of the shares in the office. Currently, the total Arvesso holdings in Yurich are sixty-five percent. That was sufficient for him to offer Erin the highest position.  

Only one year remained in Erin's grace period, and Orion planned to make it vibrant. He inherited this right from his Uncle Rod. He recalled the letter Rod had left for his father. It was as if Rod were entrusting Erin to him. Regardless of his intentions for the woman, he wouldn't entertain her objections.

"Inform Yurich's board that I will take over the shares from Rod Lawrence. And as the largest shareholder, I'd like to request a restructuring of the board."  

"Perfect timing! As far as I know, it's about time to vote for the board members again because it's been a year since Mr. Silva, Mr. Lawrence's cousin, was elected."  

"That's good!"  

After speaking with the lawyer, he promptly called his friend Marco, an investigator he had collaborated with on the Bureau of Investigation team.  

"Do you have any new information about Miss Villaverde?"  

"Orion, first of all, are you certain this woman is your fiancée?"  

He grimaced.  

"Why?"  

"Miss Villaverde filed several reports on different police stations. Someone wanted to kill her."  

"What?" His heart raced in response.  

"All the incidents occurred on the street. It's not yet clear if someone was merely trying to intimidate her, as she hasn't suffered any physical harm. Let me clarify that I don't want Miss Villaverde to come to harm. It's just perplexing... Last month, she faced a complaint from Mr. Yu. They didn't officially report it; instead, they settled it discreetly and appeared to reach an understanding. This person harassed Miss Villaverde in a private bar, prompting her to smash an expensive bottle of alcohol on the scoundrel."  

"What?!" His voice escalated. It seemed 'what' was the only word he could muster. Orion was furious for some reason.  

"Yes! And wasn't she implicated in your sibling's death? Why would you marry Erin Villaverde? She's the reason you're no longer on the team."  

'No, bro! I've left the team because internal politics within the group outweighs our commitment to serving the community.' He didn't even bother sharing that with Marco.  

"How about her past? Does she have a child? A boyfriend?"  

"She dated a guy when she was still in Singapore. Unfortunately, they broke up, and later, that guy became the boyfriend of Miss Jenna Silva, who was also involved at 'that' time and is now Miss Villaverde's cousin. Oh, by the way, the ex I'm talking about here is Michael, the bully of your brother. Tsk! Your girl's life was juicy and spicy! Honestly, I enjoyed digging into her life."  

"Marco..." There was a threat in his voice.  

"Sorry! And she already has a son!"  

"What?!"  

"Just kidding!" He felt the urge to smack Marco's cheek. But really, what does it matter to him if the woman has a child?  

"Anyway, she's doing well! It's been two years since she separated from Michael, Boss M's son. No boyfriend since then! No hookups, no lover!"  

"Thanks, man!"  

"Oh! One more thing... the penthouse where she lives has no electricity. Isn't that strange?"  

It felt like something lodged in his throat. It was as if he could hear Erin crying. And then, he had managed to undermine her dignity earlier.  

He took a swig of the alcohol. 'Damn this! Stupid!'  

He was angry with the woman, yet he also felt pity for her.  

***  

Orion arrived at Lily and Drew's home as night descended. His sister, who was eight months pregnant, awaited the imminent arrival of her child, prompting her to stay home. Despite Orion's desire to smile, he found it challenging.   

Drew, his friend, keenly observed his inner conflict. "I don't like seeing your face right now! My child might come out frowning," he said, gently caressing Lily's stomach.  

Orion felt genuinely happy for them. At thirty-four, he had only experienced Tinder and hookups, avoiding committing to a relationship he knew he couldn't sustain.  

"Sorry. May I have a can of beer?"  

The couple exchanged glances. Drew stood up and went to the fridge to get a drink.  

"Tell me what the problem is. Does this have something to do with Erin Villaverde?" Lily inquired.  

"Yes."  

"Does Danica know about this?" Lily asked, referring to their younger sister and Daryl's twin.  

"I don't want to tell Danica yet. She'll freak out. Please don't tell her."  

Lily nodded in acknowledgment.  

"Lily, call me if you need help," Orion offered, extending a hand toward her as she rested on the couch. He hesitated, mindful not to touch her rounded belly, understanding the sensitivity of her traumatic experience. Having noticed his caution, Lily appreciated how he always handled her with extra care.  

"I'm good, Orion. I feel a bit of heaviness in my stomach because I'm about to give birth. It's weighing me down," she sighed.

Her husband approached and handed Orion a can of beer.  

"What's your plan, Orion? Don't tell me you're going to marry that woman. I haven't forgotten what happened when Daryl died. Moreover, aren't you still angry about that?" Drew questioned.  

"I hate her," Orion admitted, his genuine disdain evident. He couldn't help but reflect on how much could have transpired with Daryl if he hadn't passed away. The grief over his deceased brother could have fueled a lasting animosity toward the woman.  

As he pondered this, a fire burned in his chest, and he felt an internal conflict. He was irritated with himself because the intensity of his pity for the woman matched the power of his anger.  

"So, what's your plan?" Lily inquired.  

"I plan to convince her that I'm helping her. After a year, I'll vanish. No marriage. She won't receive any funds from the Yurich Group," he explained.  

"Hmmm... why am I a fan of your schemes?" Drew mused. A glint appeared in his eyes, prompting Lily to playfully throw a pillow at her husband.  

"Drew!"  

"What? I'm just saying, it's a flawless plan... just be careful not to turn into Finn 2.0."  

Orion was familiar with Finn and Lauren's story because he had once been this jerk's bodyguard.  

'No! I won't end up like Finn.'