Chapter 323: The Confession

David’s POV

The front doors opened before we even reached them.

Ava stood there…arms crossed, hair pulled back in that no-nonsense ponytail, wearing a black silk flowing dress. She looked exactly the same. Stunning. Untouchable in that terrifying way.

Behind her, Orion loomed like a storm cloud in human form…shoulders filling the doorway, jaw locked, eyes already locked on me like he was deciding which bone to break first.

My stomach flipped so hard I almost dropped Caden.

Holly squeezed my hand once…hard…then stepped forward with a bright smile that did more than reach her eyes.

I caught tears welling up in her eyes and felt bad. What if she didn't ever get to see her sister again all because of me?

“Hey, sisi. Hey, big bro-in-law. Surprise?”

Ava’s gaze flicked from Holly to me, then to the sleeping toddler in my arms.

Her expression softened as it landed back on Holly and she pulled her in for a hug, patting her back and whispering things I couldn't hear.

Orion moved next. Long strides. No hello. No handshake. Just straight to me.

“Give him here,” he said, voice low, final as he stretched out his arms for Caden.

I hesitated…only a second…but it was enough for Orion to notice. His eyes narrowed.

I shifted Caden carefully into his arms. The little boy stirred, mumbled something incoherent, then settled against Orion’s shoulder like he belonged there.

Orion turned without another word and handed Caden to a waiting nanny who appeared out of nowhere…quiet, efficient, already cooing softly as she carried him inside.

The door clicked shut behind them as we settled into the living room.

Silence dropped like a guillotine.

Ava cleared her throat. “How’s it been, Mason? Haven't heard from you since...you know...”

I opened my mouth to respond.

But Orion answered for me. “It’s been going great, take a look at him.”

Holly snorted. “Uncle Orion, be nice.”

Orion’s head snapped toward her. “Be nice? Is that what we’re doing now? Being nice? You think you can say whatever you want right now because there weren’t any doctors waiting to take you to the hospital as soon as you arrived? Who on earth decides to ghost her entire family for a freaking month, Holly? What were you thinking, not coming home when you said you would?”

Holly rolled her eyes. “Doctors? For what, exactly? Have you forgotten I'm a doctor too?”

Orion’s laugh was bitter. “I meant psychiatrists. To check your head. And lock you up for life. Because it's obvious that you're sick in the head.”

Holly crossed her arms. “I found who I was looking for. Why would I come back?”

Orion stepped closer…protective, territorial, every inch the big brother he’d never stopped being, even though he was technically her brother-in-law.

“Who the hell is that?” he demanded, jerking his chin toward Holly.

Holly looked at me. Steady. Unafraid…like she was mentally prepared. Well, I wasn't.

But I took the cue.

I stepped forward…slowly, hands visible, palms out just enough to show I wasn’t reaching for anything stupid.

“I think it's time for me to step in. I have a confession,” I said. Voice steady. Louder than I felt. “I didn’t just come to help drop off Caden. I came to make my intentions known.”

Ava raised a hand…sharp, cutting me off. “Mason… I mean David… please don’t tell me you’ve been fucking my sister.”

Holly didn’t miss a beat. “No. I’ve been the one fucking him, Ava.”

Ava exhaled…long, slow, dangerous…like she couldn't stand Holly any longer.

She gave a tiny signal.

Two guards materialized from the hallway shadows. They grabbed Holly under the arms…gentle but firm…and lifted her clean off the floor.

She started fighting immediately. Kicking. Twisting. Screaming.

“Let me go! Our love is boundless! Nothing can stop us! You might as well cut all ties with me right now because I’m not leaving him! Oh, and before you think of using money to buy him off, he's rich! He has his own company!" she screamed endlessly as they dragged her away.

They carried her upstairs anyway…her voice echoing down the hall, getting fainter but no less furious.

The door at the top slammed shut.

Now it was just the three of us.

Ava and Orion turned identical glares on me.

I wanted to disappear. I wanted to be anywhere else. I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole.

But I didn’t run.

I’d wronged this family. Badly. Irreparably, maybe.

And I wasn’t going to be spineless about it now.

I met their eyes…one after the other.

First Ava. Then Orion.

Then back to Ava.

“I owe you both an explanation,” I said. “A real one. Not excuses. Not half-truths. The full thing.”

Ava’s voice was ice. “Cut to the chase, David. What do you want with Holly? You know she’s just a kid.”

The word kid hit like a slap.

Holly? A kid?

I thought about Holly…her body under mine this morning, insatiable, fearless, demanding more even when she was shaking. The way she rode me like she owned me. The way she looked at me like I was worth something after everything I’d done.

Calling her a kid felt ridiculous. Insulting. Wrong.

But I swallowed the retort. Swallowed the heat rising in my throat.

I straightened my spine and cleared my throat.

“I didn’t want to admit it at first,” I said. “I fought it. Hard. I told myself it was temporary. Told myself I didn’t deserve her after everything I did to your family. Told myself I was too fucked up, too old, too guilty. But none of that changed the truth.”

I took a breath and let the truth out slowly.

“I love Holly. More than I can describe. More than I knew I was capable of feeling. And I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want to marry her. I want to build something real with her. I want to protect her, stand beside her, grow old with her. I want forever. And I’m not asking for permission. I’m telling you that’s what I’m here for. Because she deserves to know where I stand. And you deserve to hear it from me.”

Silence.

Heavy. Thick. Suffocating.

I waited for the explosion and I wasn't disappointed.