The CounterstrikeAva should have been panicking.Any other person would have been crushed under the weight of what Adrian had done.Her company—her legacy—was collapsing right in front of her.Headlines screamed the downfall of Donovan Enterprises as investors pulled out, board members resigned, and stocks nosedived.DONOVAN EMPIRE IN CRISIS – CAN IT SURVIVE?AVA DONOVAN’S FALL FROM POWER – BLACKWOOD WINS AGAIN?Adrian Blackwood had done exactly what he had promised.He had taken her power.But he had made one fatal mistake.He thought this was over.It wasn’t.Ava had spent years waiting for her moment. Every move she made had been calculated, every piece of information she collected had been stored away for the right time.Adrian had won the battle.But Ava was about to win the war.Because she had one last weapon left to use.And when she unleashed it, Adrian Blackwood would never recover.The Video That Changed EverythingAt exactly 8 a.m., every major news station in the country
The Fall of a KingFor the first time in his life, Adrian Blackwood was powerless.He stood in his office, staring at the stock market graphs that painted a picture of destruction. Red lines, plummeting numbers, flashing warnings—signs of a kingdom crumbling beneath his feet.His empire was collapsing.And outside, the world watched, hungry for his downfall.The headlines were relentless:BLACKWOOD EMPIRE UNDER GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATIONRICHARD HALE’S DISAPPEARANCE—NEW EVIDENCE POINTS TO ADRIAN BLACKWOODIS THIS THE END FOR THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE?Adrian had fought against powerful men before. He had crushed rivals, outmaneuvered politicians, and turned enemies into ghosts.But this wasn’t a corporate takeover.This wasn’t about business.This was a death sentence.And Ava Donovan had been the one to deliver it.He had underestimated her. He had believed she would break, that she would fold under the weight of his retaliation.Instead, she had burned his empire to the ground.Adrian’
The ArrestThe pounding on the penthouse door shattered the silence.Claire sat up in bed, her breath coming fast. For a split second, she thought she was dreaming.Then she heard it—loud, forceful, undeniable."Open up! This is the police!"Her blood turned to ice.Adrian was already up, throwing on a shirt, his movements sharp, controlled—but Claire could see the flicker of something lethal in his eyes.The pounding grew louder."Adrian," she whispered, her pulse hammering. "What’s happening?"But deep down, she already knew.Ava had made her next move.And this time, she was coming for Claire.Dragged into the FireThe front door burst open.A wave of officers flooded into the penthouse, weapons drawn, their presence suffocating.Claire’s breath caught in her throat.Adrian didn’t flinch. He stood like a king in his castle—untouched, unshaken—but his eyes burned with quiet fury.The lead officer stepped forward. "Adrian Blackwood?" he asked, voice clipped.Adrian’s lips curled in a
A Queen in ChainsThe cold of the prison seeped into Claire’s bones.She sat on the stiff metal bench, staring at the gray walls, her wrists still sore from the cuffs. She had promised herself she’d never be here again.Yet here she was.Accused of fraud. Embezzlement. Corporate espionage.Crimes she did not commit.But none of that mattered. The world believed what it wanted to believe.And Ava had made sure to paint Claire as the perfect villain.The guard’s footsteps echoed down the hall, stopping in front of her cell."You have a visitor," the officer said gruffly.Claire lifted her head, heart racing.For a brief, desperate second, she thought it was Adrian.But when the door opened, and Ava Donovan stepped in, Claire’s stomach turned to steel.The Poisoned SmileAva was dressed to kill.In a sleek designer dress, not a hair out of place, she looked like a woman at the peak of her victory.And she was smirking."Well, well," she purred, stepping closer. "Look where we are."Clair
Shadows of the PastSecrets Never Stay BuriedClaire’s heart stopped.The interrogation room was cold, sterile—designed to make people crack.Detective Marshall Hale leaned forward, his sharp gaze cutting through her like a blade."What do you know about my father’s disappearance?"Claire forced herself to breathe, to push down the rising panic.Her fingers curled into fists beneath the steel table.Richard Hale.She knew that name.Everyone did.A powerful businessman. Ruthless. Corrupt.And—gone.Vanished without a trace years ago, leaving behind whispers of foul play but no proof.And now his son sat across from her, looking at her like she held all the answers.But she didn’t.She barely knew anything about Adrian’s past—at least, not the parts he didn’t want her to know.Her voice came out steady. Calm. Controlled."Why are you asking me this?"Hale’s jaw ticked."You’re Adrian Blackwood’s wife. His closest ally. The person he trusts most."She almost laughed.Trust?Adrian Black
The Night She Lost EverythingThe wedding gown felt heavier with each step Claire Donovan took. Layers of delicate tulle and intricate lace, once a symbol of purity and love, now clung to her like shackles. Every pearl and embroidery thread seemed to weave a cage around her, tightening with each breath. The grand ballroom of the Donovan estate gleamed in opulence—golden chandeliers dripped with crystals, their warm glow casting an ethereal light over the gathered elite. Everything about the night was perfect. Too perfect.Yet, beneath the facade of laughter and raised champagne flutes, Claire felt the first prickle of unease. It slithered along her spine, an unnamed dread curling in the pit of her stomach.Something was wrong.Her fingers trembled slightly around the bouquet of white roses as she stood poised at the centre of attention. Her father, Richard Donovan, a man known for his iron-clad control and ruthless business acumen, lifted his crystal glass. The room fell into a revere
Bound by RevengeThe crisp, white pages of the marriage contract stared back at Claire Donovan, taunting her with the weight of the decision she was about to make. Each carefully typed word, each legal clause, felt like another nail in the coffin of her past life. This wasn’t just a contract—it was a gamble, a risk that could either grant her justice or destroy her completely.Across from her, Adrian Blackwood sat in his imposing leather chair, the picture of effortless power. The dim glow from the office’s pendant lights cast sharp angles across his face, accentuating the quiet menace in his gaze. His elbows rested on the mahogany desk, fingers steepled together as he studied her with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.This wasn’t a man who made requests. He demanded.And she was about to sign herself over to him.Claire tapped the pen against the table, her lips pressing into a thin line. “So, let me get this straight—you want me to be your wife, in name only, and in re
A Dangerous GameClaire had spent years dreaming of this moment—watching Liam and Ava’s carefully curated world crumble, seeing the shock on their faces, the betrayal in Liam’s eyes, the cracks forming in Ava’s perfectly constructed facade. But even in her wildest fantasies, nothing could have prepared her for the sheer satisfaction coursing through her veins at this very moment.Her engagement to Adrian Blackwood.The man Liam could never compete with.The press erupted like a swarm of hungry vultures.“Miss Donovan, how long have you and Mr. Blackwood been together?”“Liam, what do you think about your ex-fiancée moving on with your biggest business rival?”“Ava, any comments?”Flashes of cameras illuminated the tension in the air, highlighting the tight set of Liam’s jaw, the way his fingers twitched slightly at his sides. Claire had learned how to read him in the years they were together, and right now? He was barely holding it together.But it was Ava’s reaction that truly fed Cl
Shadows of the PastSecrets Never Stay BuriedClaire’s heart stopped.The interrogation room was cold, sterile—designed to make people crack.Detective Marshall Hale leaned forward, his sharp gaze cutting through her like a blade."What do you know about my father’s disappearance?"Claire forced herself to breathe, to push down the rising panic.Her fingers curled into fists beneath the steel table.Richard Hale.She knew that name.Everyone did.A powerful businessman. Ruthless. Corrupt.And—gone.Vanished without a trace years ago, leaving behind whispers of foul play but no proof.And now his son sat across from her, looking at her like she held all the answers.But she didn’t.She barely knew anything about Adrian’s past—at least, not the parts he didn’t want her to know.Her voice came out steady. Calm. Controlled."Why are you asking me this?"Hale’s jaw ticked."You’re Adrian Blackwood’s wife. His closest ally. The person he trusts most."She almost laughed.Trust?Adrian Black
A Queen in ChainsThe cold of the prison seeped into Claire’s bones.She sat on the stiff metal bench, staring at the gray walls, her wrists still sore from the cuffs. She had promised herself she’d never be here again.Yet here she was.Accused of fraud. Embezzlement. Corporate espionage.Crimes she did not commit.But none of that mattered. The world believed what it wanted to believe.And Ava had made sure to paint Claire as the perfect villain.The guard’s footsteps echoed down the hall, stopping in front of her cell."You have a visitor," the officer said gruffly.Claire lifted her head, heart racing.For a brief, desperate second, she thought it was Adrian.But when the door opened, and Ava Donovan stepped in, Claire’s stomach turned to steel.The Poisoned SmileAva was dressed to kill.In a sleek designer dress, not a hair out of place, she looked like a woman at the peak of her victory.And she was smirking."Well, well," she purred, stepping closer. "Look where we are."Clair
The ArrestThe pounding on the penthouse door shattered the silence.Claire sat up in bed, her breath coming fast. For a split second, she thought she was dreaming.Then she heard it—loud, forceful, undeniable."Open up! This is the police!"Her blood turned to ice.Adrian was already up, throwing on a shirt, his movements sharp, controlled—but Claire could see the flicker of something lethal in his eyes.The pounding grew louder."Adrian," she whispered, her pulse hammering. "What’s happening?"But deep down, she already knew.Ava had made her next move.And this time, she was coming for Claire.Dragged into the FireThe front door burst open.A wave of officers flooded into the penthouse, weapons drawn, their presence suffocating.Claire’s breath caught in her throat.Adrian didn’t flinch. He stood like a king in his castle—untouched, unshaken—but his eyes burned with quiet fury.The lead officer stepped forward. "Adrian Blackwood?" he asked, voice clipped.Adrian’s lips curled in a
The Fall of a KingFor the first time in his life, Adrian Blackwood was powerless.He stood in his office, staring at the stock market graphs that painted a picture of destruction. Red lines, plummeting numbers, flashing warnings—signs of a kingdom crumbling beneath his feet.His empire was collapsing.And outside, the world watched, hungry for his downfall.The headlines were relentless:BLACKWOOD EMPIRE UNDER GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATIONRICHARD HALE’S DISAPPEARANCE—NEW EVIDENCE POINTS TO ADRIAN BLACKWOODIS THIS THE END FOR THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE?Adrian had fought against powerful men before. He had crushed rivals, outmaneuvered politicians, and turned enemies into ghosts.But this wasn’t a corporate takeover.This wasn’t about business.This was a death sentence.And Ava Donovan had been the one to deliver it.He had underestimated her. He had believed she would break, that she would fold under the weight of his retaliation.Instead, she had burned his empire to the ground.Adrian’
The CounterstrikeAva should have been panicking.Any other person would have been crushed under the weight of what Adrian had done.Her company—her legacy—was collapsing right in front of her.Headlines screamed the downfall of Donovan Enterprises as investors pulled out, board members resigned, and stocks nosedived.DONOVAN EMPIRE IN CRISIS – CAN IT SURVIVE?AVA DONOVAN’S FALL FROM POWER – BLACKWOOD WINS AGAIN?Adrian Blackwood had done exactly what he had promised.He had taken her power.But he had made one fatal mistake.He thought this was over.It wasn’t.Ava had spent years waiting for her moment. Every move she made had been calculated, every piece of information she collected had been stored away for the right time.Adrian had won the battle.But Ava was about to win the war.Because she had one last weapon left to use.And when she unleashed it, Adrian Blackwood would never recover.The Video That Changed EverythingAt exactly 8 a.m., every major news station in the country
A Dangerous GameThe world believed Ava Donovan.That was the problem.Less than twelve hours after her press conference, the internet was flooded with headlines:AVA DONOVAN EXPOSES ADRIAN BLACKWOOD’S BRIBERY ATTEMPT!CLAIRE BLACKWOOD: PAWN OR ACCOMPLICE?BILLIONAIRE ADRIAN BLACKWOOD UNDER FIRE – A POWER PLAY GONE WRONG?Every news outlet, every business blog, even social media was consumed by the scandal.And inside the penthouse, Claire could feel the weight of it crushing them.Adrian stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his posture rigid, his phone gripped in his hand like a weapon. His reflection in the glass was as cold and merciless as the storm raging outside.Daniel had been working all night, trying to control the media, but the damage was already done."Ava played this perfectly," Daniel muttered, his voice laced with frustration. The circles under his eyes told Claire that he hadn't slept, and she doubted Adrian had either."She won’t win," Adrian said, voice like steel
The Trap is SetAva Donovan wasn’t stupid.She knew when she was being hunted.And Adrian Blackwood had made it very clear—this was a war.But he’d underestimated her.Everyone always had.They thought she was just a spoiled heiress with a sharp tongue and expensive taste. But she had survived in a world that crushed the weak. She had built an empire, one deal, one manipulation at a time.And she wasn’t about to let Claire and her billionaire husband take it all away.So, she did what she did best.She planned.Planned a counterstrike that would turn Adrian’s empire against him.Claire’s Growing Fear"You need to be more careful," Adrian’s voice was sharp as he paced the penthouse.Claire folded her arms, frustration simmering beneath her skin. "I’m not the one who sent a death threat in the form of a sniper video."Adrian shot her a look. "No, you’re just the one she wants dead."Claire flinched.He wasn’t wrong.Since the security footage had arrived, Adrian had doubled his security
The Game BeginsThe city skyline stretched endlessly before them, but Claire’s mind was elsewhere—trapped in the suffocating realization that her own stepsister had tried to have her killed.Ava had never just wanted to ruin her.She had wanted her gone.Permanently.Adrian stood beside her on the penthouse balcony, his hands gripping the railing like he was barely containing his fury. He hadn’t spoken much since their return from Liam’s.Claire could still feel the weight of his promise."She’s not walking away from this."Adrian’s threats weren’t empty. He didn’t deal in warnings—he executed."You’re quiet," she finally said, her voice breaking the tense silence.Adrian didn’t look at her. "Thinking.""About?"He exhaled sharply, pushing off the railing and turning toward her. His gaze was piercing, cold. "How best to destroy her."Claire’s chest tightened. "Adrian—""You don’t need to convince me to show restraint." His tone was clipped, his temper barely in check. "This isn’t abou
A Web of DeceptionThe world tilted.Claire’s breath hitched as Liam’s words echoed in her skull.Ava.Her stepsister. The woman who had framed her, stolen her fiancé, and watched as her life crumbled into dust.Adrian was silent beside her, but she could feel the sheer force of his rage. His entire body had gone still—the kind of stillness that came before a storm.Liam’s smirk lingered, enjoying every second of their shock."You look surprised," he mused, sipping his drink like he hadn’t just detonated a bomb in the room. "But really, you shouldn’t be. Ava has always been… ambitious."Claire’s nails dug into her palms, her mind racing. "You’re lying."Liam arched a brow. "Am I?"Adrian stepped forward, his presence like a blade against Liam’s throat. "You’re going to tell us everything. Now."Liam let out an amused sigh, setting his glass down. "You’re so tense, Blackwood. Fine. I’ll give you a little more."He walked to a sleek black desk, pulled open a drawer, and tossed a thin fo