Chapter Three: A Fire She Can’t Extinguish
SERA’S POV I should leave. I know that. Every rational thought in my head is screaming at me to walk away before I do something I can’t take back. But Raven is too close now, her breath warm against my skin, her scent—something dark and intoxicating—wrapping around me like a drug I can’t resist. She smirks, tilting her head as her fingers graze the inside of my wrist. The touch is barely there, but it sets off a chain reaction beneath my skin, spreading heat through me like wildfire. “You’re shaking,” she murmurs, her voice dripping with amusement. I swallow hard. “I should go.” Her hand slides up my arm, slow, deliberate. “Then go.” But we both know I won’t. Not when my body is betraying me. Not when the air between us is charged with something I don’t understand. She leans in, her lips just a breath away from mine. “You don’t want to go, Sera.” Her voice is silk and sin, and when she trails her fingers down my waist, I let out a soft, shaky exhale. I’ve never felt this before. This unbearable heat. This anticipation that coils inside me, making my skin hypersensitive to every little brush of her touch. I tell myself it’s wrong. I tell myself this isn’t me. But then she steps even closer, her body pressing against mine, and I forget how to think. “Dance with me.” It’s not a request. It’s a demand. And I obey. --- RAVEN’S POV I knew she wouldn’t say no. Not when her breath is coming in short, shallow gasps. Not when her pupils are blown wide with something she refuses to name. I take her hand, leading her onto the dimly lit dance floor. The music is slow, sensual, and when I pull her flush against me, she doesn’t resist. Her body is stiff at first, uncertain. But as I slide my hands down her back, pressing her even closer, she exhales, melting just a little. I smirk. She’s never been touched like this. Never been handled by someone who knows exactly what they’re doing. She’s unraveling. And I want to watch every second of it. My hands move over her waist, fingertips teasing the curve of her hips. She shivers, her fingers digging into my shoulders as if she’s trying to ground herself. I lean in, my lips brushing against the shell of her ear. “Tell me to stop.” She inhales sharply, but no words come. I chuckle, trailing my lips down her jaw, just barely grazing her skin. “That’s what I thought.” Her hands tighten on me, nails sinking in as she fights whatever war is raging inside her. I slide my fingers lower, gripping the curve of her ass and pulling her flush against me. Her breath catches, and I can feel the frantic beat of her heart against my chest. She’s burning for me. Even if she doesn’t know how to admit it. Her hips move instinctively against mine, her body desperate for friction, for relief from the fire I’ve set inside her. I tilt her chin up, forcing her eyes to meet mine. “You feel it, don’t you?” She doesn’t answer. She doesn’t have to. Her body is already answering for her. And it’s begging me for more. --- SERA’S POV I don’t know what’s happening to me. I don’t know why I can’t stop this. Raven’s hands are everywhere—skimming my waist, gripping my hips, teasing the exposed skin at the back of my dress. She moves against me like she’s done this a thousand times before, like she knows exactly what to do to unravel me. And God help me, it’s working. “You’re so tense,” she murmurs, pressing a kiss just beneath my ear. “Let go, Sera.” I squeeze my eyes shut, my nails digging into her back as a shudder runs through me. I can’t. I shouldn’t. But the moment she drags her lips down the side of my neck, slow and torturous, I arch into her, a desperate sound escaping my throat. She smirks against my skin. “There you are.” My cheeks burn. I shouldn’t be reacting like this. I’ve never reacted like this. Not even with Ethan. But Raven touches me like she’s discovering something new, something precious. Her hands aren’t rough or rushed. They’re deliberate, teasing, coaxing out a response from me I don’t know how to control. “Tell me you don’t want this.” Her lips hover just above mine, her breath mingling with mine. I part my lips, but no sound comes out. Because I can’t lie. Not when my body is already betraying me. She smiles, slow and wicked, and then— She kisses me. I freeze. And then I shatter. Her lips are soft but demanding, coaxing mine open with sinful ease. When her tongue slides against mine, I let out a helpless whimper, gripping her shoulders to keep from sinking to my knees. I’m drowning in her. In the taste of whiskey and heat, in the way her fingers tighten around my waist, keeping me pressed against her like she’s afraid I’ll disappear. My head spins as she deepens the kiss, her teeth nipping at my lower lip before soothing the sting with her tongue. I gasp, and she takes advantage, her hands roaming lower, pressing into me in ways that make my thighs clench. I’ve never felt like this. Like I’m coming apart at the seams. Like I need her to touch me everywhere. And when she pulls back, her gaze dark and knowing, I realize something terrifying. I want more. --- RAVEN’S POV She’s panting. Her lips are swollen, her pupils blown wide with desire she doesn’t know how to handle. God, she’s beautiful. I drag my thumb across her lower lip, watching as her breath stutters. She’s so responsive, so deliciously undone. And I want to ruin her completely. “Come with me.” Her eyes dart to my lips, then back to my gaze. She hesitates. Fighting herself. I smirk, leaning in until my lips brush against her ear. “Say yes, Sera.” A shiver runs down her spine. And then— She nods. And just like that— I know she’s mine.Chapter Four: Lost in the FireSERA’S POVI shouldn’t be here.Every step I take away from the crowded bar and deeper into the night with Raven feels like a betrayal. A betrayal to Ethan. A betrayal to my own carefully constructed life. A betrayal to the woman I thought I was.And yet… I keep walking.My fingers tremble as Raven leads me through the dimly lit hallway of her penthouse, the only sound the soft click of my heels against the polished marble floor. The air between us is thick, charged with something I can’t define—something I should be afraid of.But I’m not.I’m burning.And she’s the only one who seems to know how to quench the fire.She stops abruptly, turning to face me. The lights cast shadows across her sharp cheekbones, her dark eyes glinting with amusement and something deeper. Something dangerous.“You’re nervous,” she observes, tilting her head.I swallow hard, willing my hands to stop shaking. “I shouldn’t be here.”She takes a slow step toward me. Then another.
Chapter Five: Caught Between Fire and Chains RAVEN’S POV I wake to the scent of her still lingering on my sheets. Sera. A name that now tastes like sin and satisfaction. The space beside me is empty, but the ghost of her warmth remains. I smirk, stretching lazily against the silk sheets, my body still thrumming from last night. The way she unraveled in my hands, the way she begged without words—God, it was intoxicating. But predictably, she ran. I sit up, grabbing my phone from the bedside table, already knowing she’ll be spiraling. A woman like Sera—someone so caged in her own misery—was bound to wake up drowning in guilt. I type out a message, smirking as I hit send. "You can pretend all you want, but your body doesn’t lie." She’ll read it. She’ll hate herself for wanting more. And then, eventually—she’ll come back. Because women like her always do. I rise from the bed, stretching, my body still buzzing from the thrill of breaking her. And I will break her again. ---
Chapter Six: Losing ControlSERA’S POVI shouldn’t be here.Every step I take inside the dimly lit lounge feels like a mistake.Yet, I came anyway.Raven’s text had been circling in my mind all day, sinking into my skin like an unshakable whisper. You can pretend all you want, but your body doesn’t lie.I told myself I wasn’t coming. I told myself last night was a lapse in judgment, a moment of weakness, a mistake. But the moment I received that message, something inside me caved. Now, here I am, standing in the middle of a luxurious, low-lit lounge, searching the crowd for the one person I should be running from.And then, I see her.Raven.She sits at the bar, legs crossed, one arm draped casually over the back of the chair, as if she owns the entire room. A dark drink swirls in her hand, and when our eyes lock, a knowing smirk curves her lips.My heart slams against my ribs.She doesn’t wave me over. She doesn’t have to. Her eyes are a silent invitation, a challenge.I force myself
Chapter Seven: Shackled in BetrayalSERA’S POVI sit at the edge of our bed, my hands gripping the silk sheets as if they can anchor me to something real. My skin still burns from Ethan’s touch, but it’s not desire coursing through my veins—it’s disgust. It’s fury.I can still hear the way he slurred her name—Celeste.Not mine.Never mine.I stare at my reflection in the vanity mirror. My lips are swollen, but not from passion. My wrists bear faint red marks where he had gripped too tightly.I am nothing but his possession.His wife.A title that once meant something. A title that now shackles me to a man who parades his mistresses in front of me, knowing I can’t leave.I suck in a sharp breath and stand, wrapping my robe tightly around me as I march downstairs. My body aches from last night, from the weight of everything I refuse to process. But I don’t stop moving. I won’t let myself fall apart—not here, not yet.Ethan is in the dining room, dressed in a crisp suit, sipping coffee a
Sinful EscapeChapter Eight: A Forbidden EscapeSERA’S POVI follow Raven. I don’t think—I just move.The gala is a blur behind me, the laughter and clinking glasses fading into a distant hum. My heart pounds as I slip through the grand ballroom doors and into the cool night air. My breath comes in shallow gasps, my body still trembling from the fury, the humiliation.Ethan. Celeste. The bracelet.The way he looked at me like I was nothing.Like I was trapped.But right now, standing in the moonlight with Raven’s eyes burning into me, I don’t feel trapped. I feel seen.She leans against a sleek black car parked at the edge of the driveway, her dark dress clinging to her in all the right ways. A cigarette dangles between her fingers, the tip glowing as she takes a slow drag. She doesn’t speak right away. She just watches me—assessing, waiting.Then, finally, her lips curve into that knowing smirk.“You looked like you were about to kill someone in there.”I let out a bitter laugh, cros
Chapter Nine: The Edge of ControlCELeste’s POVI drape myself over Ethan’s lap, my fingers tracing slow, deliberate patterns on his chest. The private lounge of the gala is dimly lit, the scent of expensive whiskey hanging in the air.He’s distracted.His grip on his glass is tighter than usual. His jaw clenches. He hasn’t touched me the way he normally does when we’re alone.“You’re thinking about her,” I murmur, pressing my lips against his ear. “Aren’t you?”Ethan doesn’t deny it.I smirk, sliding my hand down to his belt. “You’re mine now, Ethan.” I whisper, unbuckling it. “She’s nothing but a bitter wife who will never leave.”His eyes darken, but before I can go further, he grabs my wrist.“Not here.” His voice is cold.I pull back, feigning a pout, but inside, I’m seething.Because I know—no matter how much he tries to prove otherwise—Sera still has a hold on him.But I’ll make sure that hold breaks soon enough.---RAVEN’S POVSera is shaking.She won’t look at me as she butt
Chapter Ten: Bound and BrokenSERA’S POVThe morning light slices through the curtains, but I can’t move. My body aches, but the pain isn’t just physical—it’s deeper, sinking into my very soul.Last night replays in my mind like a horror film. Ethan’s weight pressing me down, his breath reeking of whiskey, his cruel grip on my wrists.And the name he whispered.Celeste.A raw, bitter laugh bubbles in my throat. I should be used to this humiliation by now.But something is different this time.The fire in my chest isn’t just pain—it’s rage.I turn to the mirror, barely recognizing the woman staring back at me. My reflection is hollow-eyed, lips swollen, bruises forming along my wrists where he grabbed me.I touch the marks, my fingers trembling.I can’t keep living like this.But what choice do I have?If I leave, I lose everything.The prenup was ironclad. Ethan made sure of that. If I walk away, I walk away with nothing. No money. No home. No security.That’s why he does this.Becaus
Chapter Eleven: The Beginning of the EndSERA’S POVThe hotel suite is quiet, the city lights bleeding through the floor-to-ceiling windows. I sit on the couch, my hands wrapped around a glass of wine I barely taste.Across from me, Raven watches, silent and unreadable.I don’t know why I trust her.I shouldn’t.She’s dangerous, unpredictable. Everything Ethan would call a bad influence.But when I look at her, I see freedom. A kind of recklessness I crave.A kind of power I need.I take a deep breath, finally letting the words slip past my lips. "Ethan owns me."Raven’s gaze sharpens. “Explain.”So I do.I tell her everything.The suffocating marriage.The emotional manipulation.The way he flaunts his mistresses, humiliates me in front of his business partners. The prenup that chains me to him, leaving me powerless to leave without losing everything.I talk until my throat is raw, until my hands are trembling.And Raven listens.Not with pity—but with something else. Something sharp
Chapter 24 – The Breaking PointSera’s POVThe morning after was suffocating.I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, Ethan’s scent still clinging to my skin like a cruel reminder of my failure.I let him win last night.I let him have control.But not anymore.My body ached from his touch, from the violence of it, from the way he had tried to claim me. But I wasn’t the woman he thought I was anymore.I turned my head slightly, watching him sleep beside me, his breathing deep and steady. He looked so peaceful—so disgustingly at ease.How could he sleep so soundly after everything? After the war we’d waged on each other?A slow rage built in my chest.I wanted him gone.I wanted to erase him from existence.And I knew exactly how.Ethan’s POVThe smell of coffee and something sweet drifted through the house, pulling me from sleep.I stretched, wincing at the scratches down my back.Sera had fought me last night, and I had loved every second of it.She still belonged to me, whether she ad
Chapter 23 – False Evidences Sera’s POVThe newsroom’s voice rang through Ethan’s office, a cruel reminder of how quickly the tides had turned."Detective Dante Cross, accused of planting false evidence, has been arrested. In a shocking turn of events, business mogul Ethan Carter is now regaining the public’s trust after allegations against him were proven to be fabricated. Investors are rallying back, and support for Carter Enterprises is growing once again."I stood there, frozen. My entire body vibrated with rage.This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.Ethan should’ve been drowning in scandals by now. His empire should’ve been crumbling. Instead, he was rising—stronger, untouchable, smug as ever.A slow clap broke the suffocating silence.I turned, my nails digging into my palm, and met Ethan’s gaze.He leaned against his desk, a whiskey glass in hand, swirling the amber liquid lazily. That infuriating smirk played on his lips—the one that said I always win."You really thought yo
Chapter 22: Slow Poison and Burning ObsessionSera’s POVI sat at the small table in Raven’s apartment, my fingers trembling as I traced the rim of my wine glass. The city lights outside blurred into streaks of white and gold, but my mind was sharper than ever.“I can’t just leave,” I whispered, more to myself than to Raven. “Not without consequences.”Raven leaned against the counter, her dark eyes piercing through me. She wasn’t the type to sugarcoat things. “Then don’t leave. Destroy him instead.”I let out a breath, shaking my head. “You make it sound so easy.”“It is easy, Sera.” She walked toward me, placing her hands on the table, forcing me to meet her gaze. “Ethan thinks he owns you. He thinks you’ll always be under his control. Prove him wrong.”My heart pounded. I had already begun laying traps—money moved to secret accounts, fake lipstick stains on his clothes, suspicious messages on his phone. I had started chipping away at his sanity, but it wasn’t enough.I needed him w
Chapter 21: A Dangerous PropositionSera’s POVThe room was dimly lit, the glow of the city skyline casting sharp shadows against Raven’s face. She sat on the edge of my bed, her legs crossed, a cigarette smoldering between her fingers.I watched the tendrils of smoke curl into the air, feeling the weight of her words settle between us."Why don’t we just kill him?"My breath hitched.I knew Raven was ruthless, but I never thought she’d suggest this.I swallowed, forcing out a laugh. “You can’t be serious.”Raven exhaled, her gaze sharp and unreadable. “Why not?” She tilted her head. “You’ve taken everything from him. He knows now. He’s dangerous. If we don’t finish him off, he will come back for you.”I stiffened, turning my back to her as I stared at my reflection in the vanity mirror. My fingers traced over the bruises Ethan had left on my wrist the night before. The anger in his eyes. The promise of destruction in his voice.Ethan was dangerous.I had spent years under his thumb,
Chapter 20: The Tables Have TurnedSera’s POVI watched the news as the empire Ethan had built brick by brick collapsed before his eyes.The scandals, the investigations, the lawsuits—it was all happening so fast. His name was being dragged through the mud in every headline, his business partners were pulling away, and his assets were frozen one after the other.I curled my fingers around the champagne flute, savoring the bubbles as they popped against my lips.Raven sat beside me, smirking. "Look at him. Falling apart like a house of cards."On the screen, Ethan stormed past a swarm of reporters outside his office, his face set in stone, his body language screaming barely contained rage.They threw questions at him—"Mr. Carter, did you bribe government officials?""Is it true your offshore accounts have been frozen?""How do you respond to allegations of fraud and money laundering?"His only response was silence. His jaw clenched so tight I thought his teeth would snap.Raven chuckl
Chapter 19: The Perfect TrapSera’s POVThe plan was in motion.Every move Ethan made, every word he spoke, was a step closer to his downfall. He just didn’t know it yet.I smoothed my dress in the mirror, ensuring every detail was perfect—soft curls cascading over my shoulders, deep red lipstick painting my smirk, and a neckline that dipped just enough to distract. Ethan was weak when it came to appearances. He liked his trophies polished, his possessions gleaming.Tonight, I would be exactly what he wanted me to be.And I would destroy him with it.My phone vibrated, and I grabbed it without looking, already knowing who it was.Raven: Dante is ready. Just get him to talk.Me: Consider it done.Sliding the phone into my clutch, I turned back to my reflection.Showtime.---Ethan’s POVThe moment Sera walked into the private lounge, I knew something was different.She was stunning—no, dangerous.There was something in her eyes, something I couldn't place. A confidence, a hunger that h
Chapter 18: The Beginning of His DownfallSera’s POVThe city skyline stretched before me, a sea of glittering lights, but I only saw my reflection in the glass. The woman staring back was a stranger—her lips curled in a smirk, her eyes alight with something dark and dangerous.Power.I had never felt it before. Not in this way.I swirled the deep red wine in my glass, savoring its rich taste, its warmth spreading through my veins. The sound of Ethan’s enraged voice echoed from his office, his anger a symphony to my ears.He was unraveling.And I was the one pulling the threads.My phone vibrated on the table, breaking my trance. I reached for it, my pulse quickening at the name flashing on the screen.Dante: We’ve successfully linked him to two shell accounts. His company is now under federal review. Soon, they'll be knocking on his door.A slow, satisfied smile spread across my lips.It was happening.I set the phone down just as the door to Ethan’s office burst open, slamming again
Chapter 17: Dangerous MovesSera povI stood in front of the mirror, watching my reflection as i traced the faint bruises on my wrist from Ethan’s grip the night before. My stomach twisted in rage, but beneath that, there was something sharper—a burning need for control.Ethan thought i was weak. That i would always be his caged, obedient wife. But he had underestimated her.My phone vibrated. A message from Raven."Are you ready to destroy him?"I smirked."More than ever."Tonight, I would play the perfect wife one last time before setting everything in motion.---Ethan PovThe Seduction of a MonsterI sat in my study, swirling a glass of whiskey, deep in thought. I had noticed the shift in Sera—her defiance, the way her eyes held secrets she refused to share. Something had changed, and it made me uneasy.When she entered the room, my grip tightened around my glass.She was wearing a silk nightgown, deep red, the fabric molding to her body like a second skin. The color of temptation
Chapter 16: The War Has BegunSera’s POVI sat in the dimly lit corner of my bedroom, my hands trembling as i rubbed the red marks Ethan had left on my wrist. His grip had been unforgiving, his anger barely restrained."Did you really think I wouldn't find out, Sera?"His voice still echoed in my mind, dark and venomous.I had barely managed to escape his fury when his phone rang, distracting him just enough for me to lock herself in the bathroom. It wasn’t the first time Ethan had lost control, but this time was different. This time, he knew.My secret was out.My body ached, my mind spiraling into chaos as i tried to think of a next move. Ethan wasn’t the kind of man who simply walked away. He would make me pay.My phone vibrated, the soft hum slicing through the thick silence of the room.Raven.I hesitated, my pulse racing. I had told myself I wouldn't go back to her, not tonight. Not after everything that had happened.But I needed to breathe. I needed to be free—even if it was j