The morning after their boardroom showdown, Aurora woke up to her name trending.
#QueenOfTheBoardroom
#AuroraAndDominicMerger
#CorporatePowerCouple
Social media had exploded with pictures of them leaving Raine Corp headquarters hand in hand, her bold entrance, his unwavering presence beside her—an unspoken declaration of war and love at once.
Aurora scrolled through the articles, smirking. "Well, we've officially broken the internet."
Dominic, shirtless and fresh from the shower, glanced at her phone. "Let them talk. The louder they scream, the more they know we're winning."
"Winning comes with enemies," she muttered.
As if on cue, her phone buzzed with a message from her assistant:
> "Three clients pulled out this morning. Apparently, they don't want to be involved in a 'corporate romance circus.'"
Aurora clenched her jaw. "So it begins."
---
Across the city, Dominic's office phone rang off the hook.
Investors were concerned. Reporters were circling. And worst of all, his father was orchestrating a quiet revolt within the board.
"Elias has already contacted three directors," Dominic's COO warned. "They're pushing the narrative that you've compromised the company by letting your personal life bleed into business decisions."
Dominic sat back, eyes sharp. "Then let them see how personal I can get."
He dialed Aurora.
"We need to announce the merger. Officially. Today."
Her voice crackled with excitement and caution. "It's too soon. The media's still obsessing over us like we're some royal scandal."
"Exactly," he said. "Let's give them something worth talking about."
---
That afternoon, the two walked into the press conference arm-in-arm, every move choreographed yet effortlessly magnetic.
Aurora's red suit screamed power. Dominic's charcoal three-piece whispered command.
The press flooded them with questions:
"Is this merger a business move or a love story?"
"Are you prepared for the backlash from traditional investors?"
"What happens if your relationship doesn't last?"
Dominic stepped up to the mic, voice calm but icy. "Lane Designs and Raine Corp are merging to create one of the most influential business alliances in the country. Our relationship is personal, but this decision is strategic. And I assure you—we don't plan on either failing."
Aurora followed, flashing a smile that silenced the room. "When two powerhouses combine, it's not chaos—it's evolution. Get used to it."
Applause followed, loud and bold.
But not everyone clapped.
---
In a corner booth of a high-end restaurant across town, Bianca Sterling watched the live stream on her phone.
Her manicured nails tapped against her wine glass.
"He chose her," she hissed.
Her fiancé, Elias Raine, looked up. "He's ruining everything."
Bianca leaned in, voice venomous. "Then maybe it's time I remind Dominic what he left behind. And show Aurora just how dangerous the past can be."
---
Days later, sabotage struck.
An internal leak sent false financial reports to investors, triggering panic. A news outlet published an exposé on Aurora's "questionable" past relationships and business ties, all manipulated to make her look unstable, impulsive, and power-hungry.
"Someone's digging into my life like I'm a public figure," Aurora snapped, slamming her phone on the desk.
Dominic paced her office. "This isn't a coincidence. They're trying to make you the liability."
"I am the liability," she spat. "To them. Because they can't control me."
He turned to her, intense. "We don't bend. We strike back."
But even as they presented a united front to the world, cracks began to form beneath the surface.
---
That night, Aurora returned home to find her front door slightly ajar.
Heart pounding, she stepped inside. The lights were off.
"Hello?"
A figure stood near the window.
She flipped the switch—Bianca.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Aurora growled.
Bianca turned slowly, eyes glittering. "Just wanted to see what kind of woman Dominic risked everything for."
Aurora crossed her arms. "You mean the woman who didn't sleep her way through boardrooms to get to the top?"
Bianca laughed. "Touché. But don't get too comfortable. Dominic has a history of losing interest quickly—especially when the chase is over."
"You don't know him," Aurora hissed.
Bianca stepped forward. "Oh, but I do. He used to belong to me, remember? And if you think you've won just because he's sleeping in your bed, you're more naïve than I thought."
Aurora didn't flinch. "Get out."
"Gladly," Bianca purred. "But ask yourself this, darling—what happens when love gets in the way of legacy?"
She left behind the scent of expensive perfume and poison.
---
The confrontation shook Aurora more than she wanted to admit. That night, she didn't sleep.
Dominic arrived early the next morning to find her on the balcony, staring out at the skyline, arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"She came to my apartment," she said without looking at him. "Bianca."
His jaw clenched. "What did she say?"
Aurora turned to him. "That you used to be hers. That you get bored. That I'm just a phase."
He reached for her, but she stepped back. "I don't want to doubt you, Dominic. But you have to be honest with me. Are you in this for real?"
Dominic looked at her, wounded. "You think I'm playing you?"
"I think you've spent your whole life hiding what you feel behind strategy and charm," she whispered. "And I need to know—are we just another move in your power game?"
Silence stretched.
Then, slowly, he pulled something from his coat pocket—a simple platinum band.
"I wasn't going to give you this yet," he said, voice low, raw. "But I think now's the time."
Her breath caught.
He stepped closer, took her hand.
"This isn't a tactic, Aurora. It's not a PR stunt or a counterattack. It's me. Choosing you. Every day. Even when it's messy. Even when the world turns on us."
He slipped the ring into her palm, not her finger.
"When you're ready, I'll be waiting."
He walked away without looking back.
Aurora stood frozen, her heart a battlefield of chaos and clarity.
And in her hand, the symbol of something terrifying and beautiful: love that could either break her or make her unshakable.
---