The conference room was a battlefield.
Microphones lined the table like soldiers. Reporters buzzed with anticipation, cameras poised to devour her every word. Aurora Lane stood in front of the Lane Innovations banner, her chin held high, eyes smoldering with fire.
She was dressed in a sleek black pantsuit—tailored, powerful, unapologetic. The kind of outfit that said: I've been through hell. And I walked out wearing diamonds.
Maya stood behind her, barely breathing.
"You ready?" she whispered.
Aurora didn't answer.
Because she wasn't here to be ready.
She was here to reclaim what was hers.
The crowd quieted as she stepped up to the podium. The lights beamed down. The moment had arrived.
"My name is Aurora Lane," she began, her voice smooth and firm, "and before I let you tear me apart—let me tell you my story."
Silence.
She scanned the room like a predator.
"I built Lane Innovations from nothing. I pitched ideas that were laughed out of rooms. I clawed my way through funding, ridicule, male-dominated boardrooms, and sabotage."
A flicker of emotion rippled through the press.
"And now, because of one leaked video and one man, you're all ready to erase everything I've achieved?"
The tension snapped like dry ice.
"I had a relationship with Dominic Raine. That is true. But here's what else is true—he did not fund my company to own me. He did not manipulate my board. And he didn't control me."
Cameras flashed wildly.
"My company stands because of years of sweat, sacrifice, and strength. You think one kiss will burn it down?" She leaned closer to the mic. "Let it burn. I'll build it again."
There was a hush.
Then a thunder of applause—unexpected, raw, honest.
Aurora stepped back, her eyes glittering.
And in that moment, she wasn't a victim of scandal.
She was a queen rising from flames.
---
Meanwhile – Raine Enterprises
Dominic watched the livestream from his office, unmoving.
Every word had cut him and healed him at once.
She didn't throw him under the bus. She didn't play the victim. She stood there, proud and ferocious, and reminded the world that she was no man's shadow.
"Sir," his assistant peeked in. "Should I prepare a response?"
"No."
"Are you sure? The board wants—"
"I said no." His voice was ice. "She said everything that needed to be said."
For once, Dominic didn't need to fix anything.
Aurora had already done it.
And somehow, that made him love her more.
---
Later That Night – Aurora's Apartment
She found the letter slid under her door.
The envelope was matte black, no name. Just her name written in bold, precise strokes.
Inside:
Aurora,
You were magnificent today. Fierce. Dangerous. Everything I've always seen in you.
I never wanted the world to see you the way I do. Because I'm selfish. And I liked that version just for me.
But now they've seen it. And I hope they're terrified.
Because you're not just my rival anymore. You're the woman who owns me.
– D.
She read it three times.
Then tucked it into her drawer beside a bottle of half-finished perfume and a photo from her college days.
She didn't cry.
But her heart twisted in ways she couldn't explain.
---
Elsewhere – Juliana's Private Suite
"Her little speech worked," Juliana hissed as she threw her tablet across the room. "Now they adore her."
The man across from her raised a brow. "You said she'd crash and burn."
"She was supposed to! The footage, the timing—it was perfect. But no... she had to turn it into some feminist monologue."
"She's not the threat, Juliana."
"She is when Dominic's in love with her!"
The man leaned back. "Then it's time we use the backup plan."
Juliana stilled. "You mean...?"
He nodded. "It's time to introduce Dominic to the child he doesn't know exists."
---
Raine Enterprises – The Next Morning
Dominic's meeting was interrupted by a knock at the door.
A delivery.
A plain envelope.
No sender.
He opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
A little girl—dark hair, familiar eyes, and a smile that shattered the air from his lungs.
A sticky note was attached.
She has your eyes. But she knows nothing about you. Not yet. – J
Dominic froze.
His world shifted.
His past was coming for him—and this time, it wasn't just about love.
It was about blood.
---