Amaya's lips still burned from the memory of Adrian's kiss, but her heart burned hotter with fury. She had sworn not to give in, not to feel—and yet she had. That weakness haunted her as she wandered the mansion, needing space, needing clarity.
Her steps led her to Adrian's study. The door was ajar. Against her better judgment, she slipped inside.
Stacks of papers lined his desk—contracts, deals, confidential files. She scanned them absently until one name caught her eye. Her blood ran cold.
Her father's company.
Her trembling fingers unfolded the contract. Buried in the fine print was the truth—Adrian had orchestrated the hostile takeover that ruined her family. He hadn't just stolen her freedom. He had destroyed everything she once held dear.
A sound escaped her throat, half sob and half rage. The door creaked open.
"Looking for something?"
Adrian stood there, calm, composed—as if he'd expected her to find it.
Her eyes blazed with tears and hatred. "It was you. All along, it was you."
He said nothing, his silence a confession louder than any words.
"You tricked me into marriage, you kissed me, touched me—while knowing you destroyed my family's life!" Her voice cracked with fury. "How dare you?"
Adrian's jaw tightened, his mask faltering for a second. "I did what I had to do."
Amaya slapped the papers against his chest, trembling. "You call this survival? I call it betrayal."
Her voice dropped, cold and final. "I will never forgive you."
For the first time, Adrian's composure broke. But Amaya was already gone, her footsteps echoing like a vow of war.