CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

A Reckoning and a Ruin

Edward Melbourne's Hospital Room

The rhythmic beeping of the monitors echoed in the dimly lit hospital room. Edward Melbourne lay motionless, his face pale but resolute even in unconsciousness. IV drips and monitors traced his vital signs, a testament to the severity of the accident. Victoria Melbourne sat by his side, her expression unreadable—an icy mask of control with glimpses of something deeper beneath.

Nicole stood near the window, arms crossed. Her father was many things—ruthless, cunning, an enigma even to his own family—but weak was never one of them. Seeing him like this stirred something unfamiliar inside her. It wasn't fear; she had never feared Edward. It was something far more dangerous—an acknowledgment that, despite everything, he was still her father.

Emma entered quietly, her voice firm but respectful.

"The court hearing begins in an hour, Ms. Melbourne."

Nicole nodded once. It was time to deal with Clara Chem once and for all.

The Trial: Clara Chem's Downfall

The courtroom was packed, tension crackling in the air. Reporters lined the back, their cameras capturing every moment as the judge called for order.

Tyler Winslow sat beside his lawyer, an unforgiving force as his legal team dismantled Clara's defense. The prosecution presented damning evidence—Clara's orchestrated attack, surveillance footage, financial records linking her family to years of hidden crimes.

The final blow came when witnesses testified against the Chem family, unraveling their façade:

Clara's mother, found guilty of fraud and conspiracy.

Her brother, convicted of gambling rackets and arson.

The family's hidden ties to underground dealings, exposed for all to see.

The courtroom was silent when the judge pronounced the verdict: Guilty.

Clara stood frozen, her world crumbling around her. Her father, Dr. Philip Chem, remained untouched by the scandal—his alibi airtight, his focus on medicine shielding him from his family's crimes. Ironically, it was he who had operated on Edward, unknowingly saving the man who had the power to bury his daughter.

As Clara was led away in handcuffs, she turned one last time—her gaze locking onto Nicole's.

Pure hatred.

Nicole didn't flinch.

This was justice.

One Month Later: A Dangerous Shift

Melbourne Enterprises had never been stronger. The business empire Nicole and Tyler built together thrived, their collaboration an unstoppable force.

But something between them had shifted.

Tyler's touches lingered a little too long. His gaze burned into her whenever they were together. Nicole wasn't naïve—she knew what this was. Desire, temptation, a pull she had spent years ignoring.

So when Tyler invited her to an exclusive business dinner at a private hotel suite, she accepted. Not because she was swayed by the tension between them. But because she wanted to see how far he would push.

She never expected Andrew Bond to strike that night.

Andrew's Betrayal & Nicole's Escape

The moment she took a sip of her wine, Nicole knew something was wrong.

Her body reacted instantly—a slight fog clouding her vision, a heat spreading through her veins. But she was no fool. She had trained herself to recognize danger before it struck.

Andrew Bond leaned forward, his smile tainted with victory.

"You've always been difficult to control, Nicole."

She didn't wait for him to finish.

The glass shattered against his wrist as she threw it with calculated force. His smirk twisted into a snarl. He reached for her, but Nicole was faster—her training kicking in.

A brutal uppercut snapped his head back.

A groin kick sent him crashing into the table.

But the drug was working fast. Her limbs felt heavier. Her mind, sluggish.

Thinking fast, she did the only thing that would keep her alert—she dug her nails into her arm, sharp enough to draw blood. The pain cut through the haze. She forced herself to move, stumbling out of the suite before Andrew could recover.

She needed to get somewhere safe.

Her mind provided one answer.

Tyler.

A Night of No Return

She barely remembered reaching his hotel suite. The door opened, and then she was in his arms—his grip unyielding, his voice sharp with concern.

"Nicole—what the hell happened?"

She didn't answer. She couldn't.

All she knew was the way his warmth seeped into her, the way his scent wrapped around her like a promise.

And then, everything burned.

Tyler caught her as she swayed, his hands tightening around her waist. His concern morphed into something darker, something possessive.

"You should have come to me first."

She should have. But right now, none of it mattered.

The night spiraled into something undeniable.

Heat. Desperation. A hunger neither of them could suppress anymore.

The Aftermath: A Storm Unleashed

Morning came with cold reality.

Nicole woke first, her mind a battlefield of contradictions. The sheets were tangled around them, Tyler's arm possessively draped over her waist.

She had crossed a line.

And Tyler Winslow never let go of something he claimed.

As if sensing her thoughts, he stirred. His grip tightened before his lips brushed against her bare shoulder.

"You're mine now, Melbourne."

Nicole didn't answer.

Because the media was about to explode.

Because Andrew Bond wasn't done with his games.

And because, for the first time in years, she wasn't sure if she could keep her heart out of this war.