The Queen’s Downfall

The atmosphere in the townhouse was heavy with unease.

Ariella faced Leo in the dimly lit living room, the pressure of their final move weighing on them like a looming storm.

 The recording had gone viral, turning the public against Gabby in an unexpected way. The internet was buzzing, shifting from scandalous rumors to revealing a ruthless woman who had manipulated and destroyed lives.

But it wasn't enough. Gabby still had her resources, wealth, and connections.

 If they didn't deliver a decisive blow, she would find a way to rise from the ashes and retaliate.

 Ariella locked eyes with Leo, her voice steady. "We need to take her down for good."

 Leo agreed. "No loose ends."

 There was only one way to ensure Gabby wouldn't bounce back.

 It was time to play their final card.

 They were going to set her up for a Free-fall

 Gabby Armstrong had always been a winner. Every move was planned. Every choice aimed at gaining power.

 But now? Now, she was losing.

 Her lawyers were calling her constantly, warning that the recording had put her in serious legal jeopardy.

 Her PR team had abandoned her, unwilling to fix the disaster she had created.

 And her investors? Pulling out one after another.

 Gabby paced her penthouse, gripping her wine glass so tightly that she barely felt it crack in her hand, sending shards of broken glasses into her skin.

 She didn't care.

 All that occupied her mind was Ariella. That insignificant girl she had once seen as just a pawn.

 Now, Ariella had turned the tables, and Gabby was the one left in chaos.

 Her phone rang. She answered without even checking the caller ID.

"What!?"

 A calm but firm voice responded.

 "Gabriella, we need to talk."

She froze for a moment. Her father.

 The one man she had spent her entire life proving herself to.

 Gabby swallowed hard. "Father, I—"

 "Save it," he cut her off. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Gabby tightened her jaw. "I've got it under control."

 Her father let out a slow exhale. "No, Gabriella. It's not. You've become a liability. And I don't do business with liabilities."

 Gabby's blood turned to ice. Her father was not one to toy with words. She knew exactly what those words meant.

 "Father—"

 Click.

 The line went dead.

 Gabby stared at her phone, a cold, terrifying realization sinking in.

She was alone. Totally, completely alone.

Preparing for the final blow, Ariella waited in the grand Armstrong estate.

 The plan was already set.

 Gabby had been called here by her father—who had now turned his back on her.

 Leo stood next to her, his jaw tight. "Are you ready for this?"

 Ariella inhaled deeply. "I was made for this."

Moments later, the front doors burst open, and Gabby rushed in.

 Her perfect appearance was gone. Her designer dress was a bit wrinkled, and her blonde hair was messy.

 She looked like she was about to break.

 Her gaze fixed on Ariella with intense anger.

 "You," she hissed. "You think you've won?"

 Ariella remained calm. "I don't think I've won, Gabby. I know I have."

 Gabby let out a cold, humorless laugh. "Sweetheart, you still don't get how this works, do you?"

 Leo stepped forward, his presence strong and steady. "It's over, Gabby."

 Gabby ignored him, moving toward Ariella. "You destroyed me," she fumed. "Do you even know what you've done?"

 Ariella raised her chin. "Yes. I ended you."

Gabby gasped, still not believing how the table turned against her within this short space of time.

 Ariella leaned in slightly, her voice softer but more dangerous.

 "You built your life on lies and control," she whispered. "But you made one big mistake. You underestimated me."

 Gabby's hands trembled, her nails digging into her skin.

 "I can still fix this," she whispered, almost to herself. "I can—"

"No, Gabby," Leo cut in. "You can't do that."

 Ariella stepped back, her tone firm. "You've lost."

That was the moment Gabby fell apart. Her facade crumbled, her shoulders drooped, and her breath came in sharp gasps.

 For the first time, Gabby Armstrong had no options left.

 She was done.

 Gabby looked at Leo—her husband.

 Her last chance.

 Her eyes begged for understanding, but Leo's face was unyielding.

 "I once loved you," she murmured, a tear rolling down her cheek.

 Leo's voice was cold. "You never loved me. You loved having control over me."

 Gabby made a small, broken sound.

 Ariella almost felt pity for her.

 Almost.

 Leo took a deep breath and moved closer. "There's only one way out, Gabby."

 Gabby's lips quivered. "What do you mean?"

 Leo pulled out a stack of legal papers from his pocket.

 Ariella gasped.

Divorce papers.

 He extended them toward her. "Sign these and walk away."

Gabby stared at the documents, her expression blank. Then, a bitter smile appeared on her lips.

 "You really think this is the end?" she whispered.

 Ariella stepped forward, her voice calm. "Yes."

 Gabby's eyes shifted, and without another word, she took the pen.

 She signed the papers with trembling hands, the ink smudging slightly from her grip.

 Then, she dropped the pen and stepped back. A queen without her crown.

 Ariella met her eyes. "Goodbye, Gabby."

 Gabby laughed—a hollow, broken sound. Then, without saying anything more, she turned and walked away.

 And just like that…

 Gabby Armstrong was no more.

Ariella stood on the balcony of her new home, gazing at the horizon.

 The fight was over. Gabby was gone, her empire in shambles.

 Leo joined her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "We did it."

 Ariella nodded, placing a hand on her protruding stomach. "We did."

 Leo turned her to face him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "So… what's next?"

Ariella beamed. "Let's begin again."

 Leo smiled back. "As a team?"

 Ariella felt joy fill her heart. "Forever."

 He moved closer, kissing her softly and deeply—a vow, a fresh start, a love renewed.

 For the first time in her life, Ariella wasn't running.

 She was home. Forever.