The Price of Power

A Marriage Built on Secrets

Ariana barely slept.

Damian's confession about his heart condition haunted her.

She wasn't sure why it unsettled her.

Maybe because, for the first time, she saw him as something more than just ruthless—he was still ruthless, but there was something else lurking beneath.

Still, she couldn't let it distract her.

She had entered this marriage for survival. For power. For control over her own fate.

And if Damian Kingsley thought his condition would change anything—

He was wrong.

---

A New Battlefield

The next morning, Ariana arrived at Kingsley Corporation, head held high.

She stepped out of the elevator, only to find Olivia—the same housekeeper who had ushered her to the altar—waiting outside Damian's office.

"Mrs. Kingsley." Olivia smiled warmly. "Mr. Kingsley is expecting you."

Mrs. Kingsley.

Ariana ignored the odd flutter in her chest and stepped inside.

Damian sat at his desk, one hand resting on a thick file. He didn't look up immediately.

"You're late," he said.

Ariana raised a brow. "I didn't know I was on a schedule."

His piercing blue eyes met hers. Sharp. Calculating.

"You are now."

Ariana folded her arms. "What's this about?"

Damian tapped the file. "Callum."

Her heart stilled.

"What about him?"

"He's making moves," Damian said. "Digging into your past, questioning your credentials, trying to find a weakness."

Ariana's jaw clenched. "Let me handle it."

Damian's smirk was cold.

"Oh, I plan to."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

Damian leaned forward. "You're my wife now, Ariana. Which means no one touches you. Not Callum, not the media, not anyone."

Something about the way he said it sent a shiver down her spine.

It wasn't just possessiveness. It was a warning.

Damian Kingsley didn't just protect.

He destroyed.

---

he Price of Betrayal

Later that night, Ariana arrived at a private Kingsley estate event.

A gathering of elite businessmen, investors, and power players.

And Callum was there.

She felt his eyes on her the moment she entered.

But she didn't react.

Instead, she walked toward the bar, ordering a drink.

"Quite the transformation," Callum murmured, appearing beside her. "From ambitious lawyer to Mrs. Kingsley."

Ariana didn't even glance at him. "Jealous?"

Callum chuckled. "Just curious." He leaned closer. "You sure you know what you've gotten yourself into?"

Ariana finally turned to him, eyes sharp. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

Callum smirked. "We'll see."

Before she could respond, a new presence arrived.

A dangerous presence.

Damian.

She felt it before she even saw him—the room shifting, people parting.

And then his voice, low and lethal..

"Is there a problem here?"

Ariana turned, finding Damian standing between her and Callum.

His expression was unreadable, but his eyes burned.

Callum, for the first time, hesitated. "Of course not. Just a friendly conversation."

Damian's lips curled. "That's funny. Because I don't recall giving you permission to speak to my wife."

Tension thickened.

Ariana could see it—the slight twitch of Callum's jaw, the way Damian's stance shifted ever so slightly.

A silent battle of power.

Then—Damian smiled.

But it wasn't friendly.

It was the smile of a man who had already won.

"Enjoy the party, Callum," he said smoothly. "While you still can."

Callum's smirk faltered.

And Ariana knew—

This was far from over.

---

Ruthlessness Unleashed

The night wasn't over when they left the event.

Not for Damian.

Ariana watched from the penthouse balcony as he stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, phone in hand.

A storm brewing beneath his calm exterior.

"Make the call," he said coldly. "I want Callum's finances frozen by morning. Every investment, every deal—gone."

A pause.

Then—

"And send a message. The next time he so much as looks at my wife, he won't have a company left to run."

Ariana's breath hitched.

Damian ended the call and turned.

She should have been shocked.

She should have been afraid.

Instead, she felt something else entirely.

A thrill.

Because in that moment, she realized—

Being Damian Kingsley's wife meant being untouchable.

And she wasn't sure she hated it.

---

To Be Continued…