Power

The night was thick with tension. Damian sat in his penthouse office, whiskey swirling in his glass, his sharp eyes scanning the reports in front of him.

Callum had gone too far.

Leaking Ariana's past to the media was just the beginning. The real war was about to start.

The door opened.

Ariana stepped in, still dressed in her sharp suit from the day. She had ignored the whispers, the reporters, the eyes watching her every move. But she wasn't foolish enough to believe this was over.

Damian didn't look up. "You took too long."

She raised a brow. "Didn't know I was on a timer."

He finally met her gaze, and for a moment, the air between them was heavy. Not with anger—no, something deeper.

"Callum's playing a dangerous game," he said, tossing the file onto the desk. "And I don't like games."

Ariana picked up the file and scanned the contents.

Photos. Screenshots.

A list of names tied to her past cases.

But one name stood out once again.

Ryan.

Her blood ran cold.

She closed the file. "He's after him."

Damian studied her. "him?"

Ariana's fingers trembled. She had never wanted Damian to know about this.

Things that, if exposed, could cost her everything.

She set the file down carefully. "It doesn't matter."

Damian's jaw tightened. "It does."

Ariana exhaled. "Ryan… he's not in the hospital ."

Damian's expression turned lethal. "Then we need to get to him first."

She stared at him. "Why do you care?"

His eyes flashed. "Because you're my wife."

Her heart skipped.

She wanted to say something—wanted to challenge him, fight him, tell him she could handle it alone.

But she didn't.

Because for the first time…

She wasn't sure if she could.

---

A Midnight Threat

That night, Ariana barely slept.

When she finally gave up and stepped onto the penthouse balcony, the city lights stretched endlessly below.

And then—

Her phone vibrated.

A blocked number.

She hesitated, then answered. "Who is this?"

A chuckle. Low. Sinister.

Callum.

"Didn't think I'd leave you alone so soon, did you?"

Her grip tightened. "What do you want?"

A pause.

Then—

"I wonder what Damian would do if he found out the truth about you."

Ariana's blood turned to ice.

She forced her voice to stay calm. "You don't know anything."

Callum hummed. "We'll see about that."

Click.

The line went dead.

Ariana lowered the phone, her pulse racing.

This wasn't just about her past anymore.

It was about the secrets she had buried.

And the fact that Callum was dangerously close to digging them all up.

---

The Beginning of the End

The next morning, she stormed into Damian's office.

"I want Callum handled."

Damian looked up slowly. "Handled?"

Her jaw tightened. "I don't care how. Just end this before he ruins everything."

Damian stood, walking around the desk until he was inches from her.

His voice was low. Dangerous.

"If you want me to destroy him, say the words."

Ariana hesitated.

She had spent her life playing by the rules.

But this?

This was something else.

Her throat went dry. "I—"

Before she could answer, the door burst open.

One of Damian's men rushed in.

"Sir. We have a problem."

Damian's gaze flickered with irritation. "What now?"

The man exhaled. "It's Callum."

Ariana's heart pounded.

"What did he do?"

The man swallowed.

"He's gone after Ryan."

Silence.

Then—

Damian turned to Ariana, his expression unreadable.

"Looks like you don't have a choice anymore."

And Ariana knew—

This was the moment everything changed.

---

To Be Continued…