Ayishetu

In a world of wealth, power, and whispered betrayals, Jade Sinclair is an outsider. When she marries **Alexander Middleton**, heir to a powerful and ruthless family, she knows the life she’s stepping into is one of scrutiny and silent warfare. But what no one knows is that Jade didn’t just marry into this world for love—she has her own secrets, her own motives.  

At every turn, she faces resistance. **Victoria Middleton**, Alexander’s calculating mother, sees her as nothing more than an inconvenience, an unworthy intruder in their empire. And then there’s **Liliana Carter**, Alexander’s ex and the woman society expected him to marry, who is determined to reclaim her place by his side.  

But Jade is no naive socialite. She knows that in a world like this, survival isn’t about playing by the rules—it’s about rewriting them.  

When **Lady Eleanor Middleton**, the true matriarch of the family, summons Jade for a private meeting, everything changes. The old woman sees more than Jade expected, sensing the deeper game at play. As the stakes rise, Jade is forced to confront not just the enemies in plain sight but the ones lurking in the shadows—secrets buried within the Middleton family that could destroy them all.  

As deception weaves through every relationship and trust becomes the most dangerous currency, Jade must decide:Is love worth the price of power? And in a game where masks are everything, who will survive when the veil is finally lifted

the veil of deception

Chapter Forty-Two: The Queen's Gambit

The night was thick with tension as Victoria Laurent sat in her estate's private war room—a dimly lit chamber where only the most crucial decisions were made. The air smelled of aged wood and expensive scotch, the silence broken only by the soft hum of her laptop screen illuminating a list of media outlets and legal contacts.

Jonathan sat across from her, his fingers drumming impatiently on the table. "We can't let Jade dictate the narrative any longer. She's already turned Alexander against you."

Victoria arched an eyebrow, unshaken. "Alexander is conflicted, not lost. And as for Jade…" She leaned back in her chair, a slow smile curling her lips. "We're going to bury her."

Jonathan leaned forward. "You have a plan?"

Victoria tapped a file on the table. "We leak a scandal of our own. Something damning. Something that makes her untouchable in the public eye."

Jonathan smirked. "You want to destroy her credibility?"

"Precisely. I have friends in the media, and they owe me favors. By morning, Jade Sinclair will be nothing but a cautionary tale."

Jade barely had time to sip her morning coffee before the news exploded across every major outlet.

"Breaking News: Business Mogul Jade Sinclair Accused of Corporate Espionage and Fraud!"

The headline burned into her vision as her phone rang relentlessly. She grabbed it, expecting Damien, but instead, it was Elara.

"Jade, have you seen the news?" Elara's voice was sharp, urgent.

"I'm looking at it now." Jade's fingers clenched around her mug. "They're painting me as a criminal."

"They have fake documents, witness statements—it's a full-blown takedown," Elara said. "This isn't just bad press. They want to end you."

Jade took a deep breath, forcing her anger into something sharper, more dangerous. "Then we strike back."

Alexander watched the chaos unfold from his office, his gut twisting as his mother's tactics became clear.

He knew Victoria was ruthless. He had seen her crush rivals before. But this?

Elara's words echoed in his mind. You have to choose a side, Alexander.

"I assume you've seen the mess your mother made," Damien's voice was laced with barely contained fury.

Alexander hesitated, his mind warring between loyalty and love. Then, finally—

He ended the call and grabbed his coat. It was time to face his mother.

The Queen’s Gambit