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-Five: Shadows of the Past

The air inside Victoria Laurent's study was thick with tension. The fire crackled in the grand marble fireplace, casting long shadows as Adrian Graves leaned against her desk, his gaze sharp.

"She thinks she's won," Victoria murmured, swirling a crystal glass of whiskey in her hand. "Seraphina has always been clever, but she's reckless. She forgets that I have something she doesn't."

Victoria's lips curved into a dangerous smile. "History."

She placed a thick file on the desk and slid it toward Adrian. He picked it up, flipping through the pages. His brows lifted in surprise.

"Seraphina Calloway's fall from grace," he mused, reading over the carefully compiled documents. "And you never used this before because…?"

Victoria took a slow sip of her drink. "Because I like watching my enemies believe they are untouchable before I remind them that they are not."

She pressed a button on the intercom. "Inform the media. We're releasing the story at dawn."

By morning, the headlines had flipped.

"Seraphina Calloway's Hidden Past: The Scandal That Forced Her Disappearance."

"Once a Power Broker, Now a Fraud? Leaked Documents Reveal Calloway's Alleged Crimes."

"Victoria Laurent Fires Back: 'There Is No Room for Hypocrisy in Business.'"

Jade's stomach twisted as she scrolled through the articles. Victoria had dug deep, pulling out scandals from Seraphina's past—some true, some cleverly twisted.

Seraphina: That witch is good. But I'm better.

Jade took a sharp breath. War had been declared.

Alexander sat in his office, his fingers drumming against his desk. He had spent the morning putting out fires—his board was in chaos, reporters were hounding him for a statement, and his mother was playing puppet master once again.

Jade entered, her expression unreadable. "We need to talk."

He leaned back in his chair, exhausted. "About?"

She crossed her arms. "About where you stand in all of this."

Alexander let out a slow breath. "My mother is relentless, Jade. And Seraphina is no saint either. If I take a side, it has to be the right one."

Jade stepped closer. "Then make a choice, Alexander. Because this war isn't going to wait for you to decide."

Their gazes locked, tension crackling between them.

Alexander knew—whatever decision he made next would change everything.

Shadows of The Past