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-Seven: Victoria's Last Stand

Victoria Laurent sat at the head of the long mahogany table, her gaze cold and unyielding as the board members murmured anxiously. The latest scandal had shaken their confidence, and Seraphina's attack had only fueled the fire.

"Let's be clear," Victoria's voice cut through the tension, "Laurent Enterprises does not crumble under pressure. Those who lack the stomach for a fight are free to leave. But if you stay, you do so with absolute loyalty."

An older board member cleared his throat. "Victoria, the press is relentless. Investors are pulling out—"

Victoria slammed her hand against the table. "Then we find new investors. I built this empire, and I will not let some second-rate power plays take me down."

She turned to Adrian Graves. "Release the contingency file. Let's remind Seraphina and her allies why I am not to be crossed."

Meanwhile, Jade scrolled through the latest headlines, her stomach twisting. She knew Victoria wasn't finished. If Seraphina had gone for blood, Victoria would go for destruction.

Her phone buzzed—an unknown number. Hesitating for only a moment, she answered.

"You need to stop her," came a low voice. "Before it's too late."

Jade's grip tightened. "Who is this?"

"Someone who has seen what happens when Victoria is cornered," the voice replied. "She's about to do something irreversible."

Jade's heart pounded. There was only one person who could stop this.

Alexander stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in his penthouse, staring at the city below. Everything had changed. His mother's empire was crumbling, and for the first time, he didn't feel the need to save it.

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. Jade stood there, her expression urgent.

"Victoria is about to do something drastic," she said. "If you don't stop her, people will get hurt."

Alexander exhaled slowly. He had walked away, but this was different. If his mother was truly about to go nuclear, it wasn't just business—it was war.

And he had to choose which side to stand on.

Victoria’s Last Stand