Chapter 1

My name is Ava Green, and I have a secret.

Anything I touch with intense emotion turns to solid gold. It' s a strange power, a Midas Touch that responds not to greed, but to love, to fear, to passion. And the legends my family passed down said that after five hundred transformations, I could make a single, powerful wish come true.

For five years, I was married to Mark Sterling. Every touch, every kiss, every moment of intimacy with him sent a jolt through me, a surge of love so strong that something nearby would shimmer and harden into gold. A wine glass on the nightstand. A silk sheet. A single rose petal.

I loved him that much.

We kept these golden trinkets hidden away, a strange and beautiful testament to our life together. They were our secret, proof of the magic between us. He was a rising tech mogul, brilliant and ambitious, and I was the woman who adored him, the woman with a golden touch.

One evening, after we made love, a tear fell from my eye and landed on the pillowcase, turning the fabric into a delicate, golden lace. I felt a strange shift inside me, a quiet hum of power that had finally reached its peak.

It was the five hundredth time.

Mark sat up, his handsome face serious in the dim light. He took my hands, his grip tight.

"Ava," he began, his voice thick with emotion.

Tears welled in his eyes, and they looked so real.

"I need this. I' ve worked my whole life for this moment."

He described his dream with a desperate, raw hunger. He wanted to be the CEO of Innovate Global, the largest tech company in the world. He didn' t just want the position; he wanted universal acclaim, to be hailed as a visionary, a genius loved by all.

"Please, Ava," he begged, his tears now falling freely onto our hands. "Wish this for me. It' s all I' ve ever wanted."

Looking at the man I loved, seeing his vulnerability, my heart broke for him. I would have done anything to make him happy. So, I closed my eyes, focused on the power thrumming inside me, and made the wish. For him.

The next night, the world changed.

The news broke like a thunderclap. The current CEO of Innovate Global was caught in a sudden, devastating scandal. He resigned in disgrace, effective immediately. The board convened an emergency meeting, and by morning, they announced his replacement.

Mark Sterling.

The media frenzy was immediate. They hailed him as a savior, a brilliant mind destined for greatness. His approval ratings soared. He had gotten everything he wished for.

That same night, he held a press conference. I watched from our penthouse, my heart swelling with pride. He stood at the podium, a picture of power and charisma.

And then he destroyed me.

"As my first act as CEO," he announced to the world, a charming smile on his face, "I want to share a piece of personal joy. I am thrilled to announce my engagement to the love of my life, my childhood friend, the renowned humanitarian, Dr. Emily Hayes."

The room erupted in applause. Cameras flashed. My world simply stopped.

The air left my lungs. The television screen showed Emily, beautiful and demure, joining him on stage. He kissed her.

When he came home hours later, he found me standing in the living room, surrounded by the five hundred gold objects we had hidden away. Tears streamed down my face.

He didn't look surprised or guilty. He just looked tired.

"Why?" I whispered, my voice cracking.

He walked to the bar and poured himself a drink, his movements calm and deliberate.

"Emily lost everything in that humanitarian crisis she helped solve," he said, not looking at me. "Her family, her home. She' s a hero, but she' s fragile. If the world thought she was my mistress, it would destroy her reputation. It would destroy her."

He finally turned to face me, his eyes cold and pragmatic.

"You, Ava, are a Green. Your family is prominent. Even if you' re demoted to a secondary role, a wife in name only, no one will dare disrespect you. You can handle it."