Chapter 2

The drive back to his city penthouse was a blur of fury and betrayal. The shock had solidified into a cold, hard resolve in his chest. Seraphina wanted to drain him dry, ruin him, and leave him with nothing.

She had no idea who she was dealing with.

He walked into his office, the city lights twinkling below, and sat down at his desk. The kind, naive Ethan Miller was dead. The man who sat there now was the one who had built a tech empire from nothing, a man who understood strategy, leverage, and power.

He had been blind, but now he could see.

His first move was not one of rage, but of precision. He pulled up a file on his computer labeled "Strategic Alliances." He scrolled through the names until he found the one he was looking for: Olivia Chen.

Olivia was the heir to the Chen family conglomerate, a powerhouse in global logistics and finance. He had met her a few times at industry events. She was sharp, intelligent, and carried an air of quiet confidence that he had always found compelling. Their companies were potential allies, but they had never formalized a partnership.

Now was the time.

He dialed her private number. It was late, but he knew she worked the same relentless hours he did.

She answered on the second ring, her voice calm and clear. "Mr. Miller. This is unexpected."

"Ms. Chen," Ethan said, his own voice steady, devoid of the emotion churning inside him. "I apologize for the late hour. I have a proposal. A merger of interests. I'm prepared to offer you a controlling stake in a new joint venture that would dominate the Pacific tech corridor."

There was a brief pause on the other end. "That' s a very generous offer, Mr. Miller. Aggressive, even. What's the catalyst for this sudden move?"

"Let's just say I've had a... clarification of my long-term goals," Ethan replied. "I need a partner I can trust implicitly. My current personal alliances have proven to be... unreliable."

He didn't need to say more. Olivia Chen was known for her shrewdness. She could read between the lines. "I see," she said, a hint of understanding in her tone. "Send me the prospectus. My team and I will review it first thing in the morning. I'll be in touch."

The call ended. It was the first step. He was building a new empire, one Seraphina and the Blackwoods would have no part in.

The next morning, as if on cue, Seraphina called him. Her voice was the same honey-sweet tone he had once cherished, but now it sounded like poison in his ear.

"Ethan, darling," she cooed. "I had the most wonderful meditation session yesterday. I feel so cleansed. The studio is just perfect. Thank you, my love."

The hypocrisy was so blatant it was almost laughable. Ethan played along, his voice a mask of warmth. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Seraphina. Anything for you."

"Speaking of which," she said, her tone shifting slightly, becoming more demanding. "Daddy was talking to me again last night. The Blackwood Group needs another cash infusion to acquire that new shipping line. He said you promised to help. Can you have your finance guy wire over fifty million by the end of the day?"

Fifty million. She said it as casually as if she were asking for grocery money. It was an insultingly large amount, a clear test of his continued subservience. She wanted to see if the fool was still on the hook.

"Of course," Ethan said smoothly. "I'll take care of it."

He hung up the phone and let out a cold, humorless laugh. They really thought he was that easy to control.

A memory surfaced, unbidden. It was from years ago, right after he' d first met Seraphina. Her grandfather, the patriarch Mr. Blackwood, had invited him to their family estate. He remembered the old man' s shrewd eyes sizing him up.

"You have a lucky touch, son," Mr. Blackwood had said, clapping him on the shoulder. "The way you saved us from that disaster with Liam Stone... it was remarkable. Seraphina is a sensitive girl. She was deeply hurt by that whole affair. She needs a strong, stable man to take care of her. To take care of the family."

At the time, Ethan had felt a sense of duty, of honor. He had been so desperate for Seraphina' s love, for the approval of her family, that he' d agreed to an informal arrangement. He would be their benefactor, their in-house financial genius, and in return, he would have Seraphina. He would become part of the Blackwood family.

He had seen it as a promise of love and belonging. Now he saw it for what it was: a contract. He was an asset, not a person. He was their golden goose, and they were squeezing him for every last egg.

He looked at the transfer request for fifty million dollars on his screen. He remembered all the times he' d done this before, wiring away his hard-earned money to prop up their lavish lifestyle, all while believing he was supporting the woman he loved. The sheer scale of his sacrifice, contrasted with the brutal reality of her betrayal, fueled the fire in his veins.

He deleted the transfer request.

The Blackwoods would not get another cent.