Back in His Arms, Back in His Game... a Billionaire's Price
She walked away from her cold, loveless marriage... only to discover she carried the one thing they would stop at nothing to claim.
Alina Hart never imagined her life would become bound to the Vaughn dynasty, Atheria’s most powerful family, where legacy mattered more than love. To the Vaughn's, she was simply the bride chosen for Sebastian, a match arranged for convenience. And to Sebastian Vaughn himself, she was a responsibility he accepted out of duty, not desire.
Until one night changed everything. The only night he ever dropped his guard, and the only night she believed they had a future. By morning, he called it a mistake. By evening, a betrayal had a name: Natasha Fairfax, the socialite his mother loved, ready to take the place Alina never really had.
Alina left, vanishing into the town of Marlowe. She soon learned she hadn't just left a husband; she was pregnant with the heir the Vaughn's would one day come for.
Six years later, she returns. She is no longer the discarded wife, but a strong woman with her own power, her own name... and a secret that could destroy their empire.
The Vaughn's want their legacy.
Sebastian wants the truth.
Natasha still wants her place.
Alina wants only one thing: to protect what is hers.
Their dynasty demanded an heir... she became their reckoning.
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Chapter: Seeds and PromisesThe restaurant hummed with quiet conversation. Claire sipped her water, relaxed but attentive. Natasha leaned back effortlessly, her smile precise, controlled.“You know, Claire,” Natasha began, warm but deliberate, “sometimes the people closest to power don’t see the real game. It’s not about names or titles, it’s about knowing who will act, who will bend, who will stay loyal when it counts.”Claire nodded, flattered. “I try, but some things happen behind closed doors. I don’t always know the full story.”“That’s exactly why I wanted to meet you,” Natasha said, her smile deepening slightly. “To see where you stand, what matters to you, how you think. Knowledge now... gives opportunity later.”Claire laughed softly, taking the remark at face value. “I appreciate that. It’s nice to talk openly with someone.”Natasha’s eyes flicked subtly toward the staff, cataloging, observing. “Of course. Friends can be valuable, and sometimes a friend becomes an ally.”Claire smiled, unaware how much
Last Updated: 2026-01-17
Chapter: Maneuvers Over LunchClaire had just left Alina and Adam’s table when she spotted Natasha at a corner table in the same restaurant. Natasha rose as Claire approached, her smile bright, effortless, careful, calculated.“Claire! “It’s so nice we finally have lunch together,” Natasha said lightly. “I feel like we’ve been circling the same events for months but never actually sat down.”Claire nodded, adjusting her hair. “I know. I’m glad we found the time. It’s good to have someone to talk to outside... the usual circles.”They settled, ordering drinks, laughing lightly at shared small talk. Onlookers would have seen nothing but friendship. Beneath the surface, each measured every word, every gesture.Natasha leaned in slightly, careful not to invade personal space. “Sometimes connections matter more than appearances. Families, alliances, influence... it all shapes how we move.”Claire smiled, intrigued. “You make it sound like strategy instead of lunch.”Natasha laughed softly. “Strategy is part of everythi
Last Updated: 2026-01-17
Chapter: The Difference Between Being Seen and Being UnderstoodSebastian was reviewing projections when his phone rang.Arthur.He answered without hesitation.“I’m seeing your name,” Arthur said. His voice was calm, edged with precision. “It isn’t printed. It isn’t claimed. But it’s being tested. That’s intentional.”Sebastian didn’t look up from the screen. “I expected it.”A brief silence as Arthur absorbed that. “Is it true?”Sebastian measured his reply. “It’s part of my past. Long before Alina. Before this life.”The silence that followed was longer. Heavier.“And the woman?” Arthur asked. “The pregnancy. The loss.”“It happened,” Sebastian said quietly. “In college. In private. It ended badly.” He exhaled once. "The public would never see beyond that.”Arthur exhaled. “Then this isn’t gossip. It’s deliberate.”“Yes,” Sebastian said. “Someone’s testing reactions.”Arthur’s voice hardened. “Natasha.”“She’d started it and let others spread it.”Arthur considered. “We don’t engage. That gives it weight.”“We watch,” Sebastian said. “Track its
Last Updated: 2026-01-17
Chapter: Calculated ExposureNatasha leaned back in her studio chair, city lights spilling across the glass behind her. She picked up her phone, fingers steady.“Vino,” she said, voice controlled. “We go live. No more whispers.”A pause. “Live? Are you sure?” Vino asked, cautious, sharp.“I’m sure,” Natasha replied. “No names yet, just the story. The high-profile Atherian, the girlfriend, the pregnancy, the loss. Make it public. Make it impossible to ignore. Let the world connect the dots before anyone can hide.”There was a faint pause, a flicker in his eyes, part caution, part something sharper, a lingering curiosity from their brief past interactions. He didn’t yet know the full stakes, or that this story could touch someone he both envied and resented.“Understood,” Vino said, a mix of caution and respect. “We’ll prep the release... but Natasha, who exactly is this ‘high-profile Atherian’? I need to know what we’re signaling before anything goes out.”Natasha’s lips curved faintly. “You don’t need a name. Jus
Last Updated: 2026-01-16
Chapter: The Stories We HoldAlina’s decision had set events in motion. No confrontation. No visible strike. Yet the consequences spread, subtle, relentless.Sebastian stepped into his office. Everything looked normal: clean desk, muted screens, orderly light. Still, the tension was immediate.Julian stood by the window, tablet in hand, scanning live updates. “Knox and Catherine are moving,” he said without looking up. “Confident as always. But the systems they rely on... they’re straining.”Sebastian’s eyes followed the streams. “Alina’s moves are faster than expected. The redundancies they trusted... they’re cracking.”“She’s not reacting,” Julian said. “She’s directing. Every adjustment they make feeds her map.”“And Knox and Catherine, still convinced they’re in control,” Sebastian said. “They don’t see the foundation shifting beneath them.”He nodded. “They’re being measured, not challenged. Every pressure point we flagged, she’s already probing.”Across the city, Alina worked with quiet precision. Screens s
Last Updated: 2026-01-16
Chapter: Once You Step AwayAlina didn’t argue with Nancy’s request.The decision came quietly. No warnings. No conditions disguised as mercy. Just a clean authorization routed through the proper channels.Nancy would be released.Sebastian watched as Alina signed off, movements precise, almost clinical. “Once she leaves,” he said, “she won’t be protected.”“I know,” Alina replied.“And Knox? Catherine?”Alina’s gaze didn’t waver. “They don’t frighten me.”Nancy felt a flicker of freedom as she stepped forward, the corridor behind her now silent. For the first time in days, she could breathe without immediate threat. Yet a heaviness lingered in her chest, sharp and insistent. Alina had let her move, allowed her the choice, but that very freedom reminded her of the stakes she carried, and of unseen eyes still tracking every step.“Mrs. Vaughn,” she said softly, “thank you... for not keeping me here.”Alina’s eyes met hers briefly. “I didn’t keep you. You chose.”Nancy nodded, a faint, complicated smile crossing h
Last Updated: 2026-01-15
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