The Rival’s Contract Wife
He threw her into a rainstorm, convinced a "useless barren orphan" didn't deserve his status. He didn't realize he just discarded a global billionaire heiress and the only woman an untouchable tycoon would ever beg to hold.
Damian Vance didn’t just divorce Valerie Hart; he erased her. Driven by cold arrogance, he stripped her of her assets, her home, and her dignity, casting her into a torrential downpour as a "burden" beneath his rising status.
He didn’t know he was unleashing a sleeping giant.
Picked up by Killian Sterling—a lethal, glove-wearing tycoon whose severe touch-aversion vanished only against her skin—Valerie entered a dangerous new world. Under his protection, she rebuilt. Then, her unlocked memories shattered the ultimate secret: she was the long-lost heiress to a global luxury syndicate.
Now, the tables have turned. Following a failed, desperate siege to trap her, Damian's empire is dust. His mistress is exposed, his funds are gone, and he is nothing.
The once-proud man drops to his knees, trembling at her feet.
"Valerie, please... look at me," Damian begs, his voice cracking with raw desperation. "I was blind. I thought you were a burden, but I was the fool. Please, take me back. I’ll do anything."
Valerie doesn’t even look down. Instead, she steps right over his kneeling form, completely bypassing him.
Killian stands beside her, his bare hand wrapping possessively around hers. Looking down at the pathetic man on the floor, Killian delivers the final, lethal blow: "Keep her name out of your mouth before I make sure you never speak again."
Baca
Chapter: 031. Shadow EscortThe morning in the Sterling private estate arrived in silence. Inside the master suite, the air was cool, smelling faintly of cedarwood and mint. Valerie sat at the edge of the plush king-sized bed, her silk robe pulled tight around her waist. Her hands shook as she held her smartphone. On the screen, the internet was burning. The photograph captured through the glass windows of Valkyrie Luxe yesterday morning had spread across the internet like oil on water. It was sharp and high-resolution. The light caught everything: the towering silhouette of Killian Sterling, his charcoal suit, and the long black leather glove he had pulled off his left hand. And then, his bare hand pressed flush against the lower curve of Valerie’s back inside the sunlit lobby. The headlines were screaming: THE UNTOUCHABLE KING UNMASKED? BILLIONAIRE KILLIAN STERLING SPOTTED BARE-HANDED WITH MYSTERIOUS BEAUTY AT VALKYRIE LUXE! WHO IS SHE? SECRETS BEHIND STERLING’S BILLION-DOLLAR ACQUISITION AND HIS UNGLOVE
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-09-09
Chapter: 030. ResurgenceThe main showroom lobby of Valkyrie Luxe was vast, silent, and flooded with blinding morning light pouring through three-story glass walls. Sixty master goldsmiths, senior gemologists, and floor managers stood in two stiff lines near the sweeping marble staircase. Their hands were folded tightly behind their backs, their faces pale as they stared at the towering man standing in the middle of the hall. Killian Sterling stood beside the central display case. Without a word, he unbuttoned his dark suit jacket and tossed it onto a velvet chair. He unbuttoned his cuffs, slowly rolling his ivory shirt sleeves up his forearms. Then, with a deliberate, smooth motion, Killian pulled off his left black leather glove and dropped it onto the glass counter. A sharp, collective gasp rippled through the gathered staff at the back of the room. "Is that... is that really Mr. Sterling?" a young gemologist whispered under her breath, her voice trembling. "The Killian Sterling?" "Look at his bare h
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-09-08
Chapter: 029. A Shift in the WindValerie stepped out of her bedroom suite, smoothing down the crisp lines of her tailored ivory blazer and dark charcoal trousers. She turned the corner into the main hallway and bumped right into a broad, solid chest. "Woah," Valerie gasped, taking a quick step back as strong hands caught her shoulders to steady her. She looked up into Killian's dark eyes. He was standing right outside her door, wearing a custom charcoal suit paired with a crisp ivory dress shirt, left unbuttoned at the collar without a tie. Valerie blinked, completely missing how their outfits matched down to the exact colors. "Sorry, I did not expect you to be standing right outside my door." Killian's gaze swept over her structured jacket, a small smirk touching his lips. He did not say a word about the matching clothes. "Are you ready?" Killian asked, stepping back and slipping his hands into his pockets. "The cars are waiting downstairs." "As ready as I can be to inspect three companies I apparently
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-09-08
Chapter: 028. Shadow and Steel"She said, take your hands off her." A heavy, ice-cold voice boomed across the driveway. Damian froze dead in his tracks. A sudden, instinctual chill ran down his spine, instantly cooling the hot rage in his blood. Dominic Torres stepped out through the grand lobby doors, a heavy velvet gift box in one hand. His usual lighthearted, playful demeanor was entirely gone, replaced by a dark, deadly gaze. Behind him, two massive, suit-clad personal bodyguards stepped smoothly out from the shadows of the entrance, their hands resting inside their tailored jackets. Dominic tossed the velvet box onto a nearby stone pillar and walked forward with slow, deliberate steps. His eyes narrowed onto Damian's hand tightly gripping Valerie's wrist. "I am going to count to three, Vance," Dominic said, his deep voice carrying a razor-sharp, lethal threat that made the quiet evening air freeze over. "If your hands are still on her skin when I hit three, my bodyguards will make sure you never draw
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-09-07
Chapter: 027. Delusional ConfrontationOn the other side of the city, a couple of hours earlier... Philip had winked at Valerie, gave a small playful salute, and shut the studio door so fast it rattled on its frame. Valerie’s cheeks burned like hot charcoal. She immediately turned away from Killian, grabbed her tablet and drafting pens, and rushed straight out of the studio. Behind her, she could hear Killian’s low, dark chuckle echoing softly down the hallway, which only made her face burn hotter. However, as soon as she stepped out into the quiet corridor, before she even shut the door shut, Killian’s phone began to ring inside the studio. A cheeky, curious part of her mind told her to stay and listen. The reasonable, sensible part told her to mind her own business and go to sleep. Curiosity won the battle. Valerie tiptoed softly back toward his study, standing right beside the half-open door, holding her breath to listen. On the other end of the line, the crisp, authoritative voice of Madam Genevieve Sterli
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-09-07
Chapter: 026. Pride of DamianThat makes complete sense! Having Arthur and Eleanor Vance genuinely value Valerie’s immense talent adds so much rich family tension. It highlights how utterly incompetent Damian is, while making his wounded ego burn even hotter. Here is the revised, locked-in version of Chapter 24 reflecting their respect for Valerie and deepening Damian's toxic, ego-driven rage: Chapter 24: Damian’s Explosive Ego After the call ended, Damian gritted his teeth as he stared at the dark screen of his phone before tossing it onto the glass table. Petra sat up in a panic. "What are we going to do, Damian? We can’t produce the jewelry as it is, and we already have huge pre-orders!" Damian exhaled slowly, standing up from his seat and walking toward her. He pulled her into a warm embrace, gently patting her head. "Don't worry. We will find a way out of this—even if it means getting Valerie to come back." Petra smirked against his shoulder, quickly forcing a quiet sob into his chest. "But... we were s
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-09-07
Chapter: Epilogue: The Shadow’s SanctuarySix months later, the De Luca empire wasn't just standing. It was completely untouchable. High above New York in the penthouse nursery, soft evening sunlight washed over the floorboards. Giordano stood by the crib in a dark suit, his broad shoulders relaxed as he cradled a three-month-old baby girl in his broad, tattooed arms. "She has your stubborn eyes, Vicky," Giordano murmured, leaning down to kiss Victoria’s forehead. "We're in trouble." Victoria adjusted the tiny blanket around their daughter, her lips curving into a smirk. "She gets her stubbornness from her father. And don't act like you aren't going to spoil her rotten." "I fully intend to," Giordano chuckled, his thumb gently brushing his daughter's soft cheek. Heavy, deliberate footsteps echoed down the hallway. Vito stepped into the doorway, his charcoal suit pristine, his broad frame blocking the light. He checked his silver wristwatch with a sharp, impatient click. "Is she asleep?" Vito asked, his voice a low, grave
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-07-29
Chapter: Wanna Build An EMPGiordano stood completely frozen in the dark, paralyzed by pure, unadulterated shock. His fingers lost all feeling, and the heavy steel sidearm slipped from his hand, thudding softly onto the thick rug near his bare feet. He took a trembling step forward, his bloodshot eyes stretched wide with complete disbelief. His frantic mind raced, trying to figure out if he had finally lost his mind after ninety days of torturous grief. Months of drowning in cheap whiskey, suffocating in total isolation, and staring at the dark walls made him wonder if his brain was playing another sick trick on him. He had seen her shadow in the corners of his room before. He had heard her voice in his sleep a hundred times. "No," Giordano muttered, backing away slightly and shaking his head in total denial. "No, this is not happening. I am hallucinating again. I am losing my mind." "Giordano," Victoria said softly, her voice steady and warm. "No!" Giordano yelled, his voice cracking as he slammed his hand
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-07-26
Chapter: Shadows In The DarkMidnight struck in Manhattan. Inside the top floor penthouse, Giordano was losing his mind. He paced back and forth across the freezing, pitch black living room like a caged beast. Empty whiskey bottles littered the hardwood floor, clinking together loudly whenever his heavy, unlaced boots kicked them out of the way. Crushed cigarette packs sat piled up on the glass table next to overflowing ashtrays. Giordano looked like a total mess. He was dangerously thin and hollowed out, his skin pale and sickly from months of barely eating. A thick, unkempt beard covered his sharp jawline, and his messy, unbrushed dark hair fell wild over his tired, bloodshot eyes. He had lost his temper, his empire, and his sanity, but he refused to accept the cold truth everyone else was trying to shove down his throat. He jammed his phone against his ear, his hand trembling with rage as he barked into the receiver. "I do not give a single shit what Interpol says!" Giordano screamed into the phone, his vo
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-07-26
Chapter: Sparks in the GriefThe rain beat hard against Kany’s apartment window, making a loud, lonely sound in the dark room. Water droplets trickled down the cold glass in dark, unending streams, mirroring the storm raging inside her chest. Bruce sat on the sofa beside her, staring down at his broad, calloused hands. He had come over to check on her because he knew she was spiraling just as badly as Vito and Giordano. Neither of them wanted to be alone in their empty apartments with their dark, suffocating thoughts. Kany sat on the very edge of the cushions, looking at the hardwood floor with blank, tired eyes. Her face was pale, almost ghostly in the dim gray light filtering through the blinds. She looked small, fragile, and completely broken, a stark contrast to the sharp, unstoppable woman she usually was. "You haven't eaten all day, Kany," Bruce said softly. His voice was low and quiet in the still room, stripped of its usual gruff authority. "You need to stay strong." "How can I eat, Bruce?" Kany asked
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-07-26
Chapter: Ashes in the Water"VICTORIA! GIORDANO!" Vito’s agonized scream tore through the deafening roar of flames and churning waves as he sprinted toward the edge of the collapsing pier. Blinding rain slammed into his face, nearly washing away his vision as he watched Giordano’s body plunge off the speedboat deck, disappearing into the pitch-black, freezing Atlantic sea right after Victoria was dragged down. "Get the spotlights on the water!" Vito screamed, spinning back toward the boat deck and violently grabbing Malik by his tactical vest. "Right now! Get your men in the water! They are both in there!" "Vito, the whole boathouse is going under!" Malik shouted back over the thunderous roar, his hands shaking as he shoved Vito's hands off his vest. "The current is pulling everything straight into the deep channel! It is too dangerous!" "I do not give a damn about the channel!" Vito yelled, stepping right back into Malik's face, his bloodshot eyes wild with terror and rage. "That is my sister down there! An
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-07-26
Chapter: The Moon TrapGiordano’s dark, breathless chuckle cut through the suffocating silence of the bunker. The red digital timer on the vault terminal ticked down mercilessly: 00:15... 00:10... 00:05... "Press it, Eleanora," Giordano taunted, his voice smooth and cold as steel, despite the blood dripping down his temple. "Go on. Do it." "Burn in hell, both of you!" Screaming in unhinged, manic rage, Eleanora slammed her trembling palm onto the master execution button. Nothing blew up. No gas pipes ruptured. No seismic shockwave shook the concrete floor. Instead, the screens on both the EMP briefcase and the vault terminal flickered violently, glitching into cascading lines of bright crimson code. A massive surge of hijacked power burst through the roof vents, projecting a blinding, gigantic golden hologram high into the stormy ocean sky above the island. It was a glowing, ancient Chinese character for marriage: 囍. Eleanora stumbled back, her eyes wide with unadulterated horror as she stared up thro
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-07-26
Masuk
