Ashes of My First Life: Enter the Tycoon

The smell of burning flesh was the last thing Elena remembered from her first life.

She remembered the mocking laughter of her stepsister, Chloe, and the cold, indifferent eyes of her husband, Julian Vance, as they locked her inside the burning villa. They wanted her inheritance. They wanted her dead. Most of all, they wanted to erase the existence of the child she had secretly given birth to—a child Julian claimed wasn't his.

Elena died in agony, screaming for justice.

Gasps.

Elena gasped, sitting up straight. Sweat drenched her nightgown. She frantically touched her face, her neck, her chest. No burns. No pain.

She looked at her surroundings. She wasn't in the burning ruins. She was in a luxury hotel room she recognized all too well.

She grabbed her phone from the nightstand. The date on the screen made her heart stop: October 12, 2023.

Three years ago.

This was the exact day Julian was supposed to announce their engagement to the media—a trap that eventually led to her downfall.

A cold smile touched Elena’s lips. Fate had given her a second chance. She wasn’t going to waste it crying. She was going to burn Julian and Chloe’s world to the ground. But to do that, she needed a weapon. She needed a man powerful enough to crush the Vance family with a single word.

She needed Adrian Vale. The ruthless Tycoon. Julian's ultimate business rival, and the man rumored to have no heart.

Thirty minutes later, Elena stood outside the VIP lounge of the Grand Imperial Hotel. She wore a stunning red dress, her hair falling in soft waves. She didn't look like the timid woman Julian used to control. She looked like a queen seeking an alliance.

She bypassed the security guards before they could stop her and pushed the heavy mahogany doors open.

Adrian Vale sat on a leather couch, a glass of whiskey in his hand. His sharp jawline, pitch-black eyes, and intimidating aura filled the room. He looked up, his gaze cutting through her like a knife.

"Who allowed you in here?" Adrian’s voice was dangerously low, vibrating with authority.

Elena walked in, heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. She didn't flinch. She placed a thick brown envelope directly on the glass table in front of him.

"Inside that envelope is the complete blueprint of the Vance Group’s upcoming tech project," Elena said, her voice steady. "The project Julian Vance is using to bankrupt your shipping line."

Adrian’s eyes narrowed. He didn't touch the envelope. Instead, he leaned back, studying her. "You are Julian’s fiancée. Why are you handing me his destruction?"

"Because I want him ruined," Elena replied coldly. "And I want protection. I want a contract marriage with you, Mr. Vale. For one year."

Adrian let out a dark, breathless chuckle. "A contract marriage? What makes you think your little document is worth my last name?"

"Because it’s not just the blueprint," Elena said, leaning closer, her eyes blazing with the embers of her past life. "I also know the location of the secret island port your family has been looking for for a decade. Marry me, and it’s yours."

Silence stretched across the room. Adrian stared at her, genuinely intrigued by the sheer audacity of the woman before him. The timid heiress the media mocked had turned into a calculating viper overnight.

Slowly, Adrian stood up. He towered over her, his shadow enveloping her completely. He reached out, his cold fingers gripping her chin, forcing her to look up into his eyes.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Elena," he whispered. "If you lie to me, I won't just ruin Julian. I will destroy you."

"I’m not lying," Elena breathed, her heart hammering against her ribs, but her eyes remained fierce.

Adrian stared at her lips for a second before releasing his grip. He walked over to his desk, picked up a pen, and signed a pre-prepared document. "Fine. One year. We register the marriage tomorrow morning."

Elena hid her sigh of relief. Step one was complete. She had the Tycoon on her side.

But as she turned to leave, her phone vibrated in her clutch bag. It was a restricted number. Her chest tightened as she answered it, bringing the phone to her ear.

A trembling voice of an old nanny spoke on the other end. "Miss Elena... come quickly. The secret villa in the countryside... men in black suits are surrounding the house. They are looking for the baby. They are looking for your daughter!"

Elena’s blood turned to ice. Her daughter. The secret child she thought was safe until next year. Julian had found her early.

Before Elena could even move, the heavy doors of the VIP lounge were kicked open.

Julian Vance stepped inside, surrounded by bodyguards. His face was twisted in a mixture of rage and triumph. He didn't look at Adrian. His eyes locked onto Elena, a sadistic smirk playing on his lips.

"Looking for this, Elena?" Julian sneered.

He stepped aside, and one of his guards walked forward, holding a crying, two-year-old girl by the arm.

Elena's breath caught in her throat. It was her daughter, Lily.

But what happened next made the entire room drop to zero degrees.

Adrian Vale walked past Elena, his eyes locked onto the crying little girl. He stopped right in front of Julian's guard, his face deathly pale, his fists clenching so hard his knuckles turned white.

Adrian didn't look at Julian. He looked back at Elena, his voice echoing with a terrifying, dark fury.

"Elena," Adrian growled, his eyes flashing with a dangerous recognition. "Why does your secret child have my family's silver birthmark on her wrist?"