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The First Strike

Author: Unique
last update Last Updated: 2025-08-09 19:01:29

Beauty always knew when someone was coming for her.

It was a sixth sense honed from years of living in shadows, of surviving in a world where a smile could hide a knife.

She lounged in a leather armchair, a glass of red wine in her hand, the city lights glittering beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows of her penthouse. The moment her phone buzzed, she knew exactly who it would be.

“Talk,” she said into the receiver.

“Your ex,” came the voice on the other end. “Jack. He’s asking questions. Paid one of my guys to dig into your history.”

Her lips curved into a slow, amused smile. “Of course he is.”

“You want me to shut it down?”

“No,” she purred, swirling the wine in her glass. “Let him dig. Let him think he’s getting somewhere. In the meantime…” She stood and walked to the window, her reflection looking back at her like a queen surveying her kingdom. “It’s time I remind him what happens when he crosses me.”

She ended the call, already scrolling through her phone. After a moment, she stopp
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  • Disguised Billionaire Husband   A Curious Change

    Kendall noticed it first in the smallest ways.Bianca was suddenly… present. Not in the obvious, in-your-face kind of way her stepsister was known for, but in these careful, measured appearances always when Jack was around.At first, Kendall thought nothing of it. Maybe Bianca was just being polite. Maybe she’d finally grown out of that phase of rolling her eyes every time Kendall mentioned her husband. But the change was so smooth, so deliberate, that it started to gnaw at her.It began the next morning. Jack was seated at the kitchen counter, scrolling through emails, when Bianca breezed in wearing a casual tank top and jeans that still managed to look like a photoshoot.“Good morning,” she said cheerfully, like they were old friends. “I made fresh coffee.”Jack glanced up, mildly surprised. “Morning.”Kendall, who was rinsing fruit at the sink, turned her head. “You? Make coffee?”Bianca laughed. “Well, I can try, can’t I? Jack works so hard figured I’d help him start the day righ

  • Disguised Billionaire Husband   Whispers in the Hall

    The hallway was quiet except for the faint hum of voices drifting from Jack’s study.Veronica wasn’t the type to eavesdrop at least, that’s what she always told herself but tonight, the sound of Jack’s low, confident tone pulled her feet to a halt.She hadn’t heard him speak like that before. Not around Kendall. Not around anyone in the family.“…transfer the shares to my account by next week. I’ll handle the board,” Jack was saying. “Yes. And make sure the press doesn’t get wind of the Singapore deal until after the contracts are signed.”Veronica’s brows knitted together. Shares? Board? Singapore deal?That wasn’t the language of a struggling man barely making rent, the way Kendall’s husband had always been described.Jack’s voice deepened, steady and controlled, a tone that suggested authority real authority.When the conversation ended with a crisp, “I’ll have my assistant send the updated figures,” she instinctively stepped back into the shadows. The door opened, and Jack emerged

  • Disguised Billionaire Husband   The Truth and the Trap

    Kendall pressed herself against the side of a shipping container, heart pounding so loudly she was sure it would give her away. From her position, she could see Jack on his knees under the flickering warehouse light, Beauty circling him like a predator savoring the moment before the kill.Adrian leaned lazily against a stack of crates, arms folded, watching Jack with smug satisfaction. “You’ve gotten slower,” he taunted. “I almost miss the old you the one who could clear a room before anyone knew what happened.”Jack’s eyes stayed locked on Beauty. “If you’ve dragged Kendall into this, Adrian, I swear”Beauty’s laughter cut him off, sharp and cold. “Oh, she’s already in it, Jack. She just doesn’t know how deep yet.”Kendall’s phone buzzed again. “Now or never. Step inside and I’ll tell you who Jack really is.” Her throat tightened. Every instinct screamed at her to run, but her feet refused to move. She needed to know.Inside the warehouse, Beauty tilted her head, studying Jack with m

  • Disguised Billionaire Husband   Hunting Shadows

    The city was still sleeping when Jack stepped out of the black sedan, the night air cool against his face. It had been three hours since the flames swallowed the yacht whole, but the acrid smell of burning fuel still clung to his clothes, a ghost of the chaos he’d just survived.Kendall was safe at least for now. He’d made sure of that before disappearing into the shadows. He couldn’t stay by her side tonight. Not yet. Not until he knew exactly how far Beauty was willing to go.Jack’s contact was already waiting. Raul, an information broker who thrived in the city’s underworld, leaned against the hood of his battered Jeep. His sharp eyes swept over Jack, noting the soot on his sleeves, the tension in his jaw.“Rough night?” Raul asked casually.Jack’s reply was curt. “I need everything on Beauty. Now.”Raul smirked, as if the request amused him. “You’re not the only one looking for her. She’s been busy making calls, moving cash, burning bridges. But the real kicker? She’s meeting some

  • Disguised Billionaire Husband   Fire on the Water

    The lake shimmered under the moonlight, a wide sheet of silver framed by dark trees. It was supposed to be a peaceful escape, the kind of place where lovers came to breathe. But tonight, the air was electric with the tension between Jack and Kendall.They had come here after a heated argument, the drive filled with silence so thick it felt suffocating.Kendall stood on the dock, her arms wrapped around herself, staring at the reflection of the moon. She could feel Jack’s gaze on her back but refused to turn.“You’re quiet,” he said finally, his voice low.“I’m thinking,” she replied, still not looking at him.“About what?”“About whether I can keep doing this,” she said, her tone sharper than she intended.Jack’s jaw tightened. “Doing what?”“This” she spun to face him, her hair catching the light. “Living in constant fear. Wondering when Beauty will pop up next, what stunt she’ll pull, what part of my life she’ll try to destroy. I’m tired, Jack. I’m so tired.”He stepped closer, his

  • Disguised Billionaire Husband   Strings in the Dark

    The city lights blurred past as Kendall drove, her hands gripping the wheel tighter than she realized. Jack sat beside her, silent, staring out the rain-speckled window. Every so often, he checked the side mirror, scanning for a tail.“You want to tell me what that was?” she finally asked, her voice sharp.Jack didn’t look at her. “That was me walking into a setup and walking out alive.”“You weren’t the only one in danger,” she shot back. “If Sebastian hadn’t shown up”Jack turned his head then, his eyes cold. “Sebastian didn’t save me, Kendall. He came to kill me.”Her breath caught. “Then why?”“He’s playing his own game. Always has.”They drove in tense silence until Kendall pulled into the underground garage of Jack’s apartment building. The security gate rattled shut behind them.Jack stepped out first, scanning the shadows before motioning for her to follow. The rain outside was a steady hiss, muffled by the concrete walls.Inside the elevator, Kendall leaned back against the m

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