Ben didn’t say another word as he led the woman into the bedroom. The heels of her stilettos clicked against the hardwood floor like a countdown. The door was wide open, and Serena remained frozen at the top of the staircase, eyes locked on Ben’s back as he flicked on the bedroom light with theatrical ease.She didn’t move, but her heart was thundering.“Come along, sweetheart,” Ben called without looking back. “You don’t want to miss the performance, do you?”She didn’t answer.He returned a second later, took her gently by the wrist—not lovingly, but with the command of a man who always got his way—and led her into the room. She was too stunned to resist. She stumbled after him.Once inside, he shut the door behind them and turned the lock with a deliberate click.Serena flinched.He turned to her and smiled. Cold. Triumphant.“Not so fast, lady,” he said, his voice low, dangerous. “The show is just starting.”He pulled out the vanity chair, one of her favorites, and set it down in
Ben drove like a man possessed. The city lights blurred past the windshield, rain streaking the glass in silver veins as his fingers gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. His jaw clenched, his chest heaving with the simmering rage he hadn't fully exhaled.He could still hear Serena’s voice in his head—“You’re no savior, Ben. You’re a prison I mistook for a sanctuary.”The way she had looked at him—with pity, with defiance—had clawed at something deep inside him. Not guilt. No, Ben wasn’t wired for that. It was something else.Insulted pride.She wanted to challenge him? Humiliate him in his own home? Claim her strength now? Fine.She was going to learn. Painfully.He wasn’t some nobody she could toss aside like a used napkin. He was Ben Fletcher. The man women whispered about, the one they slid their numbers to at parties even with their boyfriends by their side. He didn’t beg. He didn’t chase. Women came to him. And tonight, he was going to remind the world—and
Serena’s heart thudded against her ribs as Ben’s cruel words sank in like daggers.“You’re nothing but a cheap woman.”She blinked at him in disbelief, the bouquet of daisies now limp in her hand, crushed slightly from how hard she was gripping them. Never blatant disrespect. Never this venom.Her voice was quiet at first, but there was a steel beneath it.“Oh, I’m a cheap woman?” she repeated slowly, her chin rising. “Then tell me, Ben what are you doing with a cheap woman? Why did you marry me? Why are you keeping me here?”He scoffed, the sound ugly and bitter. “Don’t get your hopes high, Serena. You’re nothing without me.”He moved so quickly she didn’t even see it coming. One hand caught her by the arm, the other gripped her waist, and he shoved her hard against the hallway wall, her back slamming into the cold surface with a dull thud.Serena gasped, stunned not just by the impact, but by the look in his eyes. Not anger. Not even betrayal.Possession.“Have you forgotten how you
The morning had started with Serena feeling strangely restless. Ben had been out of the house since early dawn, leaving only a note that he had a board meeting and would be unavailable most of the day. Normally, Serena would have buried herself in emails, schedules, or calls—but today, she needed air. Real air. No staff. No bodyguards. No luxurious walls closing in on her.She slipped into a comfortable yet sleek tan dress, tied her hair up in a low bun, grabbed her sunglasses, and walked confidently out the front door. When the driver offered to take her, she declined. And when her assigned bodyguard began to follow her out of habit, she stopped him with a polite but firm shake of her head.“I’ll just be a few hours. I need… space,” she said, choosing her words carefully. “Personal errands.”The truth was, she was craving anonymity—craving normalcy. Just a simple trip to buy groceries and maybe a pastry or two from the little bakery she'd once visited during less complicated days. Sh
Ben's hand tightened around the phone as he read the message again, the warmth from Serena’s texts evaporating in an instant. His jaw clenched, the calm and softness he’d felt just moments ago buried beneath a flood of dread and anger.The voice message had come from a private line. One that no one outside the circle knew existed. The voice—low, sharp, heavily accented—was unmistakable. The Elder. Or worse, one of his lieutenants, speaking on his behalf.Ben swallowed hard, forcing himself to stay composed as he replayed the message in his mind."When will you start with our plans? You’re married to her, so what’s holding you, huh? I... I am sorry for the delay but everything is under control. You better set the plan rolling. THE ELDER won’t tolerate anything and would gladly remove everything that stands in his way."He stood, pacing the length of his office, fists clenching and unclenching as he wrestled with the sudden collision of two worlds—one that had brought him unexpected war
Serena woke with a jolt, her eyes snapping open, heart pounding wildly in her chest.For a moment, she wasn’t entirely sure where she was—the softness of the bed beneath her, the lingering warmth of another presence, the faint scent of cedarwood and something darker, masculine, still hanging in the air. Then it hit her.Ben’s room.She bolted upright, eyes wide as she took in her surroundings. The tall windows framed by cream-colored curtains, the sleek modern art on the walls, the impossibly clean desk in the corner—every detail was so unmistakably him. Her breath caught.She’d spent the night in Ben Blackwood’s bed.And not in the way anyone would assume. No passion, no champagne-fueled haze, no whispered midnight confessions. Just… care. Intimacy of a different kind. A kind she had never dared to offer or receive before. Her eyes dropped to the bed—his side empty, the sheets slightly rumpled. Still warm.Panic skittered across her chest like cold fingers.God, what if someone saw?
The sound of the rain had faded into a soft drizzle by the time the housekeeper knocked again, her voice laced with real worry this time.“Madam,” she said, wringing her hands, “please come. Mr. Ben… it’s not just stress. He’s burning up. I’m scared.”Serena had been curled up in the sunroom with her laptop, trying to refocus her thoughts after Jake’s chaotic storm of messages. She had dismissed the housekeeper earlier, brushing it off with a wave of her manicured hand.“Ben? Sick? That man doesn’t do sick,” she had said with a faint scoff. “He probably just needs a break from the stock market and his army of assistants.”But now, something in the housekeeper’s voice struck her.She stood abruptly. “Where is he?”“In his room. He hasn’t moved all day.”Serena didn’t hesitate this time. She made her way down the hallway—her heels clicking against the polished wood floors—toward the room she had never stepped into, despite being married to him. The door was slightly ajar. She pushed it
Serena sat on the edge of their grand bed, the silk sheets crumpled beneath her fingers, the glow of the city lights casting shadows across the marble floor. She had been lost in thought, trying to finish the last lines of an email when her phone buzzed on the nightstand.She didn’t recognize the number immediately. But when she opened the message, she froze.Hi Serena. It’s Jake.I know, so I’ll go straight to the point.I’m sorry for cheating on you, Serena. Please take me back. Please. I will literally do anything for you.So what happens to Stacy, huh? I’ll leave her for you. I never loved her. She manipulated me.Serena stared at the screen for a long moment, her lips parting slightly in disbelief. Jake. Of all the people.It had been nearly two years since their relationship imploded. The betrayal still echoed in her mind, not because she still loved him—but because it had shattered her ability to trust. And now, here he was, crawling back like nothing had changed.Before she co
Ben straightened his tie, the smirk slowly fading into something more unreadable as his assistant, Michael, stepped into the office, a curious look etched across his face. Michael was used to Ben’s many moods, his ruthless strategies, and his cold indifference—but today, there was something different. Something darker."I just saw Miss Stacy on her way out," Michael said, shutting the door behind him. "She didn’t look happy at all."Ben let out a low, humorless chuckle, walking over to the floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the city. “Leave her. I’ll deal with her properly soon.”Michael arched a brow, folding his arms. “Deal with her? That sounds personal.”Ben’s fingers tightened into a fist for a brief moment before relaxing again. He didn’t turn around. “She dared to take what belongs to my wife,” he said, his voice calm, but laced with venom. “So I just showed her what I’m made of.”That caught Michael off guard. He stepped closer, studying Ben’s profile carefully. “Your wif