Chapter 7: The First Betrayal.

Celine had waited long enough.

For weeks, Alexander had barely given the attention she wanted.

His new position at Blackwood Enterprises had consumed most of his time.

His new position at Blackwood Enterprises had consumed most of his time.

Meetings.

Boardrooms.

Family negotiations.

And, increasingly, Arabella.

That was what Celine couldn’t stand.

She had watched the pictures from the Blackwood dinner.

She had heard about Arabella’s advice that saved the company millions.

And now Alexander was spending more time at home with his wife.

Even if he claimed it meant nothing, Celine could see something changing.

So she decided to force his intentions.

If Alexander wouldn’t come to her willingly.

She would make him.

The following morning, every major newspaper carried the same headline.

BLACKWOOD HEIR ACCUSED OF MISUSING COMPANY FUNDS.

The article claimed Alexander had secretly redirected company money into an undisclosed private investment.

The accusation was devastating.

Within hours, the story spread across the city.

Investors panicked.

The Blackwood stock price dropped.

Employees began whispering.

Phones at Blackwood Enterprises wouldn’t stop ringing.

Alexander stood inside the boardroom, staring at the headline on the screen.

“This is fabricated.”

William slammed his hand against the table.

“Who published it?”

“We’re investigating.”

“How did they get the financial figures?”

Nobody answered.

Alexander’s jaw tightened.

The numbers weren’t completely false.

Someone had taken legitimate information and twisted it into a scandal.

His phone rang.

Celine.

He stared at it.

Then ignored the call.

Across the city, the Sterling mansion was celebrating.

Richard poured himself a drink.

“To the beginning of the end.”

Victoria smiled.

Evelyn laughed.

Arabella sat quietly across from them.

She hadn’t expected this.

She had only given her father a small piece of information two days earlier.

One investment.

One vulnerability.

She hadn't expected the consequences to spread this quickly.

Richard placed his glass down.

"Blackwood shares are already falling."

Victoria smiled.

"They're finally bleeding."

Arabella looked at them.

"It's only a small drop."

"For now."

Richard's smile widened.

"That's how you destroyed a giant."

Arabella's stomach tightened.

Her father continued.

"We'll keep taking pieces until there's nothing left."

Evelyn laughed.

"Imagine the Blackwoods begging us for mercy."

Victoria looked at Arabella.

"You see? This is what happens when you play against us."

Arabella remained silent.

Something suddenly felt wrong.

She had believed her family wanted revenge.

She had believed perhaps the Blackwoods had once hurt them.

Perhaps there had been an old betrayal.

Perhaps her father was protecting what belonged to them.

But listening to them now...

There was no pain in their voices.

No grief.

No justice.

Only excitement.

They weren't trying to recover something.

They wanted to win.

They wanted Blackwoods beneath them.

Richard raised his glass.

"To the Sterling family."

Victoria raised hers.

"To finally standing above the Blackwoods."

Arabella stared at them.

Then she understood.

This wasn't revenge.

It was hatred.

Pure, ambitious hatred.

And she had been turned into their weapon.

That evening, Arabella returned to the Blackwood mansion.

The atmosphere was completely different.

Servants moved quickly through the halls.

Security had doubled.

The phone rang constantly.

William had called an emergency meeting.

The doors to the private study were closed.

Arabella stopped outside.

She could hear voices.

"Someone inside the company leaked the information."

"We need to find out who."

"Check every department."

"Someone knew about the investment before the announcement."

William's voice cut through the room.

"No one leaves this matter unattended."

Arabella stepped away.

Her heart beat faster.

Someone had leaked the information.

And she knew exactly how the Sterling family had obtained it.

She walked towards her bedroom.

But she stopped when she saw Alexander standing alone at the end of the corridor.

He looked exhausted.

His tie was loose.

His sleeves were rolled.

For the first time, he didn't look like the untouchable billionaire heir.

He looked like a man carrying the weight of an entire company.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He looked at her.

"Do I look okay?"

"No."

He gave a tired laugh.

"At least you're honest."

She hesitated.

"What happened?"

"Someone leaked confidential information."

Her heart sank.

"Was anyone hurt?"

"Not physically."

He looked toward the study.

"But my family could lose millions."

Arabella lowered her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"Why?"

She looked up.

"You look like you're carrying something ."

Her chest tightened.

"I'm just tired."

He watched her for a moment.

Then he said quietly'

"I know that feeling."

He walked away.

Arabella remained there.

She wanted to tell him everything.

But she couldn't.

Not yet.

Inside the private study, the emergency meeting continued.

William stood before the large screen.

"Who had access to these figures?"

The finance director listed several names.

Alexander shook his head.

"No."

Everyone looked at him.

"The person who leaked this didn't just have access to the numbers."

He pointed at the reports.

"They knew exactly which numbers would cause panic."

William frowned.

"So?"

"So this wasn't random."

Alexander looked around the room.

"Someone wanted the market to react."

Silence.

His mother sat quietly nearby.

Eleanor looked worried.

"Do you think someone is targeting us?"

Alexander nodded.

"I know they are."

William looked toward the security chief.

"Find out who."

Hours later, the meeting finally ended.

William remained alone in the study.

He glanced and rubbed his eyes.

"How did they know?"

His voice was barely audible.

Arabella sat alone in her bedroom.

The city lights shone through the window.

She thought about the strange message from the previous night.

Someone who knew your mother.

She had ignored it.

And now she was beginning to wonder if that had been the right decision.

If someone truly knew the truth about her mother's death, why hide?

Why send a mysterious message instead of coming forward?

She stared at her mother's photograph.

For eighteen years, she had believed one thing.

Her mother died in an unfortunate accident.

A tragedy.

Nothing more.

If someone really knew otherwise, why hadn't they spoken?

Arabella slowly shook her head.

"No."

She couldn't trust a stranger.

Not when her entire family was already hiding things from her.

She placed the photograph down.

Then her eyes landed on the folder containing the information she had secretly taken from the Blackwood business documents.

Her father's voice echoed in her mind.

One weakness. That's all we need.

She had already given them one.

Maybe it wasn't too late to stop.

But then she remembered Richard's warning.

Don't disappoint me.

Her fingers trembled.

She picked up her phone.

Opened the file.

And sent one small piece of information to her father's assistant.

Opened the file.

Only one.

Nothing that would destroy Blackwood.

Nothing that would ruin Alexander.

Just enough to create pressure.

She put the phone down.

Her heart sank immediately.

It was the first time she had deliberately betrayed the family she had married into.

And she hated herself for it.

The following morning, the Blackwood stock fell again.

Not dramatically.

But enough.

Richard was delighted.

And Arabela finally understood something terrifying.

Her father didn't care about the size of the victory.

He cared that she had obeyed.

Meanwhile, inside the Blackwood mansion, William stared at the latest financial report.

His face went pale.

Alexander walked into the study.

"What happened?"

William slowly turned the screen toward him.

"Another leak."

Alexander froze.

"The same information?"

"No."

William shook his head.

"This time, whoever did it knew something that only five people knew."

Alexander stared at the reports.

"Five?"

William nodded.

"Five people inside this family."

Silence.

Eleanor looked toward the door.

Then toward Alexander.

"We need to be careful."

Alexander's eyes hardened.

"I agree."

He closed the file.

"We're going to find them."

That night, Arabella returned to the bedroom.

Alexander was already there.

He stood beside the window.

She stopped.

"What's wrong?"

He turned.

"We're being attacked from inside."

Her heart stopped.

"What do you mean?"

"Someone has access to confidential information."

Arabella tried to remain calm.

"Do you know who?"

"No."

He walked closer.

"But we'll find out."

She swallowed.

Alexander stopped directly in front of her.

His eyes searched hers.

For one terrifying second, Arabella thought he knew.

Then he said quietly,

"There are only five people who would have leaked this information."

She forced herself to breathe.

"Who?"

Alexander didn't answer.

Instead, his gaze moved toward the wedding ring on her finger.

Then back to her eyes.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

Arabella's heart pounded.

He walked past her.

But before leaving, he stopped at the door.

"Arabella."

She turned.

"Yes?"

His voice was calm.

Almost too calm.

"Don't make me regret trusting you."

The door closed.

Arabella stood frozen.

Then her phone vibrated.

She looked at the screen.

A message from an unknown number.

You made your first mistake.

Her blood ran cold.

Another message appeared.

You think you are helping your family.

Then-

You're helping the people who destroyed your mother.

Arabella's breathing stopped.

She stared at the screen.

For the first time, she didn't delete the message.

She didn't ignore it.

She simply stared.

Because one question had suddenly become impossible to escape.

What if the people she had been helping destroy were the same people her mother had once trusted?

And somewhere else in the city, the man behind the messages watched the Sterling mansion through a wall of security monitors.

He smiled.

"Now she's ready.".