Chapter 2: The Proposal Of Power

(Isabella’s POV)

The Laurent estate was eerily silent at night, the kind of silence that pressed against my skin like an unseen force, urging me to reconsider every reckless decision that had led me back here. But regret was a luxury I could no longer afford.

I ran my fingers over the envelope on my dresser, my pulse quickening. The name on it was one I hadn’t thought of in years. Alexander Blackwood.

The last time I had seen him, I was still a naïve girl who believed love was more important than power. He had looked at me with cold amusement back then, as if he already knew I would come crawling back to the world I had tried so hard to escape.

I tore the letter open, my eyes scanning the sharp, calculated handwriting:

> Isabella,

I hear your return to the Laurent family hasn’t been met with open arms. You need power, and I need a partner. We should talk.

Alexander Blackwood

A slow smirk tugged at the corners of my lips. So, he knew.

I shouldn’t have been surprised. If there was anyone in this city who had eyes and ears in every corner, it was Alexander. He was ruthless, calculating, and dangerously intelligent. The heir to the Blackwood empire—one of the few names that carried more weight than Laurent.

And now, he wanted to talk?

I wasn’t stupid enough to think this was about charity. Alexander never moved without a purpose. Which meant I had something he wanted.

I grabbed my phone, my fingers hovering over the keypad. A part of me hesitated. The Isabella from a year ago would have ignored this message, choosing love over power, emotions over strategy. But that Isabella was dead.

I dialed the number at the bottom of the letter.

It rang once. Twice.

Then a voice, deep and smooth like aged whiskey, filled my ear. “I was expecting your call.”

*****

One hour later.

I stepped into the private lounge of Blackwood Tower, a building so luxurious it made most five-star hotels look cheap. The dim lighting cast long shadows across the polished floors, and the faint scent of expensive cologne and aged bourbon lingered in the air.

Alexander Blackwood sat at the far end of the room, his long fingers tapping idly against a crystal glass of scotch. He was just as I remembered—tall, lean, and devastatingly sharp in his black tailored suit. His jet-black hair was neatly styled, and his steel-gray eyes watched me like a predator sizing up his prey.

“Isabella,” he greeted, his voice smooth but devoid of warmth. “I was beginning to wonder if you had lost your nerve.”

I arched a brow, slipping into the seat across from him. “I don’t have nerves to lose anymore.”

He let out a quiet hum, swirling the amber liquid in his glass before taking a sip. “I heard about Ryan.”

My jaw clenched at the mention of his name, but I forced a calm smile. “Let me guess. You had a front-row seat to my humiliation?”

“Of course,” he admitted unapologetically. “Ryan is predictable. He was always going to discard you the moment he no longer needed you. But I assume you already knew that.”

I held his gaze, refusing to show any weakness. “I underestimated him. It won’t happen again.”

“Good.” Alexander leaned forward, his sharp gaze assessing. “That’s why I reached out to you. We have a common enemy, Isabella. And I believe we can be of use to each other.”

I folded my arms. “Let’s cut to the chase. What do you want?”

He smirked. “Smart girl.”

He reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out a file, sliding it across the table. I flipped it open, my stomach tightening as I scanned the contents. It was a business acquisition document—a hostile takeover, to be exact.

My eyes snapped up to his. “You’re trying to acquire Orion Tech?”

Orion Tech—the company Ryan and I built from the ground up. The very company he stole from me when he discarded me like trash.

Alexander tilted his head slightly. “I prefer the term reclaim.”

A rush of satisfaction curled in my chest. If Alexander was after Orion Tech, that meant Ryan wasn’t as secure in his position as he thought.

I leaned back in my seat, feigning nonchalance. “And where do I fit into this?”

Alexander studied me for a moment, as if deciding how much to reveal. “You still have contacts within Orion. You know the company’s weaknesses, its strengths, and most importantly—you know Ryan.”

A slow smile spread across my lips. “You want me to be your inside source.”

“In a way,” he acknowledged, his gaze never wavering. “But I don’t need a spy. I need a partner.”

That caught me off guard. I had expected manipulation, a demand for obedience—but partnership? That was new.

I tapped my fingers against the file. “What’s in it for me?”

Alexander leaned closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “Revenge.”

The word sent a shiver down my spine.

“You want to destroy Ryan?” I asked, watching him carefully.

Alexander smirked. “I want to erase him.”

A slow thrill coursed through me.

For the past few days, I had been trapped in my own misery, dwelling on my losses. But now? Now I had an opportunity to turn my pain into something tangible—powerful.

I closed the file, meeting his gaze. “I’m in.”

Alexander’s expression remained unreadable, but there was a flicker of approval in his eyes.

“Good,” he said smoothly. “Then let’s begin.”

*******

As I stepped out of Blackwood Tower, the cold night air wrapped around me, but I barely felt it. My mind was already calculating the next move.

Then, my phone vibrated in my hand.

Unknown Number: You should have stayed buried in the past, Isabella. This city isn’t big enough for both of us.

I stared at the message, my pulse steady. A threat? Or a warning?

Either way, it was too late.

I was already back. And this time, I wasn’t leaving without burning everything to the ground.