The Billionaire’s Forbidden Flame

The morning after the storm, Ava stood before the mirror, hardly recognizing the woman staring back at her.A sleek black car had arrived at dawn, delivering her to the private penthouse of the Blackwood Estate. Everything about the place screamed wealth — the white marble floors, the scent of roses and cedarwood, and the quiet hum of a world far removed from her own.She looked out the window — New York glittered below, a sea of lights and dreams. And somewhere beneath all that glitter, her old life was fading like mist.When the door opened behind her, she didn’t have to turn to know who it was.Ethan Blackwood.He was dressed sharply in a navy suit, his tie perfectly knotted, his presence as commanding as ever. The man didn’t just walk into a room — he owned it.“You’re early,” she said softly.“I don’t sleep much,” he replied, his tone even. “Sit.”She obeyed without question, sinking into the leather chair across from him. On the table between them lay a thick folder, embossed wi

The city glittered below the glass walls of the penthouse, a thousand lights reflecting against the night. Ava stood barefoot on the marble floor, the train of her gold gown pooling around her like melted sunlight. The gala was over, but its echoes still lingered — the murmurs, the flash of cameras, the eyes that followed her wherever she went.She reached up to unclasp her earrings, her hands trembling slightly. Tonight had been her first time truly stepping into Ethan Blackwood’s world, and it was dazzling… but also suffocating. The people smiled with perfect teeth and hollow hearts. Every compliment hid a blade.Behind her, she heard the soft clink of glass. Ethan was by the bar, his jacket gone, shirt unbuttoned at the collar. He poured himself a drink, the amber liquid catching the light like fire. For a moment, he didn’t speak.“You handled tonight well,” he said finally, his voice low and steady.“Handled?” Ava gave a small laugh that didn’t reach her eyes. “I survived.”He tur

Rain fell softly against the penthouse windows, streaking the glass in silver threads. The city below shimmered through the storm, restless and alive. Ethan stood by the window, his phone pressed to his ear, voice low and controlled — too controlled.“Yes, I said trace every transaction in the last forty-eight hours. If the leak came from the merger department, I want names before sunrise.”He ended the call and exhaled, tension rolling off him like heat. His usually steady hands were clenched into fists.Ava watched from across the room, the flicker of lightning catching the sharp planes of his face. For the first time since she’d met him, he looked less like a man in control and more like one standing at the edge of something he couldn’t stop.“Bad news?” she asked softly.He didn’t turn. “Two investors just froze their funds. If this leak isn’t contained, the entire merger could collapse.”“And Lydia?” she asked carefully. “She was at the gala. She seemed… interested in your downfa

The rain finally stopped sometime before dawn, leaving the city draped in mist. From the penthouse window, Ava watched the skyline come alive again — glass towers gleaming, traffic moving like veins of light through the streets. It was beautiful, in a lonely kind of way.Ethan hadn’t come home all night.His side of the bed was untouched. The clock on the nightstand glowed 5:47 a.m., and she was still in the same silk robe she’d worn since midnight, her thoughts replaying the confrontation in the boardroom again and again.The betrayal.The look in Ethan’s eyes when he realized how deep it went.The way he’d walked away without saying another word.A soft chime broke her thoughts. Her phone vibrated — a text from an unknown number.> UNKNOWN: You should ask your husband what really happened to Lydia Raine’s company.Some secrets can ruin more than reputations.Ava’s stomach tightened. She stared at the message, then locked her phone and placed it facedown on the table. She wasn’t goin

By morning, the world had chosen its side — or at least, it thought it had.Headlines screamed across every glossy page and glowing screen:> “The Woman in White: Ava Hale Steals the Spotlight.”“Power Couple or Perfect Cover-Up?”“Inside the Hale Marriage: Love, Lies, and a Billion-Dollar Empire.”Ava scrolled through the articles with her coffee untouched. Each word was both cruel and fascinated — like the press couldn’t decide whether to crown her or crucify her.She sighed and set the tablet aside. Her reflection in the window looked calm, but inside, her heart was running a marathon.The door opened quietly behind her. Ethan stepped in, dressed in black slacks and a crisp shirt, sleeves rolled up. The world outside was chaos, but he looked composed — the kind of calm that came after surviving a storm.“Morning,” he said.Ava didn’t turn. “You should read what they’re saying about us.”“I already did.”“And you’re that calm?”He moved closer, resting one hand on the back of the so