Here's the weekly update as promised! KC previously asked for Dale's POV, so here it is. Also, ZZ inquired if Kieran Westfield was mentioned in earlier chapters—shoutout to KC for helping clarify that question. To confirm, Kieran Westfield is a character from the story *The Heiress' Reborn for Vengeance*, and both books are interconnected. The earlier chapters include crossovers from both stories, and I still need to update the part from *The Heiress' Reborn for Vengeance*. I'll start working on a new chapter right away and aim to finish it before heading to bed tonight. Wishing you all a relaxing weekend! :)
DALEDale's vision blurs for a moment as the implications crash over him like a tsunami.But if it has been Aria that night, then how...? His mind reels, trying to process the implications.Relief floods through him in a tsunami of emotion that threatens to bring him to his knees.The woman he's loved, the one who's owned his heart completely… It has been her all along.Yet the relief is immediately followed by confusion so profound it makes his head spin. If Aria has been there that night, then what has happened? How has he ended up with a different woman bearing his mark? How has the bond formed with someone who isn't supposed to be his mate?The mate bond isn't something that can be faked or manufactured. It is a biological connection forged by forces beyond human understanding. You can't mark someone who isn't your true mate on a whim… the bond simply won't take.So how has it happened? How has he ended up bound to a woman who isn't Aria?But underneath the confusion and the despe
DALE~Earlier~The mahogany walls of Dale's office felt like they were closing in on him. Outside, the sprawling city of Nexhaven stretched under storm clouds… the crown jewel of Valebridge, a nation built on old money, older secrets, and bloodlines that went back to when the republic first started.Dale's fingers drummed on the leather armrest of his chair as his mind churned with all the violence from the past few months. Every breath he took was calculated, every heartbeat measured against the threats circling Aria like vultures waiting for their next meal.His father's network of spies and killers had gotten bolder and more desperate to figure out who the woman was that he'd hidden away in his estate.The massive windows gave him a perfect view of Nexhaven's financial district, where the Ravencrest family's influence stretched like invisible tentacles through every major corporation, every government building, every seat of power.The Sinclair name was a carefully built lie, a fake
ARIA Through the chaos and the ringing in my ears, I can hear shouting, car doors slamming, footsteps running on pavement. My head's spinning, vision blurry from the impact, but I force myself to focus. This isn't an accident. The timing, the precision of the hit, the way it came out of nowhere. We've been attacked. Blood trickles down my forehead from where I hit something during the crash, and suddenly fragmented scenes I can't quite piece together start flashing before my eyes. Images blur and shift... faces I don't recognize, voices speaking words I can't understand. My head throbs with each heartbeat, and I can't tell if these are real memories surfacing or just my brain trying to make sense of the trauma and chaos around me. My ribs ache, and I think I might have bitten my tongue because I taste copper in my mouth. But I'm alive. We're all alive. The limo's still rocking from the impact when I hear voices outside, sharp and commanding. Orders being barked. The sound of
ARIA I let Mei guide me through the crowd with my security team falling into place around us. The reporters notice our movement immediately. Cameras begins flashing, microphones getting shoved in our direction and voices calling out over the music. Their questions blur together into noise as my security team creates a protective wall, clearing a path through the chaos. I keep my head up, face calm and composed, even though my mind's spinning with questions about what could be so urgent that Mei would pull me out of the most important moment of my revenge plan. We pass through the grand foyer, our footsteps echoing on the marble floors. The night air hits my face when we step outside, cool and crisp. Our convoy is already waiting, engine purring quietly, and door to the mini limo held open. I slide into the leather seats and Mei follows immediately behind me, with Sofia and Sarah settling into the seats across from us. The familiar presence of my full protection detail should be
ARIAI can feel every single person in this room watching me. Xavier's standing with that cocky smile, totally clueless that he's looking at the woman whose life he helped destroy. Vivian's right next to him, gripping her champagne glass, eyes sharp and suspicious.I take a slow sip of my champagne, letting the bubbles hit my tongue while I study their faces. God, the irony is perfect. Here I am, Elizabeth Sinclair, talking about a merger that'll give me access to everything they built. The power to tear their empire apart piece by piece, exactly how they tore mine down.The ballroom buzzes with conversation around us, but I'm locked onto this moment. Every detail matters. The way Xavier's eyes keep darting to other potential business partners across the room, calculating his next move. The way Vivian's nails tap her glass in a nervous rhythm she probably doesn't even realize she's doing. The way the other guests steal glances in our direction..."The merger between Harrigton Consolida
VIVIANXavier recovers quickly.By the time the woman reaches us, we're both wearing our best social smiles, even though I can feel mine trembling at the edges."Mr. Harrington, Ms. Taylor," one of her entourage smiles. "Allow me to introduce Ms. Elizabeth Sinclair, CEO of Sinclair Technologies."Elizabeth Sinclair.I should be relieved. I should be relaxing, because this is our business partner, our golden ticket, the woman who's going to secure my future. But I can't relax, because something about this is all wrong. The way she's looking at us, the way Xavier's hands are trembling almost imperceptibly, the way my instincts are screaming that I'm in danger."Ms. Sinclair," Xavier says smoothly, extending his hand. "What an honor to finally meet you in person."She takes his hand, and I swear I see something pass between them."The honor is mine, Mr. Harrington," she replies in a voice like honey over steel.Smooth, cultured, with just a hint of an accent that makes her sound even more