Share

Wrongly Accused

last update Last Updated: 2025-07-24 18:06:13

Ethans pov-

My father’s hand across my face cracked in the Blackvale boardroom, a rebuke as stinging as it was painful. “You careless fool!” Benjamin Blackvale roared, his voice slammed the murmurs of the board members sitting around the expensive polished mahogany table into silence. “You've ruined the reputation of our empire with your foolishness!”

I gritted my teeth, the sting of the slap roasting from my cheek as I stood straight in my custom made navy suit. The board turned its head in shame; their embarrassment was obvious, but I felt their judgment carve through me. The viral footage of me and Lilian Sinclair — Isabella’s stepsister — had blown up everywhere, my betrayal fast tracked to global notoriety. Blackvale Enterprises, my billion dollar tech empire, was currently a laughing stock and my father’s wrath was just the beginning.

“I don’t know how it leaked,” I said, my voice low, controlled, though a kind of rage simmered under it. “Somebody’s trying to shake me down, Father. I’m being set up.” Lies had a bitter taste to me but I had long since perfected the art of deceit. And trust was a coin in the Blackvale family, and had learned to spend it wisely. The fact was, I had no clue who’d put that surveillance clip online, but my brain had already honed in on the most obvious suspect: Isabella Hartman.

She’d seen the footage. I remembered the venom in her voice when she had faced me, when had she thrown my affair with Lilian into my face. Isabella, the one I’d groomed into my ideal, defenseless future wife, had dared to revert back to being the Ashcroft heiress, my family’s most hated enemy. The newsreels this morning - of her triumphant return as the trillion dollar queen of the Ashcroft empire - had almost given me a heart attack. She’d got into my head enough to make me and now she’d gone to the heart of my empire with that video. It had to be her.

My plans, after all, had not yet changed. I wanted and required Isabella’s riches, her realm, to affirm my historical dream as the richest man who ever lived. It was marrying her that mattered, and no scandal would get in the way of that. I only had to deal with it in a cooler way and not emotionally. I pushed away from the table, ignoring my father’s glare and got into my Jeep and exited to Isabella’s penthouse in one of the more affluent neighborhoods of San Francisco. 

She unlocked the door, her emerald eyes frigid, her chestnut hair tumbling in waves. The sleek black dress she wore was confidence, not the battered girl I’d been looking down on. “Ethan,” she said, with contempt in her voice. “What do you want?”

“You fucking leaked the video,” I accused as I entered without being invited in. I was twice her height, but she did not flinch. “You aimed to humiliate me, to spit Blackvale in the dirt.”

Isabella laughed, a dry, reckless cackle that prickled my skin with cold. “You believe I would spend time doing that? I didn’t leak your sex tape, Ethan. But I’m not crying about it.” Her guiltless certainty was unnerving. I’d fed my ego on her vulnerability, the way she’d clung to me after being shot! But this Isabella — fierce, unyielding — scared me in a way I couldn’t admit.

“I’m supposed to take your word for this?” I snapped, catching up with her. “You were the only one who got access to that footage.”

She moved closer and didn't flinch, looking me in my eyes. “I’m done being your pawn.” Her words hurt, but I didn’t have a chance to reply as the door behind me swung open.

Lilian burst in, her platinum blonde hair shining brightly, her frosty blue eyes ablaze with rage. In silence she crossed the room, and gave Isabella a sounding slap on the cheek.

“You vindictive bitch!” Lilian spat, her icy blue eyes glowing. “You leaked that video to destroy me, to make sure my image was destroyed! You were sick with jealousy that Ethan wanted me!” Her platinum blond hair cascaded while she leaned forward, poison oozing from each syllable.

I was rooted to the spot, my thoughts in motion. Lilian’s outburst was a liability, but I couldn’t step in — not yet. Isabella placed her hand to her face, eyes narrowing, but her expression unruffled. Before she could reply, the door was flung open once more, and in stormed Maggie, her auburn bob bouncing along with her rageful advance. Isabella’s best friend, the disgraced journalist turned influencer, didn’t waste a second. “You shameless slut! Shut up Lillian!" Maggie said as she got between her and Isabella. “You fucked your stepsister’s fiancé and you’re playing the victim? Get out!”

Lilian blushed red, her eyes flicking toward me, waiting. She wanted me to protect her, to ally myself with her in this awful stuff. But I remained silent, my jaw clenched. Lilian was a pawn, not an ally, and I wasn’t going to jeopardize my plan for her hissy fit. Horror flashed in her eyes and with that, she stormed out and banged the door behind her.

Isabella looked at me coldly. “Get out, Ethan. I’m done with you.” Her voice was conclusive, a queen dismissing a pawn. Maggie was next to her with an ugly look, challenging me to object. I tried to press, to pressure her into admitting she’d leaked the video, but the steely gleam in her eyes told me I’d lost her. For now.

I stomped out in my shiny shoes without saying anything. Outside, San Francisco’s craziness was almost an extension of my own. The video was a disaster, a nuke to Blackvale’s stock and my reputation. I couldn’t let it stand. The moment I got back in the car, I called my PR team, my tone verging on abrasive. “Pull that video off the internet. Now. Once it’s published, push the narrative that it’s AI-generated, deepfake nonsense. Pay whoever you need to.” I had friends in deep places — tech companies, media outlets, hell, even some hackers. By nightfall, the video would be scrubbed, the story relegated to claims of digital manipulation.

Isabellas pov-

The sting of Lilian’s slap still burned my cheek as I hovered in my penthouse, the passionate defense Maggie had made for me still lingering in the air. The words had been a salve to my rage, her calling Lilian a slut but it was Ethan’s silence that had hurt more. He never defended Lilian, never apologized, just stood there with his cold eyes intent on which way he was going to go. Bella Sinclair was gone. Isabella Hartman, Ashcroft’s heiress, was left holding the bag.

Maggie stared at me, her eyes keen with worry. “You okay, Bella?” she said again, more gently this time. I said, yes - but my chest was hurt with the weight of betrayal. This was just one fight, and I was armed with my father’s empire and a resolve of my own.

I collapsed onto the couch, the skyline of San Francisco sparkled, and reminded me of the power that I now have. The video of Ethan and Lilian had caused a commotion in Blackvale, but I hadn't leaked it. Someone else had, and why they were doing it remained a mystery I couldn’t yet fathom. 

As we drove to Maggie's, she scrolled through her phone while sitting next to me. “The internet’s loving this,” she said, smirking. “Ethan’s team is in a meltdown, but the harm has been done.”

“Let them run around,” I replied without letting my voice wilt. “I do not care anymore about his empire.” I was focused on Ashcroft now, trying to restore what my father had left to rot. The news around my return was making headlines, and the boardroom had received me back with ovations, and some envy. I didn’t care. I was here to lead, not to cater.

I felt a vibration in my pocket, and saw my phone light up with an unknown number. I hesitated, then answered. “Isabella Hartman,” I had said, my voice sharp. 

“Miss Hartman,” came the soft voice, one unfamiliar. “This is E. Black. I want to buy a billion dollars of stock in the Ashcroft Corporation. I would like to discuss the terms.”

I sat there frozen, clutching the phone more tightly. A billion dollars? The sheer audacity of the offer stunned the tech world, a move that could shift the balance of power among Silicon Valley’s largest companies. Ashcroft was a giant, but an individual’s spending on that scale was not even imaginable. “That’s a big deal, Mr. Black,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “I’m curious,” I said, “what motivates your interest?”

“I guess you could say I see a future for Ashcroft,” he answered, his voice steady and filled with purpose. “I would rather negotiate in person. Would you by chance be available for a meeting at the next tech summit?”

My mind raced. The tech summit was but days ahead, a gathering of industry elites at which I would be representing Ashcroft for the first time as the estate’s heiress. But who was this E. Black? The name nagged at me, too similar to Ethan Blackvale to be a coincidence. Was this some other one of Ethan’s games, a bid to worm back into my world after the scandal? Or was it still another person altogether?

“I’ll think about it,” I replied, coldly. “Give me the documents and I’ll take a look at it.” I hung up, my heart racing. Maggie arched one eyebrow, knowing that something was wrong. “Who was that?” she asked.

“Some guy named E. Black,” I said, looking at the phone. “They want to purchase a billion-dollar share in Ashcroft.”

Maggie whistled. “That’s bold. Do you think it’s Ethan making the moves?”

I shook my head, with doubt curling in my stomach. I was surprised at how much this stranger was putting in. But also more baffled as there was such a similarity between the name E. Black and ‘Ethan Blackvale’.

Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App

Latest chapter

  • The Unmasked Heiress: Isabella Hartman is back   Framed and Cornered

    Elijah's pov-The hard metal rings curved my wrists as the red and blue lights of the squad car danced over the streets of San Francisco. The police accusations — cocaine, pills, drug dealer stash in my car — falling flat compared to the facts I knew well. I was being framed. Again. I thought back to the time my father, Benjamin Blackvale, banished me for allegedly giving away family secrets, the proof as bag tight as this drugs bag. Here I was, sitting in the precinct’s holding cell, looking around at the grey walls for answers, my blazer in disarray, eyes roving sideways, searching for someone to point me in the right direction. Who planted the drugs? Ethan, the bastard responsible for setting me up, desperate to keep me from getting to Isabella? Lilian, taking revenge for her father’s coma? By the next morning, the news had exploded across all media channels. “Billionaire Elijah Black Arrested in Drug Scandal!” screamed the headlines, my face — spookily similar to Ethan’s — splash

  • The Unmasked Heiress: Isabella Hartman is back   The Other Side Of Elijah Black

    Elijah's pov-I exited the elevator at Ashcroft headquarters, my blazer and jeans standing out among the buzz of polished suits hurrying by me. I’d come to visit Isabella, my head still buzzing from dinner—her tears, her story about Ethan getting shot for her, that car nearly hitting us. Something was off and my gut knew it was connected to my twin’s falsehood. But as I approached her office, a loud crack halted me in my tracks. I peered through the glass walls to see Richard Sinclair—Lilian’s father and a particularly nasty man I had the misfortune of meeting years ago—slap Isabella across the face. Her eyes had widened and I felt a hot red mist surging across my vision.I didn’t think. I burst into the office, my boots slamming the hardwood. “Get your hands off her!” I screamed, grabbing Richard by his bespoke lapel. Pressed him against the wall and punched his jaw while that smug face pulled a weird expression in surprise. The collision reverberated up my knuckles but I did not let

  • The Unmasked Heiress: Isabella Hartman is back   Saving Her

    Bella’s pov-I could still hear the tires screeching as Elijah reached down and yanked me out of the street, his muscular arms clutching me, holding me to his chest. My heart pounded, not just from the car that almost hit me, but also from the force of his grip. His gaze connected with mine, a fierce but warm amber intensity that triggered a memory I couldn't find. His presence — protective, unyielding — felt so… familiar, a repeat of the moment I once imagined Ethan saved me from a bullet. But I could feel Elijah’s presence, unguarded and raw, unlike Ethan’s smooth charm. “You okay?” he said, his voice low, even, his hands still holding me up.I nodded and took a step back, my gown flapping in the cool wind. “Thanks,” I said, my voice quavering. My security ran ahead, searching the street for the disappeared car, but I was thinking of Elijah. The way he’d called my name, and the urgency with which he’d held my wrist, it awoke something deep, something unsettled. Was this connected to

  • The Unmasked Heiress: Isabella Hartman is back   Apology Accepted

    Bella's pov-The morning after I stomped out on Elijah, a knock came at the door of my penthouse, rousing me. I answered the knock to a delivery guy with a bouquet so extravagant it knocked the breath out of me—deep red roses, laced with white lilies, filling the room with their quietly stamped fragrance. Wedged among the flowers was a cream envelope with the same red wax crest I’d seen on the letter from E. Black. My fingers shook as I opened it, my eyes racing over the neat script:Isabella, I’m sorry for the way I acted at lunch. I never meant to demean you. You’re strong and that is why I respect you and I would be so honoured if you would allow me to take you out on a proper date. If I am forgiven, I will see you tonight at Le Ciel, 8 PM. –Elijah BlackI read it through, my heart caught between wariness and the warmth of recognition. Elijah’s offer over lunch had stabbed at old wounds, my father’s harsh words, his voice saying I was too weak to lead, but his apology felt heartfel

  • The Unmasked Heiress: Isabella Hartman is back   The fake dating offer

    Bella's povThe text threat seared through my brain, its chilling words —Step down as Ashcroft heiress, or you’ll be dead by week’s end—a perfect reminder of those closing in on me. I shook as I shoved my phone in my pocket, gazing through the glass walls of my office and, I was certain, at the reflection of my haggard face. Elijah slightly furrowed his eyes at the change in my tone, but I restrained the push. I had lived through betrayal; I refused to be paralyzed by fear. But the enormity of it all — Kilan’s threats, Ethan’s games, and now this — sat on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I needed a distraction, a person to hold me down before I fell apart.“Elijah,” I said, my voice more even than I felt, “wanna get lunch?” I’d invited him on a whim, feeling a sudden longing for company while the creeping terror began to cloud my reality. His smile was bright, a real smile that erased the chiseled lines he had passed on to Ethan, and still felt wrong. “I would enjoy that,” he said

  • The Unmasked Heiress: Isabella Hartman is back   Bad Blood

    I peered from the shadows, my black shoes silent on the marble. My father, Benjamin Blackvale, loomed like a grand statue, facing off against my twin, Elijah. My heart was racing, not out of fear, but out of excitement and control. Elijah’s reappearance was a threat, a threat to the empire I’d labored to build. To see him there, after years of exile, made hot blood rise in my veins. He was meant to be gone, eliminated. Yet there he was, bringing up the past I’d buried ages ago.Elijah’s eyes flashed with pain as he said the words. “I am not here to be the heir, Father,” he said, his voice steady and rough. “I just want to reconcile. I didn’t betray you years ago. I was framed, and I’ve been working every day to show my loyalty.”Benjamin’s laughter sharp, cutting and cold. “Reconcile? You think you can come back here like nothing? You’re not my son, Elijah. I forbade you to return. You have no place here.” His words were pure venom, but I saw the flash of doubt in his eyes, a chink in

More Chapters
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status