Lahat ng Kabanata ng Revenge of The Woods Heiress.: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Astrid’s POV The ballroom shimmered with power. Crystal chandeliers cast warm light across polished floors, reflecting off champagne glasses and perfectly tailored suits. Conversations blended into a low, constant hum ...... business deals, quiet alliances, calculated smiles. This wasn’t just a social event. It was a battlefield. And tonight, I had chosen to step onto it willingly. I adjusted the sleeve of my fitted black dress as I entered beside my father. His presence alone commanded attention, and as expected, several executives immediately approached to greet him. “Mr. Woods.” “Good evening.” “It’s an honor to see you here.” He responded with polite efficiency, his hand resting briefly at my back ........ a subtle but deliberate gesture. An introduction. A statement. I wasn’t just attending. I was being seen. “Stay close,” he murmured under his breath. “I will.” But my eyes were already scanning the room. Faces. Names. Positions. Connections. Every person h

Third-Person POV The atmosphere inside the restaurant had shifted long before anyone else noticed. At the table near the window, Astrid Woods sat across from Ares Antonovich, their conversation flowing in a quiet, controlled rhythm that didn’t belong to casual encounters. It was measured. Intentional. Dangerously observant. Ares leaned back slightly in his chair, one hand resting loosely against the table, his untouched meal now secondary to the exchange unfolding between them. Astrid, composed as ever, had her documents neatly gathered, though her attention remained entirely on him. There was something sharp in the air. The kind that formed when two people realized the other was not easily understood. Not easily handled. Not easily controlled. “You’re improving quickly,” Ares said calmly. Astrid tilted her head slightly. “I learn from good examples.” “And from mistakes?” Her gaze didn’t waver. “Especially those.” Ares’ lips curved faintly. Before he could respond

Astrid’s POV I sat at the head of the polished table, the contract resting neatly in front of me, its pages crisp, its terms deceptively clean. Too clean. The men across from me were smiling. Not warmly. Nor genuinely. But with the kind of politeness that hid intention beneath layers of practiced civility. “We believe this partnership will be mutually beneficial,” one of them said, his fingers steepled together as he leaned forward slightly. His name was Mr. Calloway. Mid-fifties. Experienced. Careful. And ..... if my instincts were right ..... dangerous. I didn’t smile back. I simply turned a page. “The numbers look favorable,” I said. “They are,” he replied smoothly. “They’ve been structured to ensure minimal risk on your end.” Minimal risk. That phrase again. It had appeared three times in the document already. Too many. Because real business didn’t eliminate risk. It redistributed it. And I was beginning to suspect exactly where it had been placed. Beside

Third-Person POV Inside a private lounge reserved for high-level investors, the atmosphere was relaxed on the surface. Low lighting. Expensive whiskey. Soft laughter. Men and women who controlled millions—some billions—sat in small clusters, discussing markets, opportunities, and power. But tonight, something else was being traded. It wasn't stocks nor assets. Information. Or at least… Something that sounded like it. At the center of one such conversation sat Adam Pierce. Composed. Measured. Cunning. His glass rested untouched in his hand as he leaned back slightly, listening more than speaking. That was his strategy now. He had learned ...... painfully ...... that acting too quickly led to exposure. And exposure… Was dangerous. So this time, he was subtle. Intentional. Strategic. “You’ve seen the recent movements, haven’t you?” one of the investors asked casually. “Which ones?” Adam replied. “Antonovich Global.” Ah. There it was. The name he had been wait

Astrid’s POV Power is intoxicating. Not in the way people think.......loud, arrogant, reckless. No. Real power is quiet. Controlled. It sits in your hands like something delicate, something sharp… something that can build or destroy depending on how tightly you hold it. And this morning I held it perfectly. Or so I thought. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in my office, the city stretching endlessly beneath me. Cars moved like ants. People rushed through their lives, unaware of the decisions being made above them......decisions that could shift markets, break companies, ruin lives. Including his. A faint smile touched my lips. Adam. Even thinking his name no longer stirred pain. Only hate. I turned from the window and walked back to my desk, picking up the file that had been sitting there since early morning. It wasn’t a major deal. Not something that would make headlines. But it was important. Strategic. A mid-level investment Adam ha