All Chapters of Before the World Burns: The CEO's Regret and the Queen of th: Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

The air inside the master bedroom tasted like old dust and expensive perfume that had long since lost its charm. Victoria stood in front of the full-length mirror, her fingers resting lightly on the heavy silk of a dress that felt more like a shroud than clothing. In the reflection, her full plus-size frame filled the glass, a striking contrast to the fragile, airbrushed ideals that the high-society elites worshiped. Her dark hair was pinned back in a severe knot, exposing a neck that had spent years bowing to a man who never once looked down to appreciate it.Across the room, the king-sized bed was still warm on one side. Julian Sterling was not in it. He never was on nights when Chloe Bennett had a minor crisis or a social engagement that required her billionaire protector to hold her hand.Victoria traced the edge of the mahogany dresser, her heart beating with a strange, heavy rhythm. Just hours ago, she had drawn her last breath in a freezing, subterranean vault three hundred fee

The silence in the master bedroom felt heavy, pressing down on Julian's chest with a physical weight that made it hard to breathe. His gaze remained locked on the single gold band resting on the linen pillow. The metal caught the pale morning light, gleaming with an offensive, mocking brightness.He took two long strides forward and snatched the ring, his fingers closing so tightly around it that the sharp edges bit into his skin. This was another test. It had to be. Victoria was throwing a tantrum because he spent the night downstairs with Chloe. She was making a point, acting out in the most dramatic way possible to force him to chase her.He spun around, fully intending to storm down to the garage, drag her back upstairs, and force her to listen to reason. But as he crossed the room, his foot caught the edge of the manila folder she had left behind on the mattress. The papers spilled out across the floor.Julian crouched down, gathering the pages with an impatient curse. His eyes s

The private jet touched down on the tarmac with a harsh, heavy jolt that rattled the landing gear. Outside the oval cabin window, the skyline of the metropolis loomed beneath a dull, gray haze, looking ordinary and entirely unaware of the clock ticking down its final days. Julian did not wait for the ground crew to roll up the mobile staircase. He grabbed his tailored coat, pushed past a startled flight attendant, and strode down the steps into the biting wind.Chloe hurried behind him, her heels clicking rapidly against the concrete as she tried to match his long, furious strides."Julian, wait for me," she called out, her voice thin against the roar of the idling jet engines. "Where are we going? Are we heading back to the estate?""We are going to the main downtown office," Julian said without turning his head. His jaw was clenched so tight his teeth ached. The digital logs on his tablet had been flashing warning lights for the last hour. The corporate legal division had flagged a

The heavy steel bulkheads of Sector 7 absorbed the impact of Julian's fists without even a hollow ring. Outside, the toxic rain hissed against the reinforced metal, turning the air into a suffocating green haze that smelled of burning ozone and decay. Julian pressed his forehead against the cold surface of the door, his chest heaving as the brutal reality set in. He was locked out. The man who owned half the skyline of the metropolis was standing in the mud, completely powerless against a vault built by the wife he had spent five years underestimating.Deep inside the subterranean command hub, three hundred feet beneath the churning earth, the air was crisp, sterile, and perfectly climate controlled. Victoria stood in front of the master surveillance wall, her hazel eyes scanning the exterior camera feeds. On screen, Julian looked smaller than he had in the boardrooms of Sterling Enterprises. His tailored suit was speckled with toxic moisture, his dark hair damp against his forehead,