CHAPTER 2 – The Tycoon’s Offer

Aria Vale woke up to the cold sunlight of Velaris Prime streaming through her window. Two weeks. Only fourteen days. Two weeks before the wedding that had destroyed her life, two weeks before she could step into the storm fully prepared.

She stared at herself in the mirror, tracing the line of her jaw, the sharpness in her eyes that had been buried under heartbreak before. Gone was the naive girl who trusted a cheating husband. Gone was the innocent wife who had believed in love and loyalty. In her place stood someone reborn — someone hungry for justice, for revenge, for power.

Her reflection was icy, calculating, and terrifyingly determined. “This time,” she whispered to herself, “I won’t lose.”

She adjusted her white blouse, letting the structured lines of her jacket fall perfectly over her shoulders. Every detail mattered. Appearance, presence, and the first impression of power would be her weapon.

Two weeks. Not a moment to waste.

The betrayal replayed in her mind like a broken record. Ethan Kade. Her husband of three years, the man she had loved without reservation. He had smiled at her with warmth that wasn’t real. He had whispered promises that had meant nothing. And now, Aria knew the truth — he had spent months plotting, conspiring, laughing with Serena, her so-called best friend. Her life had been a lie, and Ethan had been the master of deceit.

Her fingers curled into fists. Vengeance. That word tasted sweet on her tongue.

But she couldn’t strike blindly. A chess game required strategy. And in Velaris Prime, power was everything. Money, influence, connections — without an ally stronger than Ethan, her revenge would crumble before it began.

That ally would be Alexander Draven.

Alexander Draven. The name alone commanded respect in every corner of Velaris Prime. A billionaire, untouchable, and more dangerous than any man Aria had ever met. Where Ethan was cold, manipulative, and petty, Alexander was absolute power — ruthless, intelligent, and magnetic. He wasn’t just a tycoon; he was a force of nature.

And she needed him.

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Aria arrived at the Draven Corporation tower with her heart steady, her steps deliberate. The lobby gleamed like marble and glass, luxurious but not ostentatious, reflecting the kind of dominance that Alexander embodied. People stopped and stared, some whispering under their breath, sensing that she was not a woman to be ignored.

She adjusted her gloves, straightened her posture, and took the elevator to the top floor. The higher she went, the more her pulse quickened — not with fear, but with anticipation.

The doors opened to a vast office, sleek and minimalist, overlooking the city like a queen overlooking her kingdom. And there he was. Alexander Draven.

Tall, impeccably dressed, with an aura of cold command that made the air itself feel sharper, he didn’t rise when she entered. He didn’t need to. One look from his piercing blue eyes made her stand straighter, her resolve firmer.

“Miss Vale,” he said, voice low and measured, almost predatory. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I’m here because I need a deal,” Aria said, stepping closer. Her voice was calm, composed — a stark contrast to the storm raging inside her. “Resources, protection, influence. In exchange…” She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. “…I can give you something even more valuable. Information. Insider knowledge about a man about to make a mistake that will cost him everything.”

Alexander’s brow arched, intrigued. “And why should I care about this man?”

“Because he’s a threat,” Aria said. “And he’s the kind of man who underestimates women. But I won’t. I know things no one else knows. I can turn his world upside down — or we can turn it together. Either way, he loses.”

Alexander leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers under his chin. He didn’t speak for a long moment, but his eyes were sharp, analyzing, calculating. Then, a faint, slow smile curved his lips.

“Interesting,” he said finally. “I like women who know what they want. Dangerous women. Tell me, Miss Vale… do you always play your cards this close to your chest?”

Aria’s lips curved into a subtle, confident smile. “Only when the stakes are worth it.”

For a moment, the room was silent except for the hum of the city below. Alexander Draven didn’t often feel curiosity — or admiration — but there was something about Aria Vale that piqued his interest. She wasn’t fragile. She wasn’t naive. She was fire contained in a porcelain shell, sharp and smart, and most importantly… bold enough to approach him without fear.

“Very well,” he said finally, leaning forward. “I’ll hear you out. But understand this — I don’t make deals lightly. And if you betray me…” His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “There’s no one who can protect you from me.”

Aria’s pulse quickened at the threat, but she didn’t flinch. “Good,” she said. “Because I don’t intend to be protected. I intend to win.”

Alexander’s eyes narrowed slightly. Something told him this woman was not just any heiress. She was a storm. And storms, he knew, could be both beautiful and devastating.

As Aria left the Draven Corporation tower, the rain began to fall over Velaris Prime. It was soft at first, then heavier, pounding against the glass and asphalt like a drum of fate. Aria didn’t reach for an umbrella. She let the rain soak her, cleansing the past, fueling her resolve.

By the time she returned to her apartment, her mind was already working. Two weeks. Fourteen days. Every moment had to be planned, every step calculated. Ethan Kade would not see her coming. He had thought he had destroyed her, thought he had won. But now, Aria Vale was reborn, sharper, smarter, and far more dangerous than he could imagine.

And Alexander Draven… he was the wild card she didn’t just need — she might even need him to survive, and maybe… to win her heart.

She sank into her chair, opening her laptop, reviewing the documents she had memorized during her first rebirth. Business empires, hidden accounts, social connections… everything she would need to topple Ethan piece by piece.

The rain fell harder. Thunder rolled across the city. And somewhere in the skyline, Alexander Draven’s tower loomed like a silent sentinel.

By the time Ethan realized the woman he had betrayed was no longer the same Aria Vale… it would already be too late.

> One thing was certain: power, revenge, and maybe love were all on her side now. And the game had only just begun.

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