For six years, twenty-four-year-old Maya Chen pours her heart and soul into loving Derek Walsh, her fiancé and the man she thinks will be her forever. She works three jobs to support his struggling law practice, gives up her dreams of becoming a fashion designer, and sacrifices everything to make him happy. But the day before their wedding, Derek destroys her world with seven crushing words: "I'm marrying your stepsister instead of you."
His reason? Her stepsister Vanessa is dying from a heart condition, and her "last wish" is to marry Derek. He promises Maya he'll come back to her after Vanessa passes away, offering her a secondhand marriage like she's a backup plan. Maya laughs bitterly and walks away from the man who broke her heart.
But the betrayal cuts even deeper. Her own family—her stepmother and father—steal everything Maya owns, empty her bank accounts, and throw her out of the house she helped pay for. Everyone thinks she's trapped with nowhere to run and no one to help her.
Then, in her darkest moment, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome billionaire named Ethan Stone appears in her life with an offer she can't refuse: "I'll help you get revenge, but you have to do something for me first—pretend to be my fiancée for six months."
Maya agrees, not knowing that Ethan has his own reasons for wanting to destroy Derek and her family. As she transforms from a broken woman into a powerful force, she discovers she's carrying Derek's baby—a secret that could ruin everything. When Maya returns to face her enemies, victorious and unbroken, Derek falls to his knees, begging for forgiveness. But Maya's heart now belongs to someone else—the man who taught her that she deserves more than scraps of love.
Will Maya choose revenge or forgiveness? Will she tell Derek about the baby? And can she trust that Ethan's feelings are real, or is she just another piece in his revenge game

"Isabella Chen is a trap. If you go to that meeting tomorrow, you'll die."


I stare at the threatening text and the photo of Sophie being followed. My hands shake with rage, not fear.


Ethan reads the message, his face darkening. "Marcus is trying to scare you. Keep you isolated."


"Is it true? Is Isabella working for Marcus?"


"I don't know. But I'm going to find out." Ethan starts making calls, waking up contacts despite the late hour. "I need background on Isabella Chen. Everything. Now."


While he investigates, I text Sophie: "Don't go anywhere alone. Stay home. Lock your doors. I'll explain tomorrow."


Sophie responds immediately: "What's going on? You're scaring me."


Within an hour, Ethan has answers. "Isabella Chen is legitimate. Top fashion director. No connection to Marcus or James that I can find. Clean record. Respected in the industry."


Chapter 26 - Training for Battle