From Heiress to Hellbent

was a dynastic merger, a picture-perfect lie splashed across magazines. But behin

, broke into our home with her friends and had

police station, he took one look at my bruised f

, his voice laced with annoyance. He had

n't swim. Bryant dove in, swam right past me to save her, and

he was incapable of love; he was just incapable of loving me. For the one he lo

Lying in my hospital bed, I took out my phone and

steady. "I'm ready to bu

pte

e, the graceful heiress to the Glover real estate dynasty; he, the cold, brilliant scion of the Barnes tech emp

cameras, their life wa

Kalia Barron, for a new sports car. The next day, Charlotte transferred t

ecipient was a young

al Park. Charlotte, in turn, purchased a historic brownston

rcle. It was a bizarre, unspoken duel foug

rlotte' s fashion-tech company, AURA, acquired the startup' s main competitor,

between Charlotte' s polite smile and Bryant' s indifferent expression. "She' s

train wreck. They were w

ions, all the seemingly petty retaliations, had one single, desperate goal: to make him

m five years ago, a sliver of conve

father, Barnett. His voice wa

all that matters. Don' t preten

e kids," his father had said, a rare note o

," Bryant had replied. "Sh

ember, a quiet, persistent love for the brilliant, unattainable boy who lived next door. His

ugh, relentless enough, she could win his affection. It was a s

ling her from the mem

nford. The tech prodigy who had turned his schol

stark contrast to the coldness she

elcome back, Jaden. I

, his tone turning serious. "I saw the news abou

grip on the p

and direct. "I have for years. You deserve better tha

al blow. Love. It was a word Br

o," she stammered

e said softly. "You don'

she shared with Bryant. Photos of them smiling for cameras lined the wa

excuse after excuse to postpone the wedding. He was too busy with a

lways so

ties, her heart aching with a love he never acknowledged. She rem

th a shrug, a casual cruelty that h

ech infusion, and the Barnes tech dynasty needed the legitimacy of old money.

ntence she had willingly accep

had

ia Barron appeared. A beautiful, cunning

en he looked at Kalia, a warmth he never showed her. He bough

e-sided arguments where she would scream and h

uld ask when she was

had shrieked once, her

will fulfill the terms of the agreement. But don't

ave died. But it clung on, a stubborn

her mind a thousand times. But she couldn't. Sh

of her world began to crack. For the first time, a different pat

keypad unlocking. Charlotte frowned. B

arron sauntered in, followed by

partment as if she owned it. "Nice place. A

embling with rage. "What are you

" Kalia said, examining her nails. "

e heart. The code to their h

arlotte said,

doesn't care about you, you pathetic hag." She ges

. She struggled, but he was too strong

hoed in the

ous smile on her face. "Bryant sai

ined down on her. She crumpled to the

nches from Charlotte's. "You se

mped on Charlotte's outstretched hand. A sharp

tor arriving. Her personal security team, alerted by a silent alarm, bu

from the floor. "Press charges. Fo

reluctant. "Miss Glover, perhaps we can s

ain. Her hand was broken, her face bruised. "I wan

ne, her voice a tearful plea. "Bryant, she's tr

ok at Charlotte' s injuries, his brow furrowing for a fractio

silent plea for justice. "They broke into our

n a low voice. Money and power exchanged hands through words. The

?" Charlotte demand

said, his voice flat. He turned back t

otte cried, her voice breaking.

s tone laced with anno

for years surged, a tidal wave of agony and betrayal. "D

his eyes as cold and

said dismissively, as if tal

funny. He held Kalia, stroking her hair, whispering comforting w

tion, Charlotte felt the last embers

n, soaking her in seconds, but she didn't feel it. The col

latant preference for Kalia-it all coalesced into a single, stark r

n she got home, she took out her phone. Her

n' s number an

e steady now. "I'm ready to