Chapter 7 The Prince Of Betrayal

Aria I sat on the balcony, watching Manhattan glitter beneath me like a playground I had once ruled—and would again. Talia set a glass of whiskey in front of me. “Alright, boss. Time to spill. You said ‘opening act.’ So, what’s the main event? Oh my God, Aria, you should’ve seen his face,” she murmured, watching the city with me. “He looked like he wanted to either kiss you or throw his whiskey at the wall.” I smirked, tilting my head slightly. “Let him suffer. He deserves to.” Talia chuckled, crossing her arms. “So, what’s next? You made your entrance, reminded everyone you’re still Mrs. Blackwell, and Savannah is probably crying into a designer pillow right now. How do we up the stakes?” I swirled the amber liquid, watching the ice clink against the glass. “Brandon thinks he can cut me out and still keep his empire. He thinks Savannah is an upgrade—” I laughed sharply, “—but that woman’s got skeletons in her closet he doesn’t even know about.” Talia leaned in, her eyes wide. “You found something?” “Brandon thinks he’s won,” I said smoothly. “But what he doesn’t realize is that I was never just his wife. I was his greatest asset.” I turned, meeting Talia’s gaze with an unwavering stare. “And now? I’m going to become his worst nightmare. And you are right, Talia; I’ve found everything.” I smirked, pulling my phone out and sliding it across the table to her. Talia picked it up and scrolled, her eyes widening with every swipe. “Blackmail, corporate espionage, insider trading?” She whispered, glancing up at me like she couldn’t believe what she was reading. “Exactly,” I said, my voice like ice. “Savannah isn’t just a gold digger—she’s dangerous. And if Brandon thinks she’s some trophy wife, he’s dumber than I thought.” Talia exhaled slowly, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “Damn. Remind me never to betray you.” I smiled. “Too late. But lucky for you, I like you.” She laughed, shaking her head. “So, what’s the next move?” She looked so impressed. “So what’s the plan? You going to leak this?” “Oh no, no leaks.” I smiled darkly. “Not yet. First, I’m going to make him sweat. Make him beg for me to stay. And when he realizes that everything—his company, his reputation, his empire—is hanging by a thread, then I’ll decide whether I want to destroy him or just walk away with half of it.” “You know,” Talia said, sipping her drink, “there’s something poetic about him losing everything to the woman he underestimated the most.” “Exactly.” I downed the whiskey in one shot, feeling the fire slide down my throat. “He thinks Savannah’s his secret weapon? Well, I’m about to turn her into his biggest liability.” Flashback to My Conversation with My Lawyer “Aria, I need you to understand,” my lawyer, Melanie, said as she paced my suite earlier that morning. “If you want to go to war, this is going to get ugly. Brandon has resources. He won’t just roll over.” I crossed my arms, my voice steel. “Neither will I.” Melanie looked at me for a long moment, then sighed, pulling out a thick folder. “Alright, then let’s start here. Your prenup. It’s airtight—for you. He thought he was protecting himself, but honey, you were always smarter than him.” A slow smile tugged at my lips. “You mean I get half?” “Not just half,” she said, flipping open the folder. “Because of the clauses regarding public humiliation, infidelity, and bringing scandal to the marriage? You stand to take sixty percent of Blackwell Holdings if you play this right.” I whistled low. “Sixty percent. That would make me the largest shareholder.” Melanie smirked. “Welcome to the boardroom, Mrs. Blackwell.” Back to Present I stood up from the balcony chair, my eyes locked on the glass windows of the gala room where Brandon still stood, looking tense and distracted as he tried to keep Savannah calm. “Time for round two,” I murmured. Talia stood too. “What’s next?” “I’m going to remind him who made him.” I waited until Savannah stepped away—probably to go sharpen her claws somewhere—before walking right up to Brandon as he leaned against the bar. “Brandon,” I said smoothly, taking a sip of champagne. He turned, clearly not expecting me to approach. “Aria,” he said tightly. “Come to cause another scene?” I smirked, tilting my head. “Not at all. I came to offer you a deal.” His brows shot up, but he crossed his arms, skeptical. “What kind of deal?” I stepped closer, dropping my voice low so only he could hear. “You give me a clean divorce—half of everything, no questions asked—or I bring Savannah down and let the fallout take you with her.” His eyes narrowed. “You’re bluffing.” I laughed softly. “Oh, Brandon, if you think that, then you’ve already lost.” I reached into my clutch and slid a USB drive across the bar to him, smiling sweetly. “Just a taste. Call me when you’re ready to negotiate.” As I walked away, I heard him call after me. “Aria, wait.” I didn’t stop. Didn’t even look back. Because the game had just begun—and I was done playing nice. Brandon's POV Across the city, in his penthouse office, Brandon Blackwell sat alone, his whiskey glass untouched, his mind a storm of frustration. His tie was undone, his jacket was thrown over the back of his chair, and for the first time in years, he felt like he had lost control. Aria had left. She hadn’t begged. She hadn’t fought to stay. She had walked away without looking back. And worse? She had walked into his gala, looking like a damn queen, and reminded everyone that she was still his wife—that she still held power in this world, whether he wanted her to or not. Brandon exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. She had always been strong, too strong, but he had convinced himself that she wouldn’t walk away from the life they had built. Now, for the first time, he wasn’t so sure. His phone buzzed on the desk, breaking his thoughts. He reached for it. A private message from an unknown number. [You’re losing your grip. Be careful. You might not like what happens next.] Brandon’s jaw clenched. Because he knew exactly who had sent it. Ethan. And if Ethan was getting involved? This wasn’t just about marriage anymore. This was about war.