The first time I saw him, he was untouchable.
The kind of man people lowered their voices for. The kind that didn't walk into rooms… rooms adjusted themselves around him.
And that night?
I ended him.
My fingers hovered over the keyboard, trembling slightly as the final file uploaded. Years of secrets. Fraud. Blood money. Names that could burn entire cities if spoken too loudly.
And at the centre of it all…
Adrian Blackwood.
CEO. Billionaire. Untouchable.
Until me.
I hit publish.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
My phone exploded.
Messages. Calls. Notifications stacking like a building about to collapse.
"Lena, what did you do?!"
"Take it down NOW!"
"Do you know who you just exposed?!"
I stared at the screen, heart pounding but steady.
"I know exactly who," I whispered.
A knock sounded on my door.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
BANG.
The door flew open.
And there he was.
Not on a screen.
Not in a headline.
But in my apartment.
In my space.
In my air.
Adrian Blackwood.
Dressed in all black, like the night had shaped itself into a man. Calm. Controlled.
Deadly.
My throat went dry.
"You…" I stepped back, my body reacting before my mind could.
"How did you—"
"Security," he said simply, closing the door behind him like he owned the place. Like he owned me.
His eyes scanned the room, then landed on my laptop.
On the article.
On the truth.
Then back to me.
Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.
I forced myself to stand straight. "You should leave."
A pause.
Then—
He smiled.
Not warm.
Not kind.
The kind of smile that felt like a contract you didn't remember signing.
"You just destroyed everything I built," he said, voice low, almost thoughtful.
"Good."
The word came out sharper than I expected.
His gaze darkened slightly.
Interesting.
I wasn't afraid.
Or maybe I was.
But I refused to show it.
"Do you know what happens," he continued, stepping closer, "to people who try to ruin me?"
I swallowed. "They get exposed."
Wrong answer.
I saw it in his eyes before he even spoke.
"No," he said quietly. "They get owned."
Before I could react, he reached out—grabbing my wrist, pulling me just close enough to feel the heat of him.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
"You took something from me tonight," he said.
His voice dropped.
"So I'm going to take something from you."
My breath hitched. "Let go of me."
But he didn't.
Instead, he leaned in slightly, his words brushing against my ear like a threat wrapped in silk.
"You're going to marry me."
Everything in me froze.
"What?"
"You heard me."
I pulled back, searching his face for any sign of a joke.
There was none.
"You're insane."
"Maybe." His grip tightened just enough to remind me I wasn't in control. "But you don't have options anymore.
I laughed, but it came out shaky. "I just exposed you to the whole world. You think I'm scared of you?
His eyes held mine.
Steady.
Certain.
"You should be."
A pause.
Then—
"Because by morning," he continued, "every powerful enemy I have will know your name."
My stomach dropped.
"And they won't come for me first."
Silence.
Heavy.
Terrifying.
He released my wrist slowly, like he knew I wasn't going anywhere.
"Marry me," he said again, softer this time.
"And I'll protect you."
My mind raced.
This wasn't real.
This couldn't be real.
But the look in his eyes?
It was the most real thing I had ever seen.
"Or don't," he added, already turning toward the door.
"And let's see how long you survive the consequences of being brave."
The door opened.
Then he paused.
Without looking back, he said—
"You have until sunrise, Lena."
And then he was gone.
Leaving behind silence.
Chaos.
And a choice that could either save me…
Or destroy me completely.