Crossing the red line

The Convict Heiress: Marrying The Billionaire

Rollins Laman

The heavy thud of the release stamp was the only goodbye I got from the warden after five years in federal prison. I stepped out into the blinding sun, expecting the same flash of paparazzi bulbs that had seen me dragged away in handcuffs, but there was only a single black limousine idling on the shoulder of the road. Inside sat my mother and sister, clutching champagne and looking at my frayed coat with pure disgust. They didn't offer a welcome home; instead, they tossed a thick legal document onto the table and told me I was dead to the city. "Gavin and I are getting engaged," my sister Mia sneered, flicking a credit card at me like I was a stray dog. "He doesn't need a convict ex-fiancée hanging around." Even after I saved their lives from an armed kidnapping attempt by ramming the attackers off the road, they rewarded me by leaving me stranded in the dirt. When I finally ran into Gavin, the man who had framed me, he pinned me against a wall and threatened to send me back to a cell if I ever dared to show my face at their wedding. They had stolen my biotech research, ruined my name, and let me rot for half a decade while they lived off my brilliance. They thought they had broken me, leaving me with nothing but an expired chapstick and a few old photos in a plastic bag. What they didn't know was that I had spent those five years becoming "Dr. X," a shadow consultant with five hundred million dollars in crypto and a secret that would bring the city to its knees. I wasn't just a victim anymore; I was a weapon, and I was pregnant with the heir they thought they had erased. I walked into the Melton estate and made an offer to the most powerful man in New York. "I'll save your grandfather's life," I told Horatio Melton, staring him down. "But the price is your last name. I'm taking back what's mine, and I'm starting with the man who thinks he's marrying my sister."

Modern Revenge Rebirth/Reborn

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Ava's POV

"Ava, if you keep glaring at your laptop like that, it's going to file an official complaint."

I don't even glance up. Lila's voice drips with amusement, and if I make eye contact, she'll just get more dramatic.

"I'm not glaring," I mumble, my fingers hovering uselessly over the keyboard. "I'm concentrating."

"On what? The blinking cursor? Maybe if you stare long enough, it'll write your article for you."

With a groan, I push my chair back from the desk and grab the nearest pillow. Lila ducks just in time, and it smacks harmlessly against our dorm wall.

"You're impossible."

She grins, tucking her legs beneath her on her bed. "And you're avoiding. Big difference. What's the deal this time?"

I press my lips together, debating whether to admit it, but Lila's my best friend. She'd find out eventually.

"The paper editor just called," I mutter. "I've been assigned to cover Crescent Heights University's basketball season."

Her reaction is instant. She gasps so dramatically you'd think I told her tuition was canceled. "No. Way."

"Yes way," I say grimly.

She clasps her hands like she's about to burst into applause. "This is perfect!"

"For who? Definitely not me."

"For everyone! Ava, come on-you're going to have the best seat in the house. Interviews, game passes, maybe even road trips. This is like journalist gold."

I shoot her a glare. "This is torture. I don't do sports. I do features, profiles, human-interest stuff. Not sweaty guys chasing an orange ball across polished wood."

"Correction: sweaty, very attractive guys. And one in particular-"

"Don't you dare." I point a finger at her.

Her grin widens. "Ethan Cole."

I groan and let my head fall against the desk. "Every girl on this campus practically faints when he breathes in their direction. He's arrogant, cocky, and the last person I want to waste my time on."

"Strong feelings. You sure this isn't the beginning of an enemies-to-lovers thing?"

I snatch another pillow and hurl it at her. She laughs, catching it this time.

"This isn't a romance novel, Lila. It's journalism. Objective reporting. No matter how infuriating the subject is."

"Uh-huh," she says, unconvinced. "What did Andrew say, exactly?"

I sit up straighter and put on my best imitation of Andrew's chipper voice. "'Reynolds! You're going to love this assignment. Big games, star players, drama, rivalries-think of all the stories. You've got the writing chops, and the coach already trusts you-'"

"Because he's your dad," Lila supplies.

"Exactly. But Andrew calls it 'convenient access.'" I roll my eyes. "He wants my first piece on his desk by Friday. And he specifically said, "I need to start with an interview with Ethan Cole."

Lila's eyes sparkle with mischief. "Tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life."

"Tomorrow is going to be the worst day of mine."

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