Beneath the scandal

Ava Carter had never ruined a billionaire's life before. But as she stared at the final draft of her exposé, the one that would send shockwaves through Blackwood Industries and make Damian Blackwood despise her, she felt a tiny, thrilling spark in her chest.

The kind of thrill that only came when you knew you were about to cause a beautiful disaster.

"This is either the best thing I've ever written," Ava muttered, sipping on her cold coffee, "or the last article I'll ever publish before I mysteriously vanish."

She was sitting in her tiny apartment, feet propped up on the couch, laptop balanced on her knees. The overhead fan creaked loudly, struggling against the summer heat. Outside, the sounds of New York-honking cabs, shouting pedestrians, an argument between a couple that was breaking up-filtered through her open window.

Her best friend and roommate, Sophia, popped popcorn into her mouth from the other side of the room. "I mean, you're calling one of the richest men in America a corrupt, greedy, morally bankrupt overlord. I'm sure he won't be mad at all."

Ava smirked. "I never used the words 'morally bankrupt.' I just... implied them heavily."

She read the title.

"The Blackwood Empire: How One Man's Greed Endangers Thousands."

Oof. Okay, maybe she'd gone a little hard on the title.

But Damian Blackwood deserved it. The man was a walking iceberg in a designer suit, an untouchable billionaire who moved through the world as he owned it-because he did.

And Ava? She had zero interest in letting another powerful man get away with corruption.

Her sources were solid. The financial reports she'd uncovered showed missing funds, suspicious offshore accounts, and a long list of employees conveniently silenced by ironclad NDAs. She wasn't just throwing accusations into the void-this was real.

Still, Sophia raised an eyebrow. "So, what's the plan? Hit publish, change your name, and flee the country."

Ava snorted. "Nah, I figured I'd wait until after Damian Blackwood finds out. Maybe I'll even send him a fruit basket with a card that says, 'Enjoy the scandal, XOXO, Ava.'"

Sophia burst out laughing. "Bold move. Love that for you."

Ava stretched, cracking her neck. "Alright. No more stalling." She took a deep breath, hovered her finger over the publish button... and clicked.

It was done.

Now, all she had to do was wait for the billionaire to find out.

Meanwhile, at Blackwood Industries...

Damian Blackwood was having a terrible day.

First, his assistant had dared to bring him the wrong coffee. He asked for a cortado. Not a latte.) Then, his board members were making ridiculous demands. And now, just when he thought things couldn't get worse, his phone buzzed with an emergency alert from his PR team.

Headline: "The Blackwood Empire: How One Man's Greed Endangers Thousands."

Damian's jaw ticked. He skimmed through the article with the speed of a man who was one second away from throwing his phone across the room.

What. the hell?

"This woman is out of her mind," he growled, his grip tightening around his phone.

The article wasn't just a mild inconvenience. It was a full-blown attack. A public execution, written in disgustingly well-researched detail.

And the worst part? The writer, Ava Carter, had done her homework.

He exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders back. Fine. If she wanted a fight, she was about to get one.

He pressed a button on his desk. "Lucas, get me everything on Ava Carter. Where she lives, where she works, what brand of toothpaste she uses-I don't care. I want to know everything."