The Midas Touch of Vengeance

and I have a gift, o

Love, hate, fear, joy, it doesn't matter. The emotion just has to be real. An

the five hun

n the afterglow of a moment with my husband, Mark Sterling, a moment so full of love it felt lik

nd focused like a CEO's, softened. He

hispered, his voice thick w

ing fast from both love and t

shake, and when he looked at me again, there were tears in his eyes

racking. "I need to ask you

ourse, I would give him

my arms tightening. "And not just the CEO, Ava. Wish for me to have uni

the largest tech company on the planet. Its current CEO was a legend. But lookin

ovate Global, with universal acclaim," I said, the

d me and told me how much he loved me, how we were a team, how this

orning, it

of Innovate Global had resigned overnight. A sudden, massive scandal involving insider

inted Mark Sterli

him. He laughed, lifting me up and spinning

e front row, my heart swelling with pride. He stood at the podium, lo

for the company, and charmed every reporter in the r

soft, deliberate

ant to share some wonderful news. I am engaged to be married to the love of my life, a woman wh

applause. Cameras

oze. My blo

iend. The woman he always tol

eful. She took his hand, and he raised it to his lips, k

uting questions. All I could see was my husband, the man I had given my

es and the celebrations, I finally

y face as I stood bef

alm, collected, sipping a glass of expensive whiskey. He looked at m

humanitarian crisis she helped solve. Her family, her home. Her reputation is pristine,

es analytical, as if he were

re demoted to a secondary role, even if you become the woman on the side, no on

hattering into a million pieces right at his feet. As if lo