Zara had not expected to come face-to-face with her past so soon, but fate has a way of orchestrating its drama. Years had passed since the name Lucien Blackwood last crossed her lips; now, here he is, merely feet away, unaware of the storm she carried within her.
She hadn't come to the charity gala for champagne or networking.
This wasn't about the flashing cameras or the elite faces scattered across the room. It was about him. It had always been about him. Lucien Blackwood, the man who once stood at the crossroads of everything she had lost.
Zara had spent years building herself up from the ruins. After the collapse that followed her family's downfall, which bore the fingerprints of the Blackwood empire, she had clawed her way to the top of the fashion world. Her name, her brand, her influence -they were weapons now. Proof that she had not only survived but thrived. And yet, even with success, the ache of betrayal still lingered. She still bore the pains as if they had happened just some minutes ago; they stayed fresh in her heart.
Seeing Lucien again ignited something deep and raw. He looked unchanged, composed, Powerful, and confident. But beneath that polished exterior, she believed there were cracks. Secrets. And maybe even regret.
When their eyes met, time folded in on itself. Memories surged to the surface: whispered promises, stolen moments, and the day it all crumbled. She had loved him once, or thought she did, until his silence became a knife and his family's decisions destroyed everything she held dear.
He approached, Recognition slowly dawning on his face. "Zara Lane," he said, almost as if the name carried weight he hadn't expected.
She didn't flinch. "Lucien."
"You came", he said, wearing a beautiful smile.
"You invited me", she replied with composure as if her pulse was not racing beneath her ribs.
He walked with her and introduced her to influential names.
She kept it so clean, no one could notice she had this boiling deep with her. He raised his paddle at every auction item she glanced at, even bidding double for a painting she merely paused by.
He was charming, generous, effortlessly powerful but none of that changed what the Blackwoods did to her family.
Tonight was not about fairy tales.
It was about getting close enough to destroy him and the great dynasty he represents.
She had not come merely to confront him. She came with a strategy. Lucien was more than a symbol of her past, he was the gateway to the truth she had never been given. And perhaps, the justice she had long been denied. She would enter his world carefully, making him believe in her, making him feel safe. Then, when the time was right, she would shatter whatever illusion he clung to - just like his family shattered hers.
Stepping out for air, she tried to compose herself. But a voice-his voice-broke the quiet. Lucien, unaware she was nearby, spoke into his phone, low and urgent.
"...No mistakes this time. If she finds out, it'll ruin everything."
The words struck like a match. Zara froze. She? Could he be referring to her? What was he hiding? Her heart began to beat so fast, and her head sank into deep thoughts.
In that moment, Zara realised something had shifted. This wasn't just about revenge anymore. There were layers she hadn't yet uncovered, and Lucien was hiding more than just the past.
Whatever game he thought he was playing, she was ready now.
She wouldn't just hurt him.
She would expose him.