The morning light bled through the tall glass panes of my penthouse office, brushing the room in gold. I should have felt victorious — the company was thriving, investors were calling, and Wallace and I had become a force whispered about in every corner of the industry. Yet, beneath the hum of success, I felt it — the pull of an old shadow returning.
It started with a headline.
> BREAKING: James Hudson, Former Fiancé of Billionaire Diana Hattaway, Returns to London — New Venture Rumored.
I froze mid-sip of my coffee. My stomach twisted. The name James Hudson hit like a cold wave. The same man who'd crushed my heart and reputation, who'd left me bleeding in the public eye while he walked away smiling, was back.
"Diana?" Lana's voice snapped me out of the trance. She had that cautious tone that only appeared when bad news carried teeth. "You saw it too?"
I nodded slowly, eyes still glued to the screen. "He's back."
Evelyn walked in next, holding her tablet. "And not just back — he's got backing. Rumor says he's teaming up with Victor Dane."
My blood ran cold. Victor — the corporate viper who'd once tried to sabotage my first relaunch.
"Let them," I said quietly. "Let them try."
But inside, my pulse drummed with fury and memory.
---
That evening, Wallace called. His tone was soft, careful — like he knew the weight of the name that had resurfaced.
"Diana, don't let this get to you," he said.
"I'm not," I lied.
"You are," he replied gently. "I can hear it in your voice."
Silence stretched between us, heavy but intimate. Finally, I sighed. "You don't know what it's like to have the world laugh at you because of someone you loved."
He was quiet for a moment. Then, "Maybe not. But I know what it's like to lose faith in people you trusted."
I smiled faintly, a sad kind of understanding passing between us. "So what do I do, Wallace?"
"You rise — again. You're not the same woman he betrayed."
His voice had that deep calm that steadied me. "You're fire, Diana. And he's about to remember how much it burns."
---
Days later, the inevitable happened.
James Hudson walked into my boardroom. Not as an ex — but as a competitor. His company, Hudson Dynamics, had just acquired a controlling stake in one of my suppliers. And he came to meet about it.
"Diana," he said, smiling as though no ghosts lingered between us. "You look… incredible."
"Save it," I said coldly. "Let's talk business."
He laughed — that same arrogant chuckle that once made me melt, now made me nauseous. "Still the same fire. I always admired that."
I leaned forward. "You admired breaking it, you mean."
For a split second, the mask slipped. His eyes hardened. Then the charm returned. "We could work together again, you know. The press would love it — former lovers turned allies."
I smirked. "You'd love it. But I don't repeat mistakes, James."
His gaze lingered — sharp, predatory. "We'll see. This industry's small. I always get what I want."
"Not this time," I whispered.
---
When he left, I sat there trembling — not with fear, but with rage and renewed clarity. I'd built this empire brick by brick, scar by scar. And I wasn't about to let a ghost from my past threaten it.
Wallace entered minutes later, reading my face like a book. "He came, didn't he?"
"He did," I said, forcing a smile. "And he's playing war."
Wallace closed the door and walked closer, his presence grounding me. "Then he picked the wrong queen to fight."
His words were meant to comfort, but there was something in his eyes — something raw, protective, almost dangerous.
"Wallace," I whispered, "this could get ugly."
He reached for my hand. "Then I'll stand in the fire with you."
And just like that, I knew this wasn't just business or attraction anymore. Wallace Walker — billionaire, partner, mystery — was now part of the war I never wanted but was born to win.
---
Over the next few weeks, the games began. Leaked documents. False rumors. Strategic sabotage. Every move I made, James countered — slick, calculated, vengeful. But I didn't flinch.
Behind closed doors, my team worked like soldiers. Lana traced financial leaks, Evelyn reshaped our PR front, and Wallace… Wallace became my shield.
One night, as we worked late again, I caught him staring at me across the dimly lit room.
"What?" I asked, half-smiling.
He shrugged. "You. Every time I think I understand your strength, you surprise me."
"Careful," I said softly, "admiration is dangerous in war."
"So is love," he replied.
The words hung between us — sharp, real, electric. For the first time, I couldn't hide the tremor in my heart.
Before I could speak, he stepped closer and pressed a kiss to my forehead — tender, grounding, everything I didn't know I needed.
"Let's win this," he murmured.
And I decided then — I wouldn't just survive this war. I'd finish it. I'd make sure James Hudson learned what it meant to betray a woman who'd been reborn from fire.
