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Married to the man who ruined me.

Chapter 3 The wife the world will see.

Word Count: 1201    |    Released on: 06/02/2026

se didn't fee

like a s

t to be comforting. The gravel drive stretched endlessly, flanked by sculpted hedges and stone fountains that whisper

d in her lap, watching the reflection of the

poken since the

ugh he hadn't just altered the course of her life. His silence was deliberate

finally

river said politely,

o

pped ou

e walls, tall windows glowing faintly from within, the structure elegant

car and moved to h

. Not if y

ins

ned before sh

nt, composed, eyes carefully lowered. A woman steppe

ood," she sa

ruck Ariella

Lucien said. "She

er head. "Your ro

r r

ur

at Lucien. He

a long corridor. "I

tly against marble floors. Ariella felt exposed, studied, even t

e a set of doors at

Ariella, opening one door. "And Mr.

blinked.

almly. "You'll ha

r more than the c

to pretend," s

," he replied. "I'm

moment, then e

ped into the

nimal decoration. It looked like a hotel suite-luxurious but tempo

k to Lucien. "

ton

tomor

watch. "Tomorrow,

tightened.

nnouncement schedu

at him. "Yo

joke abou

n't tell

didn'

and sudden. "Yo

otectin

g me into

es

"You don't get to

y. "That decision was mad

rt because t

oom, trying to regain control. Her suitca

fast," she

ty hand

rse th

her hair. "What exactly

l distance away. "That we married privately.

that'

r n

y. "You talk like t

t

in. "And what am

"You smile when required. You

in pr

"In private, you'r

ght her

earching for mocke

oing this?" sh

d. "Because walking a

hy

e reason I m

n't el

come easily

the unfamiliar quiet of a house too large to feel safe.

n slept as easily as

ckwood House wa

ants followed. Helena moved through it al

her hair, another her makeup. She barely recogni

diculous,"

sary," Hele

extravagance. No vulnerability. Something a billio

ed just as t

d when h

or a m

adable crossed

do," h

m a look. "

iella's stomach churned as the building came into view-c

ien said quietl

e a

a pa

oftly. "That'

ar st

oor o

expl

she couldn't distinguish. Lucien's hand settl

ch star

intimate-but becaus

ing her chin as they s

. He confirmed the marriage without el

turned

oze for ha

voice low enough only

e

eras at

reporter called out.

ucien's grip t

y," Lucie

y the s

la. "Because not everyt

holding it longe

when she

the s

oo still. Watchi

eyes

lid down

act, Lucien shifted

guiding her bac

nd the noise faded, A

s watching,

ession darken

caught. "

es

ll brought m

es

his would p

plied. "It conf

t him. "Conf

ategist, not as a billionaire-but as a

noticed you,"

ood ra

ppens now?"

s jaw t

find out how far the

r pull

alized the tru

wood didn't make

de he

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Married to the man who ruined me.
Married to the man who ruined me.
“Ariella Quinn never imagined that survival would come with a wedding ring. Once, her life was quiet. Ordinary. Safe. Then her family's name was dragged into a scandal they did not create, their finances collapsed overnight, and every door that once opened to them slammed shut. Behind it all stood one name-Blackwood. A name whispered with fear, respect, and power. A name Ariella learned to hate without ever seeing the face behind it. Lucien Blackwood is not a man who explains himself. As a billionaire with influence that stretches far beyond boardrooms, he is known for control, precision, and results-no matter the cost. When Ariella is summoned under the pretense of a legal negotiation, she expects humiliation. What she doesn't expect is a contract that will change the course of her life forever. Marriage. Cold. Legal. Non-negotiable. Lucien offers protection, financial security, and silence in exchange for one thing: her name beside his. To the public, it will look like a fortunate match. To Ariella, it is a cage built by the very man whose decisions ruined her family. Refusal is not an option. Acceptance feels like surrender. Their marriage is not born of love, attraction, or trust. It is built on resentment, fear, and secrets deliberately left unexplained. Lucien keeps his distance, enforcing rules rather than affection. Ariella enters his world surrounded by luxury that feels more like surveillance than comfort. Guards watch her movements. Strangers know her schedule. Danger lingers just beneath the surface. And the worst part? No one will tell her why. As threats begin to surface and pieces of the past refuse to stay buried, Ariella realizes that her "ruin" may not have been accidental. The marriage that destroyed her freedom may also be the only thing keeping her alive. Every answer Lucien withholds deepens her anger-and her curiosity. Every moment of forced proximity tightens the tension between them. This is a slow-burn romance driven by emotional restraint, power imbalance, and psychological conflict. Love does not arrive easily. Trust is hard-won. And forgiveness may be more dangerous than hatred. Married to the Man Who Ruined Me is a gripping billionaire romance that blends contract marriage, suspense, and emotional depth. With carefully paced revelations and chapter-ending cliffhangers, the story keeps readers questioning motives, loyalties, and the true cost of power. It explores what happens when a woman is forced to bind herself to the man she blames for her destruction-and discovers that the truth is far more complicated than she was ever allowed to see. In a world where appearances are currency and silence is survival, Ariella must decide: remain a victim of Lucien Blackwood's shadow, or learn how to stand beside him without losing herself.”
1 Chapter 1 The call at 9:47 p.m.2 Chapter 2 The contract she was meant to refuse.3 Chapter 3 The wife the world will see.4 Chapter 4 The enemy who knows her name.5 Chapter 5 Terms of survival.6 Chapter 6 The clause that changed everything.7 Chapter 7 The dinner invitation.8 Chapter 8 Shadows at every turn.9 Chapter 9 The first strike.10 Chapter 10 The trap tightens.11 Chapter 11 Cross fire.12 Chapter 12 Lines in the sand.13 Chapter 13 No safe ground.14 Chapter 14 Collision source.15 Chapter 15 Breaking point.16 Chapter 16 Edge of control17 Chapter 17 Shadows unleashed.18 Chapter 18 Crossfire.19 Chapter 19 Fractured Alliances.20 Chapter 20 The edge of reckoning.21 Chapter 21 Reckoning at Blackwood.22 Chapter 22 Shadows over the city.23 Chapter 23 The echo of betrayal.24 Chapter 24 The price of truth.25 Chapter 25 The face of betrayal.26 Chapter 26 The price of silence.27 Chapter 27 When the night turns.