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Married to the man who ruined me.

Chapter 4 The enemy who knows her name.

Word Count: 1282    |    Released on: 06/02/2026

went on lockdo

it first throu

aling, guards repositioning, footsteps measured and purposeful. Even the staf

shadow. The hedges that had looked ornamental the night before now seemed

Lucien had

ore like

soft knock

in," s

o his forearms. He looked different tonight-less polished, more a

be by the win

ve. "Someone

es

ou mi

ed. "This isn't

. "Neither is u

at p

ed," he sa

not b

or behind him. "You'

's on

g. "There are people who've wanted access to t

it," she said fla

riage," he corre

eep saying that like it's su

shou

does

careful distance away. "I didn't

ew danger w

es

. "So you cho

least destruc

ng more than

eral damage,"

immediately. "Y

sharp and humorles

didn'

s pocket and placed somethi

ph

he

Direct line to me. If anything f

evice. "You expect me t

r n

eluctantly. "And h

r gaze. "Unti

not an

only hon

between them aga

r voice low. "Who was

on hardened. "You

es

recognize

es

seemed to

e?" she

n hes

her more than any e

reat," she said slo

looke

s confi

closer. "I deserve to know

ed. "You deser

ance makes

mitted. "Co

his eyes

nt, the ma

a fra

. "You think I wanted my life tied to some

est ti

mpire," she said. "I did

kno

eating me lik

-really studied he

break easil

o you," sh

g-approval, perhaps-p

can," he said at las

y n

ou know, you ca

his gaze.

pond, a sharp knock

po

ge

ned instan

e fractured for the first ti

she said. "It came throug

ent rigid. "That g

d. "Which is why sec

ll creep up her sp

a added, looking

re under h

s it?" h

he st

he ordered. "No s

ded and le

Lucien. "You sai

eady moving. "Which is

th every step. The study was dimly lit, one

at on t

al

ai

ordi

, stopping Ariella be

ot a c

y respons

s deba

ning look, then r

tic

wir

ed it c

s a singl

otog

went

closer before he

d partially o

eath c

was

weeks ago. Looking ove

en in neat black i

w who

lt suddenly

ching me," Ari

es

the ma

es

d. "So this isn'

't answer i

. "They were already close. You used the m

met h

ed the timel

hook. "By t

ieldin

r gave me

. "If I had, you

ed. "And I would

shed down b

ella str

he said

rowned.

re sec

't get t

she cut in. "And I c

pointing at the ph

gaze for a long,

he

as C

her like a

ued. "He doesn't bluff. And he d

ed hard. "Inter

s eyes

yo

zzed suddenl

crypte

reath

down at t

WN CA

n shifted instantl

ne buzz

e appeared be

Mrs. Bl

inally being int

fingers

ached for

answered

," he

la

oice said smoothly. "Or do

ood ra

et this number

tly. "You married in

yes burned

ll Lucien this-marriage doesn't end

ne wen

at the phone,

sed his ey

at her, his e

etly, "is where it

ear and resolve col

uth," she said. "And start treating

studi

somethin

ell," h

ce steady despite the terror insi

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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.