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Married to the man who ruined me.

Chapter 5 Terms of survival.

Word Count: 1020    |    Released on: 06/02/2026

did no

crawled across it. Every sound felt amplified-the distant hum of generators, the f

eeing the

moment she didn't k

w who

d against her ch

she had made

in the study ju

course he was. Men like him didn't wait for problems to a

sed the doo

ook up. "You sh

informed,"

t his a

d leaned back slightly, st

fur

rstan

rected. "It's

es narrowed

irectly across from his desk.

pa

e?" he sa

heard

u don't get to terminate a c

xactly th

tched. Dange

" Lucien said quietly.

alled

yourself

she shot back. "You just

ment was controlled, but it sh

u what was

e what was

"You're alive becau

ped becau

"You would have be

ds land

hen we're done pretending

said

ed. "And you dragged me onto

d you beh

ained m

dropped. "Wha

as sharp. Dire

n't hesitat

in his eyes-surprise

renegotiate

es

't have

inly. "You th

en w

ed me. Directly. That means whatever ga

were

vulnerability to force complianc

refully now, like a m

your terms

more secrets that involve my safety. If

how this w

n ad

"I choose where I go and who I see

d sharply. "A

conversat

t yourself

ready

be

e said. "I

wh

I don't care if it's filte

You're asking for things

ard. "I'm alrea

pressed

the window. He stared out at the e

lt for this," h

m. "You don't know

hat this world does

le li

with con

weaken. "Then maybe that's ex

ed her for a

wly, he n

dition,"

ened. "Of

atters," he continued. "No im

. "And you stop

pa

d," he

felt heav

eath she hadn't real

said. "Then

ised a br

said. "You flag

es

x i

ready in

lias C

arkened. "He doesn't

he prize," she said sl

didn't

hone buzzed

th look

ess

wn Co

sband thank you. I've n

s jaw c

king you,"

sting bo

that you can't

oked at h

You're not the only

ond, Helena appeared

he said. "There's

ed instantl

"One of our shell companie

ore softl

"The press is a

dropped. "This i

ly. "This is because h

tated. "The

ze sharpene

financial," she said.

t ki

ooked at

ollowed

se spiked. "W

ed. "Marriage-

om wen

dangerously calm.

file," Helena said quietly

od ran cold.

sed his ey

said, voice tigh

s eyes and l

, "that explains w

echoed i

os

m. Not co

ntio

ne buzz

er me

e print, Mrs

husba

Lucien, dread po

sign me into?"

didn't

realized the truth was

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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.