When The Charity Case Buys The Empire

“I was the Bradford family's charity case, groomed to be Liam Bradford's wife, endlessly cleaning up his messes. Discreet calls to pharmacies, quiet payoffs – that was my life, a familiar, suffocating routine. Then, Eleanor Bradford's chilling call: "Ava, the penthouse. Now." I walked in to find Sophia Hayes, Liam's high school sweetheart, artfully tear-streaked and clutching her stomach. "It's her, or me and our babies!" Liam didn't even look at me. "It's Sophia. She's pregnant. Twins." He casually outlined his plan: Sophia would live in our penthouse, I'd be a godmother, then a sham wedding for appearances. My antique locket, a treasured gift, was tossed carelessly towards a trash bin. Later, Liam announced my custom wedding dress would be live-streamed as a charity donation for "good PR." "You were taken in out of charity," he sneered. "Be eternally grateful." The final blow: a legal document demanding I sign away any future maternal claims, ensuring Sophia's twins were the undisputed Bradford heirs. My value, reduced to a barren placeholder. When I refused, Sophia staged a dramatic fall, screaming I'd tried to harm her babies. Liam, in a furious rage, threw my suitcase, then shoved me out of the penthouse. "Go back to the gutter where we found you!" he roared, slamming the door. Cast out. Alone. But a cold, steel resolve ignited. My trembling hand dialed a name I hadn't called in years: Jax Cole. "Is that offer... does it still stand?" I choked out. "Always, Ava," he replied. "For you, always." My only way out. Boston City Hall. Three days. Nine AM. I would be there.”