The Rival’s Doorstep
Elena Pov:
My wedding Gown which was once a symbol of love, promises, and the future now clings to my body like a cloak of betrayal. The satin bodice was torn, the lace hem dragged threads of dirt as I walked. I could still hear the whispers and gaps of the crowd from hours ago when I said “No”. It was not a soft refusal but a deliberate response sharpened by my anger.
I could remember the look on Ethan’s face, the flicker of panic and shock in his eyes that was hidden by practiced charm.
And Selena, seated in the second row with fake shock and surprise written all over her face but her lips curled into a small smile for a split second as though she had already won.
They thought I would fall apart.
But I had other plans in mind.
That was why I was standing here standing above the looming skyscraper of “CROSS ENTERPRISES”.The rival empire Ethan had cursed multiple times in my hearing.The glass towers reflected the city skyline, cold and unforgiving, a mirror of the man who ruled the empire. Damien cross
Ethan’s greatest enemy.
And soon my weapon to destroy Ethan.
I strode inside, ignoring the receptionist and staff's surprised looks at my disheveled gown. The lobby was filled with light whispers from members of the staff. My footsteps made sharp sounds on the tiles.
“Ma’am—Miss—” the receptionist stammered half rising from her desk.
“Ma'am, you can't go up there, You must have an appointment before going up”
“I don't have an appointment but I can go” I simply told her in a decisive and even tone. I didn't stop or flatter because if I do then fear might creep in and I might be hesitant.
The elevator ride stretched for eternity. My reflection stared back at me from the silver door, my smudged mascara, red-rimmed eyes, and lips pressed in a thin line. I hardly recognised myself and that was the main point.
The woman I used to be, the naive and gullible woman who once loved Ethan with all her heart and being, who clung to Selena’s Friendship like her Life depended on it, who dreamed of love as salvation and friendship as the most important in one's life—she died on the cliff. Now this woman reborn is someone new.
When the elevator door slides open, I step out into the top floor of the enterprise.Two tall guards straightened, moving to block my path.
“You can’t—” one began.
The massive office doors opened before he finished.
“Let her in,” a voice commanded from inside. Smooth, low, and tinged with curiosity.
The guards hesitated but obeyed.
I walked into the lion’s den even if my heart thundered.
Damien Cross,stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, the city sprawling beneath him like a conquered kingdom.
His broad frame was cast in silhouette against the skyline, but as he turned, the sunlight caught the sharp cut of his jaw and the cold gleam in his eyes.
He was dressed in a custom-made tailored suit that screams luxury and status and fits his broad shoulders well. His blonde hair styled to perfection, clear blue eyes, and a well-polished shoe that speaks of luxury.
For a moment, he said nothing. His gaze swept over my ruined gown, the trembling veil still pinned to my hair, the stubborn fire in my eyes. Then his lips curved into a slow, amused smile.
“Well,” Damien drawled, his voice like velvet brushed against steel.
“If it isn’t the bride herself. Though, judging by your state…” His eyes lingered on the torn lace, the dirt smeared on satin.
“…the groom didn’t make it very far, did he?”
I forced my chin higher,” I called the wedding off”
“Called off” He stepped closer, unhurried, predatory. “Or destroyed?”
“Does it matter”
Damien’s laugh was low, rich, and it unsettled her more than outright mockery.
He moved with an elegance that made my pulse quicken, circling me slowly, like a wolf deciding whether prey was worth the chase.
You storm into my office in the wreckage of a wedding gown,” he murmured, “when most women would be drowning themselves in alcohol or tissues.
So tell me, Elena Mendez....” He pronounced her name with deliberate precision, as if tasting it.
“…why have you come here?”
My hands curled at her sides. I felt the weight of the documents hidden in the lining of my gown—the proof I had uncovered in my last life, the kind that could cripple Ethan if used correctly. This was my weapon of destruction, and Damien was the only man strong enough to wield it with me.
“I want to destroy Ethan”, My voice was sharp and flat tone but my heart thundered in my chest.
“His empire, his reputation and everything he values, I want them all destroyed”
Something flickered in Damien’s eyes for a split second. Surprise. Interest. Intrigue. Maybe even approval.
“Ambitious,” he said softly. “Revenge, dressed up in satin and lace. And why should I involve myself in your broken love affair?”
“This isn’t about love.” The words sliced from me like a blade.
“It’s about power. I know things. I have proof, contracts, and fraud that could ruin him.
Alone, I can wound him. But with you…” I met his gaze head-on. “…we can bring him to his knees and destroy him forever”.
The silence that followed was heavy, stretching fraught as a bowstring. Damien studied me inch by inch, as though peeling back layers to see what lay beneath.
Finally, he spoke, voice low. “Do you have any idea what you’re asking me, Elena? Ethan is not a man who forgives. If I move against him with you, there will be no turning back.
And you…” He stepped so close to me and I could feel his hot breath on my neck. “…you don’t strike me as a woman made for war.”
I met his gaze, my eyes filled with determination and confidence, and I said, “ I might not be that type of woman before but now I am “
The air crackled between us, sharp and electric. For the first time, Damien’s face showed an expression for a split second not gentle, but edged with respect and surprise.
“You are either very brave or very foolish”
“Maybe both”
Then Damien said,” What do I get in return, nothing is for free”
“ You get all the evidence to bring your enemy down”, I said
“ No, it's a win-win for both of us, I want something else”
“And what is that”, I said with my heart hammering
“ I want you and me to get married for a duration of 1 year”
“ Why do you want us to get married”
“The marriage is not required for the revenge”
Then Damien said, “How do I know that this is not just a setup and a scheme by you and Ethan”
“It's not a setup if not i wouldn't have brought the evidence with me”
“ Miss Mendez, you can carry the document with you to make it believable. So Miss Mendez, I don't believe you and everything you just said and the only way to make me believe you is by marrying me for a space of 1year “
“So if I don't get married to you, you won't believe me ?”
“ Yes, Miss Mendez and if u don't agree pls you can kindly leave my office and don't ever come back” he said in a sharp tone
My pulse raced, every instinct screaming that this was dangerous—that I was trading one cage for another. But I thought of Ethan’s smirk, of Selena’s mocking laughter, of the cliff’s cold wind against my skin and then anger burned in me and I answered;
“Mr cross, I agree to it but there will be no strings attached or any funny business”, I said with a serious tone
“Yes, Miss Mendez and there will be 3 ground rules”
“Okay, what are they”
You would live in my house for the duration of the contract
No falling in love with me and no touching of my things
You would work in my office for the duration of 1 year and I won't invade your private space and you won't invade mine
“With these 3 ground rules I hope we can live in harmony”
“ Yes, Mr. Cross.”
We shook hands,his grip tightened, firm, commanding. His smile was slow, wicked, inevitable.
“Good.” His voice dropped to a murmur that still carried through the vast office. “Let’s burn your ex alive.”
And in that moment, standing in the wreckage of my past and the dangerous promise of my future, I knew: the game had begun.