Chapter 5 - The Bitter Counterattack
True to their nature, my family didn't go down without a fight. Two weeks after the boardroom takeover, they attempted their final, desperate counterattack. If they couldn't beat us financially, they would try to destroy us socially.
An anonymous source leaked a heavily edited version of our marriage certificate to a major entertainment news outlet, claiming that Blake and I were in a fake, fraudulent marriage designed to manipulate stock prices and cheat his grandfather’s estate. The media went into a frenzy. Reporters camped outside Blake's penthouse, shouting questions about fraud and impending jail time.
Inside the penthouse, I was pacing back and forth, panic threatening to break through my armor. "They found the contract terms, Blake. If the executors of your grandfather's estate believe the leak, they could freeze your assets. This is my fault. I brought this drama to your doorstep."
Blake caught my wrist as I paced past him, pulling me gently but firmly into his space. His grip was warm, grounding me instantly.
"Look at me, Clara," he said, his voice commanding and utterly calm. "Do you honestly think I didn't foresee them trying to play the fraud card? They are desperate animals cornered in a cage. They think they found a weakness. They don't realize they just stepped into a larger trap."
"What do you mean?" I asked, my heart hammering against my ribs, hyper-aware of how close he was standing.
"The contract we signed had a clause stating that if either party developed genuine feelings, the contract could be voided and replaced with a standard, permanent marriage license," Blake murmured, his dark eyes locked onto mine.
I froze. "But... that was just standard legal boilerplate to protect against liability. We don't..."
"Don't we?" Blake interrupted, his voice dropping to a low, husky whisper. He reached up, his thumb gently tracing my lower lip. "Clara, I didn't marry you just to satisfy a will. I could have found a thousand women to sign a piece of paper. I chose you because for two years, I watched you fight your toxic family with a grace and resilience that fascinated me. And over the last few weeks... seeing you command that boardroom, seeing your strength... I don't want a contract anymore."
My breath caught in my throat. "Blake..."
May you like
"We are going to give a live, televised interview tomorrow morning," he said, his eyes burning with absolute certainty. "And we are going to show the world exactly how real this marriage is."
Before I could process his words, he leaned down and captured my lips in a deep, fierce kiss that left no room for doubt. The contract was officially dead, and something far more powerful had taken its place.
