Ravenna

Ravenna POV Three years ago, I was the wife of Nathaniel Reid. Tonight, I was the woman who had come to destroy him. I stood before the floor-to-ceiling mirror in my hotel suite, adjusting the diamond bracelet around my wrist. My black evening gown hugged my figure, its elegant slit revealing one leg as I moved. My dark hair fell in soft waves over my shoulders, and the red lipstick on my lips made my smile look almost dangerous. I barely recognized the woman staring back at me. Once, I had been the kind of woman who apologized even when she had done nothing wrong. I had spent years trying to earn my parents' affection, believing that if I loved them enough, they would eventually love me the same way they loved my younger sister. Then I married Nathaniel Reid. I thought things would finally change. Instead, my marriage became another place where I had to beg for love. I remembered the accusations, the lies, and the coldness in Nathaniel's eyes when he finally decided that I was the villain in a story I had never written. I remembered the night my life fell apart. And I remembered the people who had watched it happen without lifting a finger to help me. My fingers tightened around the edge of the dressing table. Three years. It had taken three years to rebuild myself from the ruins they had left behind and to understand that being kind did not mean allowing people to destroy me. And tonight, I would see them again. All of them. My phone vibrated on the table. A message from my assistant appeared on the screen. Miss Ravenna, everything is ready. Your acquisition of Reid Group's largest investor shares has been finalized. The transfer is complete. I read the message twice before placing the phone in my purse. Reid Group.The company Nathaniel had spent years building into an empire. The same company whose success had once made him untouchable. He had no idea that a significant portion of its future now rested in my hands. I picked up my purse and walked toward the door. "Let's see how you welcome me this time, Nathaniel." --- The engagement party was being held at the Reid family's private ballroom. Crystal chandeliers illuminated the room, reflecting off expensive jewelry and polished marble floors. Waiters moved between guests carrying champagne, while soft music filled the air. Everything looked exactly as I remembered it. Wealthy people pretending to be happy. Powerful people pretending to be good. And my family, who had always been so concerned about appearances, standing proudly among them. I paused at the entrance. My mother stood beside my father in an elegant silver gown. She was smiling as she spoke to a group of guests, looking every bit like the loving mother she had never been to me. Then I saw my sister. Zara wore a breathtaking white evening gown, a diamond necklace resting against her collarbone. Her hand was wrapped possessively around Nathaniel's arm. She looked beautiful. She always had. Growing up, I had been told that Zara was prettier, sweeter, and more deserving of good things than I was. When she cried, my parents rushed to comfort her. When I cried, they told me to stop being dramatic. Even after I married Nathaniel, I had continued hoping they would eventually see me as their daughter rather than Zara's less important older sister. Looking at them now, I wondered how I had been so foolish. Nathaniel leaned toward Zara and whispered something in her ear. She laughed, then rested her head against his shoulder. My stomach twisted, but the feeling disappeared almost immediately. I had cried enough tears over that man to fill an ocean. He no longer had the power to hurt me. At least, that was what I told myself. "Everyone, may I have your attention?" Nathaniel's deep voice carried across the ballroom. The conversations gradually faded. He stood beside Zara, looking handsome in a perfectly tailored black suit. His expression was confident, his posture commanding. He was the kind of man people naturally turned to when he entered a room. Three years ago, I would have looked at him with nothing but love. Tonight, I looked at him and remembered the man who had abandoned me when I needed him most. "Thank you all for joining us tonight," he continued. "It means a great deal to me to have my family, friends, and business partners here for this special occasion." He turned toward Zara. "I am happy to announce that Zara and I will soon be married." Applause erupted. My mother clapped enthusiastically, tears shining in her eyes. My father smiled with obvious satisfaction. I almost laughed. They had never looked so proud when I married Nathaniel. Perhaps, in their eyes, Zara had finally achieved what I had never deserved. Nathaniel lifted Zara's hand and kissed her knuckles. "She has brought happiness into my life," he said. Those words struck me harder than I expected. Not because I still loved him. But because I remembered the woman I had been when I married him. I remembered preparing his favorite meals, waiting up for him when he worked late, and defending him whenever my family complained about our marriage. I remembered believing that if I were a good enough wife, he would never have a reason to leave me. Yet here he was, promising forever to the sister who had helped destroy my life. I reached for a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. "To happiness," I whispered.Then I took a sip. My phone vibrated again. This time, the message was from the event coordinator. Your entrance has been arranged. The host has been informed that the new shareholder will be arriving shortly. I glanced toward the stage. Nathaniel was still smiling beside Zara. He had no idea that his evening was about to become much more interesting. I placed my untouched champagne on a nearby table and walked toward the ballroom entrance. The doors opened. A hush fell over the guests as I stepped inside. Several people turned to look at me. I heard a few whispers, but I ignored them. I kept walking. My heels clicked against the marble floor as I made my way through the crowd, my gaze fixed on the man standing beside my sister. Nathaniel's smile faded when he noticed the commotion. His eyes moved toward the entrance. And then they landed on me. For a moment, he didn't move. His expression changed so quickly that I almost missed it. First came confusion, then disbelief. His fingers loosened around Zara's hand. The champagne glass in his other hand slipped. It shattered against the floor. Everyone turned toward him. "Nathaniel?" Zara asked, startled. He didn't answer her. He stared at me as though he had seen a ghost. Perhaps, to him, I was one. After all, he had spent three years believing that I was gone forever. I stopped a few feet away from the stage and smiled at him. "Good evening, Babe." His lips parted, but no words came out. I tilted my head slightly. "Congratulations on your engagement." Zara's face had gone pale. My mother was staring at me with her mouth open, while my father looked as though he had forgotten how to breathe. I enjoyed every second of their silence. Nathaniel finally found his voice."Ravenna?" I smiled wider."Surprised to see me?" He took one unsteady step forward. "But... you're supposed to be..." "Dead?" I finished for him. His face lost what little color remained. I let my gaze travel briefly to Zara before returning it to him."Unfortunately for some people, Nathaniel, I'm very much alive." Then I turned toward the guests and raised my chin. "Since everyone is here, I suppose this is the perfect opportunity to introduce myself properly." A man in a dark suit approached me and handed me a document folder.I accepted it without looking away from Nathaniel."My name is Ravenna Reid," I announced. "And as of today, I am the new majority shareholder of Reid Group's largest investor." A wave of shocked whispers swept through the ballroom. Nathaniel stared at the folder in my hands. For the first time since I had known him, the powerful Nathaniel Reid looked completely lost. I took one final step toward him. "Now, Nathaniel," I said softly, "shall we discuss business?" His engagement party had only just begun. And so had my revenge.