Chapter Nineteen
1512 Words
Despite the brewing chaos, Sinclair Enterprises and Blackwood Corporation had a charity gala to attend that weekend. The event was packed with powerful business figures, politicians, and media.
Ava wasn’t thrilled to go, but as a Sinclair, she had no choice. What made things worse?
She and Damien arrived at the same time.
As soon as they stepped out of their cars, cameras flashed, capturing the moment.
The whispers started immediately.
“Isn’t she Damien Blackwood’s rumored mate?”
“She’s human, right? Can she even handle this world?”
“Selene would be a better match for him.”
Ava ignored them, keeping her head high. But Damien, standing beside her, let out a low growl—his wolf didn’t like what he was hearing.
Selene, watching from a distance, smirked. Everything was going according to plan.
Until Damien did something unexpected.
He reached out—and took Ava’s hand.
The entire room froze.
Ava stiffened, staring at him in shock. But Damien’s face remained unreadable as he leaned down and whispered:
“Let’s give them something to talk about.”
Ava felt the warmth of Damien’s hand around hers, her body tensing in confusion.
What the hell was he doing?
The cameras exploded with flashes, capturing the moment between them. The whispers grew louder.
“Are they together?”
“Maybe the rumors are true.”
“She’s beautiful, but can she handle the business world?”
Ava instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but Damien held firm.
“Relax,” he murmured. “Or do you want them to think you’re scared?”
Her eyes shot up to his, irritation flashing across her face. “I don’t care what they think.”
Damien smirked. “Then stop acting like you do.”
Ava clenched her jaw. She wanted to shove his hand away, but causing a scene here wouldn’t help her. With an exhale, she forced herself to appear unfazed, walking beside him into the grand ballroom.
Vivian and Nicholas Kingston were already inside, watching with unreadable expressions. Meanwhile, Selene, who had planned to use this event to humiliate Ava, was fuming.
Damien had just given Ava the upper hand.
---
Selene wasn’t about to let Ava steal the spotlight.
She approached a group of wealthy businesswomen, flashing a charming smile. “I heard Ava Sinclair isn’t actually involved in Sinclair Enterprises. She worked at a bookstore until recently. Doesn’t that seem… unqualified?”
The women exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued.
Selene smirked. “She’s only here because of her last name. And maybe because a certain CEO finds her interesting.”
The gossip spread like wildfire.
Minutes later, Ava found herself subtly excluded from business conversations. Every time she tried to contribute, someone would dismiss her with a polite smile and redirect the discussion.
She quickly realized what was happening.
Someone was undermining her.
Who?.
Damien had been watching the entire situation unfold. He wasn’t blind to the way Ava had been subtly pushed out of conversations. He knew exactly who was behind it.
After the event, when most guests had left, he found Selene standing by the bar, sipping wine like she hadn’t just spent the evening sabotaging Ava.
“You never learn, do you?” Damien’s voice was calm, but there was an underlying warning.
Selene turned with a smile. “Learn what?”
“That I don’t appreciate people interfering in my business.”
Selene’s smile didn’t falter. “I was just being honest. She doesn’t belong in this world, Damien. Everyone sees it. Even your parents.”
Damien’s jaw tightened.
Selene continued, her tone softer. “She’ll never fit in, and you know it.”
Damien didn’t respond immediately. His wolf hated hearing that. But instead of arguing, he simply turned away.
Selene frowned. “Where are you going?”
Damien smirked. “Not your concern.”
Ava wasn’t one to let things slide. She had spent the entire evening watching Selene sabotage her, making sure she was subtly excluded from important conversations.
That was fine. For now.
If Selene wanted to play dirty, Ava would play smarter.
---
Ava’s Counterattack – The Exclusive Meeting
A few days after the gala, Sinclair Enterprises hosted a private business roundtable—a high-stakes meeting with top investors and influential CEOs. Unlike the gala, where anyone could whisper behind her back, this meeting was for decision-makers only.
And Ava made sure she was in charge of it.
Using her family name? Maybe. But she didn’t care.
If they thought she was just a clueless rich girl, she’d prove them wrong.
---
Selene arrived at the meeting, dressed to perfection, expecting the usual power players to control the room.
But as soon as she stepped in, her confident smile faltered.
Because sitting at the head of the table—where only the most powerful business figures sat—was Ava.
Calm. Poised. In control.
Vivian sat beside her, a small smirk on her lips. She knew exactly what Ava was doing.
Selene’s stomach twisted. This wasn’t supposed to happen.
The moment the meeting began, Ava took charge effortlessly, shutting down any attempts to undermine her.
“Miss Sinclair,” one investor started hesitantly, “I heard you only recently joined the company. Are you sure you’re ready to negotiate on behalf of Sinclair Enterprises?”
Ava smiled sweetly. “You mean because I wasn’t publicly involved before? That’s understandable.”
She leaned forward, placing a neatly organized file on the table. “But if you’ve done your research, you’d know that I’ve always been part of the company’s strategic negotiations behind the scenes. I just preferred to work in private. Now that I’m more involved, I expect my expertise to be judged based on my results.”
Her tone was cool, professional. Not defensive. Unshakable.
The investor looked surprised but nodded. “Fair enough.”
Selene clenched her jaw.
She couldn’t let this happen.
---
Selene leaned back with a smug smile, deciding to attack differently.
“You’ve certainly done your homework, Ava,” she said, her voice honey-sweet. “But being capable in business doesn’t mean you can handle the pressure of this world.”
She glanced around the room, making sure all the powerful figures were listening.
“You grew up in luxury,” Selene continued. “But what happens when you face a real challenge? A real crisis? A real scandal?”
The room went silent.
Selene had planted the seed of doubt.
And for a second, she thought she had won.
Until Ava laughed.
Not an uncomfortable laugh. Not a nervous one.
A real, confident, amused laugh.
Selene’s smile dropped.
Ava met her gaze, eyes glinting. “Selene, I know what you’re doing.”
Selene’s fingers twitched.
Ava leaned forward slightly. “But let me explain something to you. I don’t just come from wealth—I come from power. I wasn’t given my position in Sinclair Enterprises. I was born into it.”
She tilted her head. “So if you think a few snide comments can shake me, you’re more naive than I thought.”
Selene’s face burned.
A few of the CEOs exchanged glances, nodding in quiet approval. Ava had won this round.
---
Damien had heard about what happened.
He hadn’t attended the meeting, but Marcus had. And Marcus had enjoyed every second of watching Ava completely shut down Selene.
“So?” Damien asked later that night as Marcus recounted the scene.
Marcus smirked. “She destroyed Selene without even raising her voice. It was honestly brilliant.”
Damien leaned back in his chair, thoughtful.
Ava had always been strong-willed. He knew that.
But now…
She was proving to everyone that she wasn’t just some bookstore girl.
She was a Sinclair.
And for the first time, Damien felt something dangerous.
Regret.
Because if he kept pushing Ava away…
Someone else might take his place.
Damien wasn’t a man of unnecessary words.
But after hearing about what happened at the business meeting, he knew it was time to set things straight.
Selene had crossed a line.
And he wasn’t going to let it happen again.
---
Selene was in her office when she received the message.
Come to my office. Now. – Damien
Her heart pounded.
She had expected Damien to hear about the meeting. She had even wanted him to.
Maybe he would finally see how unfit Ava was for their world.
With a smirk, she grabbed her purse and headed to Damien’s office, fully prepared to play the victim.
---
When she entered, Damien was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to her.
The tension in the air was thick.
Selene put on her most composed expression. “Damien, I assume this is about Ava.”
Slowly, Damien turned.
His gaze was ice.
“No, Selene,” he said, voice calm but edged with warning. “This is about you.”
Selene’s smirk faltered for a second.
Damien didn’t wait for her response.
“You overstepped,” he said. “You think I wouldn’t notice?”
- Writer
