Chapter 1: I Want You to Destroy My Life
"I want you to ruin my life."
Mara Vale could not move. For seven years, she had thought about this moment finally meeting Adrian Cross face to face. She thought she would be angry. She thought she would blame him for ruining her father. She thought she would watch him lose everything. She never expected this.
The ballroom was full of rich people in fancy clothes. Everyone was drinking and talking business. Adrian Cross stood there like he owned the whole room. Maybe he did.
Mara held her small black purse tightly. Inside was a flash drive. She had snuck into this fancy charity event to steal proof that Adrian Cross had destroyed her father, Daniel Vale.
Seven years ago, her father was one of the most respected businessmen in the country. Then his life fell apart. People accused him of fraud. Millions of dollars went missing. His business partners left him. The police investigated him. In just a few months, his company was gone and his name was ruined. Adrian Cross's company grew bigger because of it. Mara never forgot that. She spent seven years gathering information about Adrian, waiting for her chance at revenge.
But now Adrian had caught her first.
He looked straight at her. "You've been following me for eleven months," he said calmly.
Mara's heart jumped. "I don't know what you mean."
He almost smiled. "You followed three of my managers last month. You broke into a Cross Group file two weeks ago. And tonight you got into my private event with a fake invitation."
She just stared at him. She had been so careful. How did he know?
He stepped closer. His suit was expensive, but his face was cold. "You should be scared of me," he said quietly.
"I'm not afraid of you."
"Yes, you are."
She lifted her chin. "You destroyed my father."
For a second, something changed in his face—not anger, but something like pain. Then it was gone.
"You still believe that?" he asked.
"I don't just believe it. I know it."
He looked at her for a long moment. Then he took a small envelope from his jacket and gave it to her.
"What is this?" she asked.
"Your father's case file."
Her hands went cold as she opened it. Photos. Bank records. Old company papers. Things she had never seen before.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Giving you what you've been looking for."
"Why?"
"Because I know what you're planning."
"What am I planning?"
"To destroy me."
They stood in silence. Then he said something that changed everything.
"So do it. Destroy my life. I'll even pay you to do it."
She thought he had lost his mind. "You're crazy."
"Maybe." He pulled out another paper. "This is a six-month contract. I want you to work inside my company. You'll have access to everything—records, money, private files, even my personal life."
"And what do I do for you?"
"Find the person who is really trying to destroy me. Your father wasn't the only person betrayed seven years ago."
Her breath caught. "What does that mean?"
"You'll find out."
She looked at the contract. Six months. Full access. One goal: destroy Adrian Cross. But she felt like he was hiding something important.
She picked up the pen. "If I agree, I get full access?"
"Yes."
"And you won't get in my way?"
"No."
She signed her name.
As soon as she finished, his face changed. For a moment, he looked almost pleased.
"Welcome to Cross Group," he said.
She folded the contract. "I'm going to enjoy destroying you."
He smiled. "I know."
She walked away, sure she had just taken her first step toward revenge. She didn't know she had walked straight into a trap—and that Adrian Cross wasn't the one she needed to destroy.
Above them, a man on the balcony had watched everything. His phone buzzed. He answered without looking away from Mara.
"She signed," he said.
A pause.
"Good," a cold voice answered.
"And Mara?" the man asked.
Another pause. His face went hard.
"Make sure she never finds out the truth."
He hung up. Below, Mara had no idea what she had just walked into. Adrian Cross had been waiting for her all along.
