Page 2 of Revenge (Corrupt Empire 3)

Chapter One

Avery

The past six weeks had been the best and worst of my life. There was never a point where I considered turning back. Where I decided it wasn’t worth sacrificing everything for. It could spectacularly blow up in our faces after tonight, but I’d never look back and regret the actions I took to secure the downfall of my own family, the business and everyone connected to it.

I felt like the whole room was staring at us with shock and confusion. No one had been expecting me to get up here and announce to the world I was marrying Tristan Shaw. It was the one thing I hadn’t really wanted to do, make this announcement, but I had to.

Did I care I’d just lied to everyone?

Not particularly.

I’d spent the past six weeks lying to Frazier Shaw. Convincing him I was willing to marry his son. So this wasn’t really any different. Aiden told me I’d become quite the actress. The only time I’d been myself was when we were alone or amongst friends. Those friends had been instrumental in making sure we achieved our goals.

This would all be over soon. And I’d finally be free to call myself by my new name.

Miss Daniels didn’t exist any longer.

Mrs Lockhart had taken her place.

l

Six weeks prior

“And how exactly are we going to go about doing that?” I asked, staring up at Aiden with wide eyes.

He shifted on his feet, handing me back the document.

“You might not like my idea.”

“Aiden…”

“Frazier wants your money, that much is clear.”

I couldn’t believe my father had agreed to this clause. It completely negated everything he’d said to me in the past. About how I would go on to take over the world by myself. And yet, as it stated in black and white, if I was to marry before my twenty fifth birthday, full control of my trust fund would revert to my husband. Essentially, they’d have the power to take my inheritance from me if they wanted. The wording made it very clear.

“And he can have it if I marry Tristan.”

As if I didn’t hate my father enough, this was the fucking icing on the cake. I wanted to tear up the paperwork. I threw it into the pile and looked at my feet. Outrage bubbled up inside me. The fact that he’d ever even think this was an acceptable thing to do to me made me sick. Fuck him.

Aiden nudged the paperwork away with his foot before kneeling in front of me and taking my hand.

“You’re never marrying that cunt. You’re mine.”

He was right. I wouldn’t marry Tristan. We’d been over this before. Nothing had changed. The only person I wanted was right in front of me. And he was already mine.

“I don’t even want the money.”

He stroked his thumb over my palm.

“Princess…”

“I thought this couldn’t get any worse, but it has. I knew deep down it was about the money. If that’s what they want, I’ll give it to them. They can have it all as long as they leave me alone.”

“Do you mean that?”

I shook my head. I didn’t want Frazier getting his hands on my trust fund. The plans I had for it were important. If we were going to save all the girls my family had abused, then I’d need that money. There was no if about it. We were going to save those girls if it was the last fucking thing we did.

“I want to punish him. No… I want to punish both of them.”

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