He wasn’t supposed to be anything more than a signature on a contract. A convenience. A man who walked in wearing arrogance like a three-piece suit—and walked out with her last name inked beside his. Avantika never believed in fairy tales. Especially not the kind where your husband is also your rival, your ex’s best friend, and the CEO threatening to burn your empire to ashes just to prove a point. She thought she could handle Atharva Raichand. She had handled worse. But she wasn’t prepared for the smirk that saw through her armor, the gaze that traced every fault line in her resolve. Their boardroom meetings were battlegrounds. Their marriage, a chessboard. And every night, she reminded herself: Don’t fall. Not for the man who wants your crown, not for the touch that feels like war. But some enemies don’t come to conquer. They come to ruin.