The penthouse was silent, save for the rhythmic patter of rain against the floor-to-ceiling windows. Aria stood in the center of Ethan's living room, her emerald gown still clinging to her like armor, her makeup smudged from tears and the chaos of the gala. Ethan paced nearby, his tie undone, his hair a mess of frustration.

"The board wants my head," he said, his voice clipped. "They've called an emergency vote. If I lose control of the company - "

"Then what?" Aria snapped, whirling to face him. "You'll finally have to choose between your empire and *this*?"

Ethan's jaw tightened. "You think this is easy for me? I've spent a decade building Blackwood Enterprises. My family's legacy - "

"Is built on cold decisions and closed doors," she interrupted, her voice trembling. "But I'm not a deal to broker, Ethan. I'm not a *liability*."

He closed the distance between them in two strides, his hands gripping her shoulders. "You're not a liability. You're the only real thing in this godforsaken world of mine."

Their eyes locked, the air crackling with pent-up desire and rage. Aria's breath hitched as his thumb brushed the bare skin of her collarbone. "Then fight for me," she whispered.

The plea undid him.

Ethan's mouth crashed onto hers, the kiss a tempest of need and defiance. Aria's fingers clawed at his shirt, buttons scattering across the floor as she pushed the fabric off his shoulders. He lifted her against the wall, her legs wrapping around his waist, the cold glass pressing into her back as his hands roamed her body with possessive urgency.

"You want me to fight?" he growled against her lips, nipping at her bottom lip. "I'll burn this city down for you."

The words ignited something primal in her. She tangled her hands in his hair, arching into him. "*Prove it.*"

Clothes fell away in a frenzied rush, their bodies colliding with a desperation that bordered on violence. Ethan's mouth trailed down her neck, marking her as his, while Aria's nails scored his back, claiming him in return. The storm outside mirrored the chaos within - thunder shaking the windows as they moved against each other, all sharp edges and scorching heat.

But even as they lost themselves in the fire, the world outside refused to relent.

Ethan's phone buzzed incessantly on the floor, the screen lighting up with calls from the board, Sophie, and a blocked number. Aria ignored it, focusing on the way his hands worshiped her skin, the way his breath hitched when she bit his earlobe.

Until the elevator dinged.

They froze, but it was too late.

"Ethan, we need to talk about the - *oh my God*."

Sophie stood in the doorway, her face pale, a folder of documents slipping from her hands. Aria scrambled to cover herself with Ethan's discarded shirt, but the damage was done.

"You're *still* doing this?" Sophie's voice shook with fury. "After everything? The board is minutes away of ousting you, Mom's had a panic attack, and you're here - *screwing her* like it's nothing?"

Ethan stepped in front of Aria, shielding her from Sophie's glare. "Leave. Now."

"No," Sophie spat. "You don't get to play the protector now. Alex Kensington just leaked your emails to the press. Every dirty secret, every late-night rendezvous - it's all public. Congratulations. You've ruined *everything*."

The words hung in the air like poison. Aria's legs gave out, and she sank onto the couch, clutching Ethan's shirt to her chest. Ethan didn't move, his nakedness a stark contrast to the icy rage in his eyes.

"Get out, Sophie," he repeated, deadly calm.

She laughed, a hollow sound. "You'll regret this. Both of you."

When the elevator doors closed, Ethan turned to Aria. For the first time, he looked uncertain.

"We need to leave the city," he said abruptly. "Tonight. I have a jet waiting."

Aria stared at him. "Running away?"

"Surviving," he corrected, pulling her to her feet. "They'll come for you next. The press, the board - *Alex*. I won't let them touch you."

She searched his face, the man who'd built walls so high even she couldn't scale them. "And if I don't want to run?"

Ethan cupped her face, his thumb brushing her cheek. "Then we stand. Together. But know this - if we stay, I can't promise mercy. I'll destroy anyone who tries to tear us apart."

Aria's pulse raced. This wasn't the Ethan she knew. This was something darker, hungrier.

"Including your family?" she whispered.

His gaze never wavered. "Including everyone."

Outside, the storm raged. Somewhere in the city, headlines blared, and enemies plotted. But in that moment, Aria made her choice.

She kissed him, slow and deliberate, a vow.

"Then let's watch it burn."

---

**Cliffhanger:** As they dress to face the storm, Aria's phone lights up with an anonymous text: *"Ask him about the fire. Ask him what really happened the night his father died."*