Chapter 13 – The Proposal Trap
The following week brought calm skies—but in Elara's world, that only meant the storm was gathering strength.
VossTech's share prices began to recover. Media coverage shifted in her favor. People were finally seeing her not as the arm candy of a ruthless billionaire—but as a force in her own right.
And then Damian dropped another bombshell.
He took her to dinner at Aurum, a private rooftop restaurant with only five tables and a waiting list that spanned two years.
The sky was indigo, dotted with stars. A soft breeze carried the scent of jasmine and grilled sea bass. A string quartet played low, haunting melodies.
Damian wore a charcoal suit, perfectly cut. Elara wore a deep burgundy dress that clung to every curve. But even wrapped in luxury, she was tense.
Something was off.
He hadn't touched his wine. He hadn't looked at his phone once.
Damian Voss was never that present—unless he was planning something.
"You've been quiet," she said, studying him.
He stared at her, eyes unreadable. "Because I'm about to do something reckless."
Elara raised an eyebrow. "You've never been afraid of risk."
"Not until you."
She blinked, startled.
Then Damian reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box.
For a second, her heart stuttered.
He opened it.
Inside was a diamond.
No—not a diamond.
A custom-cut black opal, glinting with hidden fire beneath the surface. Set in platinum. Wrapped with a halo of micro-pave diamonds.
It was the most unconventional, stunning ring she had ever seen.
"Elara Vale," he said, standing slowly. "Will you marry me… for real this time?"
She stared up at him. "You already married me."
"That was business. Strategy. Protection. But now—this is personal. This is mine."
Her throat tightened. "You don't do personal."
"I do now."
For a moment, she forgot everything—Monroe, Juliette, her father's betrayal. It all disappeared beneath the gravity of his eyes.
He meant it.
She stood. Slowly. Hands trembling.
And then—
"YES."
The rooftop exploded in soft applause. The quartet shifted to a soft romantic waltz. Damian slipped the ring onto her finger.
"You planned this," she whispered. "Even down to the song."
"I plan everything," he said, his voice low. "But you… you're the first thing I ever fought to keep."
He kissed her.
It wasn't hungry or urgent.
It was quiet.
Like a promise.
The next morning, the engagement was all over the news.
"Damian Voss Proposes to Wife of Convenience—Love or Leverage?"
"Billionaire CEO Remarries Wife in Lavish Ceremony?"
"Elara Vale: From Assistant to Queen of VossTech."
Simone fielded calls from luxury designers, fashion houses, gossip shows. Everyone wanted a piece of the story.
And that's when Juliette called.
"You've become a brand," she said. "Congratulations."
Elara sighed. "What do you want, Juliette?"
"A warning," Juliette said, her voice tightening. "Monroe's planning something public. A press ambush. He's going to accuse you of laundering money through VossTech."
Elara blinked. "What?"
"He's using your father's old records. He's going to say you inherited the fraud. That you're continuing it."
"That's ridiculous."
"It doesn't have to be true. It just has to look true."
Elara gritted her teeth. "What do I do?"
Juliette paused. "Beat him to it."
That afternoon, Elara called an emergency press conference.
The board begged her to let Damian do it instead. She refused.
Standing in front of a sea of cameras and journalists, she looked every inch the powerful woman they didn't expect.
"I've made mistakes," she began, "but hiding isn't one of them."
She walked them through her father's history. The contracts. The money trails. Every document Monroe planned to use against her.
"I found these records myself," she said. "I brought them to light. Not because I had to—but because this company deserves honesty."
She looked directly into the camera.
"And so do the people watching. I will not be another woman used as a scapegoat in a powerful man's war."
Gasps. Flashes. Questions thrown like daggers.
But Elara didn't flinch.
She was bulletproof now.
That night, Damian found her on the rooftop terrace of their penthouse.
"You turned a trap into a weapon," he said.
She gave a tired smile. "Maybe I learned from the best."
He took her hand and kissed the new ring.
"I told you," he murmured, "I'll burn the world for you."
She leaned into his chest.
"No need," she whispered. "I'll light the match myself."
Meanwhile…
In Monroe's office, a screen replayed her press conference.
He watched in silence, rage pulsing in his jaw.
"She's not afraid anymore," he said.
A shadow moved behind him.
"I told you," came a voice. "She was never the pawn."
Monroe turned.
His brother.
Jasper Monroe.
"You came back," Garrett said coldly.
"I came to finish what you started," Jasper said. "But this time… we take them both down."
Author's Thought 💬
LET'S GOOOOOOO! 💍🔥
A REAL proposal. A surprise press ambush. And a NEW VILLAIN enters the chat?! Jasper Monroe?! 👀 Just when we thought Elara and Damian could breathe for one chapter… BAM. Another snake in the garden.
💬 Let's talk:
Was the proposal everything you hoped for?
Do you think Juliette is truly helping—or playing both sides?
What does Jasper Monroe REALLY want?
🥀 Coming up: family scandals deepen, wedding plans turn dangerous, and Jasper's secret deal will shatter someone's loyalty…
Smash that add to library, leave your comment, and throw some power stones if you're loving Elara's rise to power!
Chapter 13 – The Proposal Trap
The following week brought calm skies—but in Elara's world, that only meant the storm was gathering strength.
VossTech's share prices began to recover. Media coverage shifted in her favor. People were finally seeing her not as the arm candy of a ruthless billionaire—but as a force in her own right.
And then Damian dropped another bombshell.
He took her to dinner at Aurum, a private rooftop restaurant with only five tables and a waiting list that spanned two years.
The sky was indigo, dotted with stars. A soft breeze carried the scent of jasmine and grilled sea bass. A string quartet played low, haunting melodies.
Damian wore a charcoal suit, perfectly cut. Elara wore a deep burgundy dress that clung to every curve. But even wrapped in luxury, she was tense.
Something was off.
He hadn't touched his wine. He hadn't looked at his phone once.
Damian Voss was never that present—unless he was planning something.
"You've been quiet," she said, studying him.
He stared at her, eyes unreadable. "Because I'm about to do something reckless."
Elara raised an eyebrow. "You've never been afraid of risk."
"Not until you."
She blinked, startled.
Then Damian reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box.
For a second, her heart stuttered.
He opened it.
Inside was a diamond.
No—not a diamond.
A custom-cut black opal, glinting with hidden fire beneath the surface. Set in platinum. Wrapped with a halo of micro-pave diamonds.
It was the most unconventional, stunning ring she had ever seen.
"Elara Vale," he said, standing slowly. "Will you marry me… for real this time?"
She stared up at him. "You already married me."
"That was business. Strategy. Protection. But now—this is personal. This is mine."
Her throat tightened. "You don't do personal."
"I do now."
For a moment, she forgot everything—Monroe, Juliette, her father's betrayal. It all disappeared beneath the gravity of his eyes.
He meant it.
She stood. Slowly. Hands trembling.
And then—
"YES."
The rooftop exploded in soft applause. The quartet shifted to a soft romantic waltz. Damian slipped the ring onto her finger.
"You planned this," she whispered. "Even down to the song."
"I plan everything," he said, his voice low. "But you… you're the first thing I ever fought to keep."
He kissed her.
It wasn't hungry or urgent.
It was quiet.
Like a promise.
The next morning, the engagement was all over the news.
"Damian Voss Proposes to Wife of Convenience—Love or Leverage?"
"Billionaire CEO Remarries Wife in Lavish Ceremony?"
"Elara Vale: From Assistant to Queen of VossTech."
Simone fielded calls from luxury designers, fashion houses, gossip shows. Everyone wanted a piece of the story.
And that's when Juliette called.
"You've become a brand," she said. "Congratulations."
Elara sighed. "What do you want, Juliette?"
"A warning," Juliette said, her voice tightening. "Monroe's planning something public. A press ambush. He's going to accuse you of laundering money through VossTech."
Elara blinked. "What?"
"He's using your father's old records. He's going to say you inherited the fraud. That you're continuing it."
"That's ridiculous."
"It doesn't have to be true. It just has to look true."
Elara gritted her teeth. "What do I do?"
Juliette paused. "Beat him to it."
That afternoon, Elara called an emergency press conference.
The board begged her to let Damian do it instead. She refused.
Standing in front of a sea of cameras and journalists, she looked every inch the powerful woman they didn't expect.
"I've made mistakes," she began, "but hiding isn't one of them."
She walked them through her father's history. The contracts. The money trails. Every document Monroe planned to use against her.
"I found these records myself," she said. "I brought them to light. Not because I had to—but because this company deserves honesty."
She looked directly into the camera.
"And so do the people watching. I will not be another woman used as a scapegoat in a powerful man's war."
Gasps. Flashes. Questions thrown like daggers.
But Elara didn't flinch.
She was bulletproof now.
That night, Damian found her on the rooftop terrace of their penthouse.
"You turned a trap into a weapon," he said.
She gave a tired smile. "Maybe I learned from the best."
He took her hand and kissed the new ring.
"I told you," he murmured, "I'll burn the world for you."
She leaned into his chest.
"No need," she whispered. "I'll light the match myself."
Meanwhile…
In Monroe's office, a screen replayed her press conference.
He watched in silence, rage pulsing in his jaw.
"She's not afraid anymore," he said.
A shadow moved behind him.
"I told you," came a voice. "She was never the pawn."
Monroe turned.
His brother.
Jasper Monroe.
"You came back," Garrett said coldly.
"I came to finish what you started," Jasper said. "But this time… we take them both down."
LET'S GOOOOOOO! 💍🔥
A REAL proposal. A surprise press ambush. And a NEW VILLAIN enters the chat?! Jasper Monroe?! 👀 Just when we thought Elara and Damian could breathe for one chapter… BAM. Another snake in the garden.
💬 Let's talk:
Was the proposal everything you hoped for?
Do you think Juliette is truly helping—or playing both sides?
What does Jasper Monroe REALLY want?
🥀 Coming up: family scandals deepen, wedding plans turn dangerous, and Jasper's secret deal will shatter someone's loyalty…
Smash that add to library, leave your comment, and throw some power stones if you're loving Elara's rise to power!