Chapter 4 A Battle Of Power And Deception

A Silent War Begins

Beatrice sat in the VIP section of an upscale restaurant, swirling her wine as the latest headlines flashed across the giant screen mounted on the wall.

"Hollywood's most powerful couple: Lucas Ford and Beatrice Sinclair's whirlwind wedding confirmed!"

A slow smile curled at the edges of her lips. The world believed it.

Lucas might resist, but the public had already claimed them as a power couple. Backing out now? Impossible.

Her phone buzzed.

Lucas.

She answered smoothly. "Changed your mind about running, darling?"

His voice was low, cold. "I'm not running. But don't think for a second you've won."

Beatrice leaned back in her chair, amused. "Oh, Lucas. This isn't about winning. It's about survival. You either stand beside me willingly or get dragged along. Your choice."

A long silence.

Then-"We'll see who drags who."

The line went dead.

Beatrice set her phone down, her grip tightening.

Lucas was planning something.

But so was she.

Lucas's Counterattack

Lucas Ford never played fair.

If Beatrice wanted a public spectacle, he would give her one-but on his terms.

He reached out to his most trusted contact in the media. A scandal big enough to overshadow the wedding announcement.

Something that would remind Beatrice she wasn't untouchable.

An exposed secret. A hidden weakness. A moment of vulnerability that would shatter her perfect image.

He smirked. "Find me something on Beatrice Sinclair. Something real. Something that will burn."

The hunt had begun.

Amy's Next Move

Amy stared at the wedding announcement, her fingers tightening around the edges of the newspaper.

They were pushing her out.

Beatrice had the upper hand now, but not for long.

Lucas might be trapped, but that didn't mean he belonged to Beatrice. Not yet.

Amy had played the good girl for too long.

Now?

It was time to remind the world why she was Hollywood's sweetheart.

She picked up her phone and called the biggest media outlet she knew.

"I have an exclusive on Lucas Ford. And trust me-you won't want to miss this."

The war for Lucas Ford had begun.

And only one woman would walk away victorious.

The Scandal That Could Break Beatrice

Lucas leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming against the desk as his contact sent him a file. The subject line alone made his lips curl into a smirk.

"Beatrice Sinclair – Buried Secrets."

He clicked it open.

Photos. Documents. A past she had carefully erased.

And now, he had it in his hands.

A phone call came through. Beatrice.

Perfect timing.

"Miss me already?" he answered smoothly.

Her voice was sharp. "I don't like surprises, Lucas. What are you up to?"

He chuckled. "Is that fear I hear? I thought you liked playing games."

Silence.

Then, a soft, dangerous laugh. "If you want to go to war, Lucas, just know-I never lose."

His jaw tightened.

Neither did he.

Amy's Trap

Amy slid into her chair at the exclusive news studio, cameras flashing around her. The interviewer smiled, oblivious to the storm about to break.

"Hollywood's darling, Amy Carter, finally speaks out," the host said, turning to face her. "The world wants to know-what happened between you and Lucas Ford?"

Amy let out a soft sigh, her expression perfectly rehearsed. Sad. Heartbroken. Betrayed.

"This isn't easy for me," she said, her voice trembling just enough. "But I think the truth needs to come out."

She looked into the camera, her eyes glistening.

"Lucas Ford... isn't the man you all think he is."

Gasps rippled through the audience.

Behind the scenes, Beatrice's phone lit up with alerts. She watched the interview in real time, her grip tightening on her wine glass.

Amy had just declared war.

Beatrice's Checkmate

Beatrice stood in front of her vanity, fixing her lipstick as she stared at her reflection.

Amy thought she could win the public over? Pathetic.

She picked up her phone, dialing a number she rarely used.

"Leak the footage."

A pause.

"You're sure?"

She smirked.

"Let's remind the world who Lucas Ford belongs to."

Amy's Masterstroke

Amy's carefully crafted public image was her greatest weapon. Sweet. Innocent. Victim. The world adored a tragic love story, and she was about to give them one.

She let a tear slip down her cheek as the interviewer leaned in.

"Amy, are you saying Lucas betrayed you?"

She exhaled shakily. "I loved him. I believed in us. But... he wasn't honest with me." She swallowed hard, staring down at her lap as if she was too heartbroken to continue.

The interviewer gasped dramatically. "Are you saying he-"

Amy forced a sad smile, cutting her off. "Let's just say... I wasn't the only woman in his life."

Gasps erupted from the audience.

And just like that, Lucas Ford was a cheater in the public eye.

The news exploded. Social media went wild. The headlines practically wrote themselves.

"Amy Carter Speaks: Lucas Ford's Secret Lies!"

"Hollywood's Sweetheart Betrayed – Who Is the Other Woman?"

Amy smirked behind the cameras. And now, Beatrice was in the spotlight.

Beatrice's Retaliation

Beatrice watched the headlines roll in from the comfort of her penthouse suite. She took a sip of her champagne, completely unbothered.

Let the little girl play her games.

Amy thought she had control, but she had just made a fatal mistake-she declared war on the wrong woman.

Her phone buzzed. Her PR team was already in action.

"Ma'am, we're handling it," her publicist assured. "But Amy's interview is gaining traction. People are digging into your past with Lucas-"

"Let them," Beatrice cut in, standing and adjusting her silk robe. "It's time to give them a story."

She opened the file Lucas had no doubt found-the one he thought would destroy her. She had buried it for a reason. But now?

Now, she would use it to her advantage.

"Leak a statement," she instructed smoothly.

"A counterattack?" her publicist asked.

Beatrice smirked.

"No, darling. A love story."

Lucas Strikes Back

Lucas's jaw clenched as he watched Amy's interview from his office. The betrayal in her voice. The tears.

It was all an act.

He ran a hand down his face. Damn it, Amy.

His publicist stormed in. "We have a problem."

"No," Lucas said darkly, standing. "Amy has a problem."

He grabbed his phone and dialed. Beatrice picked up on the first ring.

"I assume you've seen the circus," she said smoothly.

Lucas exhaled sharply. "You did this."

A soft laugh. "Oh, Lucas, don't be ridiculous. I haven't even started yet."

His grip tightened on the phone. "This ends now. I'm not playing your games."

"You already are," Beatrice purred. "And you're losing."

Lucas slammed his phone down.

No.

He would not let Beatrice or Amy control him.

His next move?

Burn them both.