Chapter 5 Rise of the unshakeable billonaire

Aria's POV

I sat firmly in the cold black leather chair, facing the man who was meant to rescue my company from failure.

The guest, young but with sharp eyes and a cocky grin, sat easily at the other end of the table, spinning a silver pen between his fingers.

I folded my hands over my lap to stop them from shaking. Failure was not a choice.

I forced a calm voice. "Your name?"

He smirked like he already owned the place. "Gregory Black. But you can call me Greg." His voice was smooth, cocky even, carrying the weight of someone used to winning.

I leaned forward. "I'll pay you five hundred thousand dollars if you help this company survive today's trade."

He leaned back, stretching out like he had all the time in the world, his blue eyes sparkling with joy. "Two million." His voice was as sharp as a blade. "Or I walk out right now."

I bit the inside of my cheek. Every nerve screamed at me not to trust this careless, smug trader. But there was no time to pause. The walls were falling, and I needed a miracle.

"Fine," I said through tight teeth. "Two million. But you better not fail me." Greg grinned lazily. "Smart choice, boss lady."

I gave him the tools, entry codes, and the company's last hope. As he calmed down, my heart was a racing drum inside my chest. I was gambling everything - not just money, but my name, my image, my dreams.

He moved fast, buying up the trade while prices were low, his fingers dancing across the keys. I stood behind him, watching every click, every number flash across the screen.

The office felt like a ticking time bomb.

Five hours later.

"No, no, no!" Greg's words cracked through the quiet, making my blood run cold.

I sprang to my feet. "What happened? Did we lose it all?" My voice was barely above a whisper, fear gripping my heart.

He waved a hand dismissively, though I could see the sweat on his face. "Relax. I said no, not we're dead." But his fake calmness didn't fool me.

I paced back and forth like a cat stuck in a cage, chewing on my lip until it bled. Time dragged its feet like an injured soldier.

Three long hours later.

A gasp left Greg's lips. His whole face lit up.

"You're not going to believe this, Aria!" he shouted, turning the laptop so I could see.

My breath caught.

The numbers... the profits... they had risen like flames.

A thousand percent profit.

Greg shot me a boyish grin. "Congratulations, boss lady. You're officially a legend."

For the first time in days, my lungs remembered how to breathe.

"Thank you," I whispered, the relief crashing over me in waves. With shaking fingers, I pulled open my desk drawer, taking the thick envelope stuffed with cash.

I gave it over without a second thought. "Your two million, as promised."

Greg winked. "Pleasure doing business with you."

And just like that, he disappeared from my life - the rogue who helped me cheat fate.

I slumped into my chair, looking at the ceiling, laughing bubbling up from deep inside.

I did it.

I saved my dream.

Without spending time, I called my secretary.

"Hello, Ma!"

"Announce to every major blog: Our company's net worth just skyrocketed to fourteen trillion dollars. And tell them we're open to new investors."

Before I could even put my phone down, the marketing team's rep burst into my office, face flushed with joy.

"What now?" I asked sharply, my nerves still on high alert.

"Our latest product line... it just hit a hundred percent profit in sales! We're going everywhere!"

I closed my eyes and smiled.

Victory tasted sweeter than I ever dreamed.

"Update the blogs again," I ordered, "and make sure they know. This is just the beginning."

Hours later, my phone was exploding with messages.

Headlines like wildfire:

"Aria's Miracle: From Ruins to Riches."

"The Woman Who Outsmarted an Empire."

I watched it all with a strange, distant feeling. This wasn't just success.

This was my return.

The next morning.

My secretary nearly fell into my office, breathing like she had run the whole way.

"Good news, Ma!" she gasped.

I raised a brow. "Speak."

"The top ten investors who abandoned us... they want back in. They're offering double their past investments."

I let out a cold laugh. "Tell them to go to hell."

Her mouth dropped open in shock.

I stood up, each step towards the window feeling like stepping into my new life.

"From now on, we only take new blood. I don't praise betrayal."

She nodded quickly. "Understood, Ma."

"And one more thing," I added, without turning around. "Let's make it official. Announce it: 'Grande Corporation no longer holds a single share in our empire.'"

"On it, Ma."

By nightfall, over twenty new partners had signed on.

My company wasn't just living... it was booming, bursting with energy and power. I had built a fortress, and no one would tear it down.

A few days later. While checking files, a knock sounded on my door. "Come in," I said, not stopping to look up.

The door creaked open. Footsteps shuffled. I glanced up casually - and froze.

Liam.

My ex-husband. the man who crushed my heart without pity.

For a moment, time stood still. Memories slammed into me - the deception, the tears, the nights I slept alone with a broken soul.

He looked... smaller somehow.

Lost his eyes roamed around the office, taking in the wealth, the success, the power.

He finally spoke, his voice thick with sorrow.

"You never told me... about all this."

I arched a brow, my heart cold as ice. "Did I owe you that truth, Liam?"

He swallowed hard.

"You hid this from me for two years. If I'd known you were-"

He paused, words failing him.

"Rich?" I finished for him, a wicked smile playing on my lips. "Powerful? Worthy?"

He shifted uncomfortably.

"If I'd known... I would never have left. Aria, I made a mistake. A terrible one."

I stood slowly, every inch of me radiating the woman I had become.

"I gave you everything, Liam," I said, my voice shaking with the weight of the past. "I sacrificed my world for you. When you had nothing, I was your shield. Your support."

Tears burned in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

"And when you got your strength back..." My voice broke. "You threw me away. Like trash."

He stepped closer, despair scratching at his face.

"I see it now, Aria. I was blind. Foolish. Selfish. I want to make it right. I want you back."

I laughed, a cold, sour sound that echoed around the room.

"Get this straight, Liam," I said, my voice striking through the air like a whip.

"I am not the woman you left. I am not your backup plan. I am not your second choice."

I stepped even closer, so close he could feel my hate burning into his skin.

"I rebuilt myself from the ashes you left behind. Stronger. Smarter. Untouchable."

Tears filled his eyes.

He fell to his knees.

Right there, in my office.

"I'm begging you, Aria."

I looked down at him, the broken shell of a man who once thought he was better than me.

"No," I said, my voice steady and final.

"You had your chance."

I turned away without another word. "Security," I called through the speaker. Seconds later, two guards entered.

"Escort Mr. Liam out of my building," I ordered coolly. Liam's face fell, but I didn't look back.

I was done crying. I was done asking. I was reborn, and nothing could stop me now.