Chapter 1 The Man Who Destroyed My Life

Chapter 1 – "The Man Who Destroyed My Life" (POV: Ivy)

I stand at the edge of the ballroom, my glass of champagne barely touched, my eyes locked on him.

Damien Valen.

The name is a curse that has haunted my every waking moment for the last decade. He doesn't know me. Doesn't know that his very existence is the reason I wake up every morning with a singular purpose in mind: revenge.

He stands across the room, the epitome of power and wealth. The black tuxedo he wears is tailored to perfection, his hair dark, neatly combed, and his face as sharp as the blade I'll one day drive into his chest. His smile, that signature smirk, is everything that has destroyed me. It's the smile of a man who knows no consequence, no fear. A man who believes that the world is his to manipulate, to break, and to own.

I take a slow sip of my champagne, my eyes still fixed on him. On the surface, I look like any other woman at this gala. Dressed in a black evening gown that hugs my curves just enough to be noticed, my makeup flawless, my hair pinned back elegantly. The perfect image of poise and grace.

But beneath the surface, beneath the tight smile I wear, beneath the elegant mask, there's only fury. Fury that simmers deep inside me. Fury that's been building for years.

I'm here for a reason. I've been here for months, slipping in and out of the circles that surround Damien, waiting, watching, learning. My place in this world wasn't by accident, and neither was this. I didn't come here to be another guest at one of his parties. I came here for him.

For his son.

Ares Valen.

The moment I met him, I saw the same darkness in his eyes. He's Damien's son, after all-cut from the same cloth, trained in the same ruthless ways. But Ares is... different. There's a tension to him, a sharpness that comes with intelligence and power. He's a man who knows what he wants-and who knows how to take it.

I've spent months carefully weaving myself into his life. At first, it was just a job-an assignment. But somewhere along the way, I started to feel something for him. I'm not sure when it happened, or if it even matters.

What matters is this: Ares Valen is the key.

He's the one who will get me closer to Damien. He's the one I'll use to finish what my mother started. To make sure that man's blood stains the same floor that my mother's once did.

I glance back at Ares, who's standing by the bar, speaking with a couple of the other guests. His gaze flicks across the room, catching mine for a brief moment. His eyes are dark, unreadable. He doesn't smile, but the way his gaze lingers tells me everything I need to know.

He knows I'm watching him.

I can't help the small smile that pulls at the corner of my lips. He's mine now.

The thought feels like a betrayal. Not to Ares-he's a means to an end, and he's made that clear from the beginning. But to the girl I once was, the one who swore vengeance, who promised her mother's ghost that she would make the Valens pay.

But this is war. And in war, sometimes you have to get your hands dirty.

I swallow the bitterness rising in my throat and turn my attention back to Damien. I watch him laugh with the other high-society figures, his face a perfect mask of charm and power. He's everything I've wanted to destroy, and yet, I'm still standing here, invisible to him.

Just a ghost in his world.

My phone buzzes in my clutch. The sudden sound startles me, and I glance down, expecting a message from my contact. Instead, it's a message from Ares.

Pack a bag. We leave tonight. No questions.

I feel my pulse quicken. The tone is cold, detached, the urgency unmistakable. There's no room for hesitation. No room for doubt.

A thrill runs through me-anticipation, excitement. And yet, I can't ignore the sudden knot that forms in my stomach. I've been waiting for this moment. Waiting for him to make the first move, waiting for the moment when he would pull me deeper into his world. But now that it's here, I'm not sure what to expect.

I glance at Ares again, catching his eyes across the room. This time, there's something in his gaze-something darker. He's waiting for me.

My heart skips a beat, and for a moment, I forget about Damien. Forget about the years of planning. Forget about the hatred that has been my constant companion.

I take a breath.

This is it.

I turn, walking out of the ballroom with my head held high, my mind focused on the task at hand. The world outside is cold, dark, and filled with danger. But I've always been a predator in a world full of prey.

When I reach the elevators, I press the button and wait. The sound of my heels clicking against the marble floor echoes in the empty hallway. I can feel the weight of the moment pressing down on me, the realization that everything is about to change.

The elevator dings, and the doors open. Inside, I can't help but catch a glimpse of myself in the mirrored walls. My reflection stares back at me-dark eyes, tight jaw, and the same determined expression that's carried me through the last ten years. The woman who has become a weapon.

But as I stare at my reflection, a question lingers in my mind:

Am I still the same woman who swore vengeance?

The elevator doors close, and the ride feels like the longest of my life.