Married To My Ex's Ruthless Uncle

We need the signature now, Ms. Martin. He has forty-eight hours at most."

Audriana stared at the critical condition notice in Dr. Finch's hand. Her stomach violently cramped, folding her posture forward. Dr. Finch hesitated, lowering the clipboard slightly. "Ms. Martin, you should also know-the initial scans picked up a mass. We haven't been able to biopsy yet, given the cardiac emergency, but it is... concerning." The word mass landed in her chest like a second blow, but she could not process it. Not now. Behind the thick glass of the ICU, her father, Harper, lay buried under a tangle of plastic tubes. The heart monitor next to his bed let out a frantic, high-pitched scream that felt like a drill boring directly into her skull.

"I..." Audriana's voice cracked. Her throat was so dry it felt lined with sandpaper. Her mother had been sedated in a private room down the hall. The sight of Harper coding on the table had shattered Edythe completely-she had collapsed, screaming, until a nurse pressed a needle into her arm. Audriana was alone.

She reached out with a trembling hand. Her fingers felt like blocks of ice. She took the pen from the doctor and dragged the tip across the paper. A hot tear slipped down her cheek, splashing onto the ink and blurring her last name. The sheer weight of her helplessness crushed her chest, making it impossible to pull air into her lungs.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket.

She pulled it out. The screen lit up with a text from Eston, her ex-fiancé.

I told you not to be stubborn, Audriana. The Martin Group is mine by Friday. Beg me, and I might pay for the funeral.

Audriana's jaw locked so hard her teeth ached. The metallic taste of blood flooded her mouth as she bit down on the inside of her cheek. She swiped her thumb across the screen, blocking his number permanently. The despair in her chest hardened into a cold, sharp stone.

She opened her contacts. Her thumb hovered over a name she had sworn never to touch.

Ellwood Maxwell.

The apex predator of Wall Street. Eston's uncle.

Her fingertips turned bone-white as she pressed the call button. The phone rang twice before a robotic, sterile voice prompted her to wait. A second later, a male assistant answered.

"Mr. Maxwell does not take unsolicited meetings. Good day."

The line went dead.

Audriana's breathing turned ragged. She shoved the phone into her pocket, spun around, and ran toward the elevator. Her heels clicked frantically against the linoleum floor. She burst through the hospital doors and into the freezing Manhattan rain.

Twenty minutes later, she stood inside the massive, echoing lobby of the Maxwell building. Rainwater dripped from her soaked hair, running down her neck and soaking into her collar.

"Ma'am, you cannot pass the turnstiles without an appointment," the security guard said, stepping into her path. His hand rested heavily on his belt.

Audriana didn't argue. She unclasped the Patek Philippe watch from her left wrist-the last valuable thing she owned, a gift from her father. She slammed it onto the marble security desk.

"Five minutes," she gasped, her chest heaving. "Give me five minutes in his private elevator. Keep the watch."

The guard stared at the diamonds circling the watch face. He slowly stepped aside, swiping his access card on the VIP turnstile.

Audriana pushed through and stepped into the private elevator. The doors slid shut. The high-speed ascent made her stomach drop. She stared at the digital numbers climbing rapidly, her wet hands smoothing down her ruined skirt.

The doors chimed open on the top floor.

Heavy walnut double doors stood at the end of the hall. A secretary jumped up from her desk, shouting a warning, but Audriana ignored her. She threw her body weight against the heavy wood and pushed the doors open.

The office was massive and swallowed in shadows. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, lightning cracked across the dark sky.

Ellwood Maxwell stood with his back to her, facing the storm.

He slowly turned around. He held a silver Zippo lighter in his right hand, flipping the lid open and closed with a rhythmic, metallic clink. His dark eyes locked onto her. It was the look of a predator watching a wounded animal stumble into his cage.

Audriana's breath hitched. The sheer force of his presence forced her to take a half-step back.

"Security is on the way, Mr. Maxwell, I apologize-" the secretary stammered from the doorway.

Ellwood raised one hand, barely moving his fingers. The secretary instantly went silent, backed out, and pulled the heavy doors shut.

The silence in the room was suffocating.

"I need a loan," Audriana forced the words out. Her voice was raspy.

Ellwood walked toward the massive leather sofa and sat down. He crossed his long legs, resting his arms on the backrest. He looked entirely relaxed, yet dangerously lethal.

Audriana walked to his desk. Her hands shook as she pulled a document from her wet bag and slapped it onto the glass surface. "Thirty percent of the Martin Group shares. I need my father's surgery covered, and I need capital to save the company."

Ellwood didn't even glance at the paper. He let out a low, dark chuckle.

"Your company is a sinking ship, Audriana. Your shares are worth less than the paper they are printed on."

Panic seized her throat. She stepped closer to him. "I will do anything. Anything you want."

Ellwood stopped playing with the lighter. He stood up. He was a foot taller than her, and as he closed the distance between them, his heavy footsteps sounded like a countdown.

He backed her up until her hips hit the edge of the desk. He placed his hands on the glass on either side of her waist, trapping her. The sharp, clean scent of cedarwood and expensive tobacco wrapped around her.

He stared down at her face. His eyes lingered on her eyes, a strange, dark flicker passing through his gaze.

"I want you to marry me," he said. His voice was a low, magnetic rumble that lacked any warmth.

Audriana's pupils dilated. The air left her lungs. "What?"

"You heard me." Ellwood pushed off the desk, stepping back into the shadows. "You become Mrs. Maxwell. That is the only way the Martin Group survives."

He picked up a thick folder from his desk and tossed it in front of her. A pre-nuptial agreement.

"You have sixty seconds to decide. Otherwise, the door is behind you."

Audriana stared at the thick stack of paper. The image of her father struggling to breathe flashed behind her eyes. Her fingers twitched. She reached out, her fingertips brushing against the sharp edge of the contract.

The edge of the paper sliced a tiny cut into Audriana's index finger. She didn't feel the pain.

She picked up the heavy gold pen resting next to the contract. The tip hovered over the signature line. Her heart hammered against her ribs so violently she thought it might break them.

Her phone suddenly rang in her pocket, the shrill tone cutting through the suffocating silence. She pulled it out with her left hand, her fingers fumbling over the screen to answer. It was a frantic call from the ICU nurse's station. "Ms. Martin, you need to come immediately!" the nurse shouted over the chaotic background noise. "His heart stopped. We are doing CPR!"

Audriana's entire body went numb. The last wall of her resistance shattered into dust. She dropped the phone, gripped the pen, and pressed down so hard the nib tore through the thick paper as she signed her name.

Ellwood watched the ink bleed into the page. The coldness in his eyes slightly thawed. He reached over, pressed a button on his desk phone, and spoke clearly.

"Prep the helicopter. Now."

Audriana's knees suddenly gave out. The adrenaline crashed. As she started to fall toward the floor, Ellwood moved with terrifying speed. His large, hot hand clamped around her waist, hauling her flush against his chest. The heat of his body burned through her soaked clothes.

She gasped, instinctively pushing against his chest to break free.

Ellwood's arm tightened like a steel band. "You are Mrs. Maxwell now," he warned, his voice vibrating against her ear. "Get used to my touch."

Ten minutes later, they were on the roof. The roar of the helicopter blades whipped Audriana's hair into a frenzy. The freezing wind bit into her skin. Ellwood stripped off his suit jacket and threw it over her shoulders. The heavy fabric smelled intensely of him.

The helicopter lifted off, banking sharply over the stormy Manhattan skyline. Audriana stared at the man sitting next to her. He had his eyes closed, his jaw relaxed. The absurdity of the situation made her stomach churn.

They landed on the roof of Manhattan General Hospital. A team of men in dark scrubs was already waiting. They rushed past Audriana, carrying silver medical cases, heading straight for the ICU. Ellwood's private medical team.

Audriana paced the hallway outside the operating room. Her fingernails dug half-moons into her palms.

Ellwood walked up to her and pressed a hot cup of coffee into her hands. His fingers brushed against hers. A sharp jolt of electricity shot up her arm, making her flinch.

Loud footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Eston stormed around the corner, flanked by two massive bodyguards. He looked furious. "Audriana! Hand over the company seal right now, or I swear to God-"

Eston froze. His eyes landed on the tall, dark figure standing next to her. All the color drained from his face.

"Uncle Ellwood," Eston stuttered, his arrogant posture instantly collapsing.

Ellwood stepped in front of Audriana, shielding her completely. His eyes narrowed into lethal slits. "What are you doing here, Eston?"

Eston swallowed hard. "I... I came to check on Harper. And to tell Audriana she needs to stop being so ungrateful."

Audriana's blood boiled. She stepped out from behind Ellwood's broad back. She didn't say a word. She lifted the coffee cup and threw the hot liquid directly onto Eston's expensive leather shoes.

"Get out," she hissed, her voice shaking with pure rage.

Eston's face twisted in fury. He lunged forward, reaching for her wrist. "You crazy bitch-"

He didn't make it.

Ellwood's leg snapped out. His heavy dress shoe connected violently with Eston's kneecap. A sickening crack echoed in the hall. Eston let out a muffled groan and crashed to the floor, clutching his knee.

The two bodyguards flinched but didn't dare move a muscle.

Ellwood looked down at his nephew like he was looking at a dead rat. "The Martin Group is under my control now."

Eston stared up, his face pale and contorted in pain. "Why? Why would you touch that garbage company?"

Ellwood reached out and pulled Audriana tightly against his side. "Because she is my wife. Which makes her your elder. Show some respect."

Eston looked like he had been struck by lightning. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out.

"Throw him out," Ellwood ordered the bodyguards, his voice dripping with ice. "If he comes within fifty feet of my wife again, break his other leg."

The bodyguards hastily dragged Eston down the hall.

The red light above the operating room suddenly clicked off. Dr. Finch walked out, pulling off his surgical mask. He looked exhausted but relieved. "The surgery was a success. He is stable." Dr. Finch's smile tightened. He lowered his voice, stepping closer to Audriana. "But that mass I mentioned yesterday-we will need to address it once he is strong enough for another procedure. It has not gone away." Audriana's relief curdled in her stomach. She had almost forgotten. Almost.

Audriana let out a broken sob. Her legs turned to jelly.

Ellwood caught her before she hit the floor. He held her firmly, letting her grip his ruined, expensive shirt. She buried her face in his chest, crying out all the terror of the past forty-eight hours.

A man in a sharp suit walked up to them. Ellwood's assistant. He handed Ellwood a thick, leather-bound legal folio. Ellwood took it and pressed a heavy, watermarked contract into Audriana's hand. She looked down. It was a comprehensive marriage agreement. "Sign it," Ellwood commanded coldly. "Your signature makes our relationship legally and commercially binding as of this second. My legal team will process the official government certificates within twenty-four hours." There was no going back.

"Go home and change," Ellwood commanded, his voice returning to its usual flat tone. "We are attending the family charity gala tonight. You will not embarrass me."

Audriana wiped her eyes. She straightened her spine, clutching the thick documents. "I won't."

Ellwood stared at her stubborn, tear-stained face. The corner of his mouth twitched upward for a fraction of a second. He turned and walked toward the elevator.

The interior of the stretch limousine was dead silent.

Audriana sat stiffly on the leather seat. She wore a custom black backless gown that Ellwood had sent to the penthouse. The silk felt cold against her skin. She twisted her fingers together in her lap, her breathing shallow.

Ellwood glanced at her pale knuckles. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a velvet box, and snapped it open.

He took her left hand. His grip was firm, leaving no room for argument. He slid a massive, flawless diamond ring onto her ring finger. The metal was freezing. Audriana shivered.

"Sit up straight," Ellwood ordered softly, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "Do not show them any weakness."

The limo rolled to a stop in front of the Maxwell estate on the Upper East Side. The driver opened the door.

A blinding wall of camera flashes erupted the second the door opened. Audriana squeezed her eyes shut, her heart leaping into her throat.

Ellwood stepped out first. He turned, buttoned his suit jacket with one hand, and offered her the other. It was a pose of absolute protection.

Audriana placed her hand in his. He pulled her out of the car. The press went absolutely feral. The ruthless, untouchable Ellwood Maxwell was holding a woman's hand.

Audriana forced her facial muscles into a perfect, polite smile. She hooked her arm through his, letting him guide her up the red carpet.

Inside the grand ballroom, the air smelled of expensive perfume and old money. Eston was seated stiffly on a velvet sofa near the bar, his face pale and drawn tight with pain. His right leg was stretched out unnaturally in a heavy medical brace, a pair of aluminum crutches resting against the armrest. He was forcing a tight, agonizing smile at a group of socialites, trying desperately to pretend his shattered kneecap wasn't throbbing with every heartbeat.

The heavy mahogany doors swung open.

The loud chatter in the room died instantly. It was as if someone had pulled the plug on the audio.

Ellwood walked in with Audriana. His aura was so suffocatingly dominant that the crowd physically parted to create a path for them.

Eston turned his head. When he saw Audriana, his jaw dropped. The crystal champagne flute slipped from his fingers and shattered on the marble floor, splashing red wine all over his date's dress.

Frances Maxwell, Eston's mother, was holding court near the center of the room. Her face turned an ugly shade of purple when she saw Audriana.

Several board members hurried over, raising their glasses to Ellwood, their eyes darting to Audriana with burning curiosity.

Ellwood wrapped his arm around Audriana's waist, pulling her flush against his side. "Gentlemen," he said, his voice carrying across the silent room. "Allow me to introduce my wife, Mrs. Maxwell."

A collective gasp ripped through the ballroom. Whispers exploded like fireworks.

Frances stomped over, her heels clicking aggressively. She stopped in front of them, her chest heaving. "Is this some kind of sick joke, Ellwood?"

Ellwood looked down at her with dead eyes. "My marriage is none of your business, Frances."

Frances choked on her breath. She didn't dare yell at Ellwood, so she turned her venomous glare onto Audriana.

Audriana didn't look away. She smiled sweetly. "Good evening, sister-in-law."

Frances looked like she was going to have a stroke.

Eston finally snapped out of his shock. He pushed through the crowd, his eyes wild and bloodshot. "You gold-digging whore!" he screamed, pointing a shaking finger at Audriana. "You lied to me!"

Audriana's stomach twisted, but before she could even open her mouth, Ellwood moved.

He didn't yell. He didn't argue. He simply raised his hand and backhanded Eston across the face.

The loud smack echoed off the high ceilings. Eston spun around from the force of the blow, blood instantly dripping from his split lip.

The entire ballroom stopped breathing.

Ellwood pulled a white silk handkerchief from his pocket. He slowly wiped his knuckles. "Watch your mouth when you speak to your aunt."

Frances screamed and threw her arms around Eston, shielding him. She glared at Ellwood with pure hatred but kept her mouth firmly shut.

At the top of the grand staircase, an elegant, elderly woman appeared. Angel Maxwell, the matriarch.

The crowd parted again as a maid helped Angel down the stairs. Her sharp eyes locked onto Audriana.

Audriana's palms started to sweat. This was the real test. Ellwood's hand tightened on her waist, his thumb pressing firmly into her side.

Angel stopped in front of them. She looked Audriana up and down for ten agonizing seconds. Finally, she gave a short nod. "Since you are married, know your place and do your duty."

She didn't object. The crisis was over.

The orchestra started playing again, and the guests quickly pretended nothing had happened.

Ellwood leaned down, his lips brushing against Audriana's ear. His hot breath sent a shiver down her spine. "That 'sister-in-law' line was excellent," he whispered.