Miriam’s POV
The limousine door opened smoothly, and a hostess in a black and white uniform greeted me with a practiced smile.
She gestured elegantly for me to step out, and I did, my heels meeting the soft red carpet that stretched from the car to the entrance of Victor’s penthouse building.
It was massive- a towering structure of glass and steel with security guards positioned at every corner.
This wasn’t just a building.
This was a fortress.
Since Williams and his conspirators had taken everything from me, Victor had insisted I move into his place.
And here I was, standing in front of one of the most expensive addresses in the city, about to walk into a new life that felt both like a dream and a trap.
“This way, ma’am,” the hostess said, leading me inside.
I wasn’t particularly shocked by the luxury surrounding me.
Victor was a billionaire- I’d already worked for him for five years before all of this happened.
I knew he lived in excess.
But seeing it in person, walking through his private space, it still took my breath away.
Everything was immaculate.
Everything was expensive.
Everything screamed power and control.
My phone vibrated in my hand.
The caller ID read “MR. VICTOR.”
I stared at the screen as it continued to ring.
This was it.
This was my stepping stone.
This man, this offer, this penthouse- it was all part of my plan for revenge.
I swiped to answer.
“Hello, Miriam,” his voice came through deep and warm.
“Did the driver get you home safely?”
“Home?” The word felt strange in my mouth.
But yes, this was my home now.
At least for the next one year.
Or however long this took.
I smiled even though he couldn’t see me.
“Yes, just now.”
“Good. Do you like the environment? The atmosphere? Is there anything you’d like me to adjust for you?” he asked, his tone casual and considerate.
Like he actually cared about my comfort.
“No, no, everything is perfect,” I said quickly, still maintaining that smile in my voice.
“There’s no need to change anything.”
The hostess led me toward the elevator.
She pressed the button for the twenty-third floor, and I wondered how many floors this penthouse actually had.
It seemed to go on forever.
“The hostess will show you to my room,” Victor continued, “though of course, if you’d prefer your own space, there are plenty of other rooms to choose from.”
He chuckled softly on the phone, and I found myself smiling genuinely.
I gently pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, a nervous habit I’d had since childhood.
“I’d prefer my own room,” I said.
“Of course. That’s fine,” he replied.
“I’ll be back soon. There are some things we need to discuss.”
“Okay,” I said.
“Alright, bye, Miriam.”
The call ended.
Maybe he wasn’t as ruthless as everyone claimed.
Maybe there was something almost human about him beneath all that power and control.
The hostess led me through what felt like an endless maze of hallways until we reached a series of rooms.
I walked through several of them, checking each one carefully.
Finally, I settled on a room that was more spacious than the others, decorated in soft grays and whites with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.
“Ma’am, we’ll need to know what you’d like us to provide for this room,” the hostess said professionally.
“We want to ensure you have everything you need. Luxury linens, furniture, whatever you prefer.”
I should have refused.
I should have insisted on keeping things simple.
But I had nothing.
Everything I’d owned had been stripped away.
Starting fresh here didn’t seem so bad.
“Alright,” I said, sighing.
“I’ll need…”
I started listing everything- clothes, shoes, jewelry, beauty products, books, everything a woman in my position would need.
As I spoke, I noticed the hostess kept touching her ear.
There was a small pod there, a communication device.
She was probably relaying everything I said to other staff members who were already gathering the items I’d requested.
By 8:30 PM, I found myself sitting at Victor’s dining table.
The spread was extraordinary.
Multiple courses, each one more beautiful than the last.
Candles burned in the center of the table, casting a warm glow across the white tablecloth.
Chefs stood at attention nearby, ready to serve or adjust anything at a moment’s notice.
It felt like dining in a five-star restaurant, except it was just the two of us.
We ate in silence at first, the only sounds were the gentle clink of silverware against plates.
Then I looked up and caught Victor watching me.
Not in a creepy way, but with an intensity that made me pause.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, confused by his stare.
He smiled and continued eating.
“Nothing. It’s just… I’m not used to this.”
“Used to what?”
“Eating with someone. With a woman,” he said, his voice thoughtful.
“I’m usually so busy. No time for meals, no one to share them with. But now I have you. I have someone to eat with.”
He held my eyes for several seconds, and I felt my cheeks warm.
I quickly looked away and took a long drink of water, breaking the moment.
“You should feel lucky then,” I teased, trying to lighten the mood.
“I’m more than lucky right now,” he replied, still smiling in that way that made me question everything I thought I knew about him.
We finished our meal, and I watched as the chefs efficiently cleared the table.
They moved with the precision of people who’d been trained for years, who knew Victor’s routines so well they didn’t need instructions.
Victor cleaned his hands with a napkin, the candlelight reflecting off his face.
I found myself staring at him- this man who’d been my boss for five years, who was now my husband in name only, who I was using to destroy the people who’d destroyed me.
“So what are we discussing?” I asked, deciding to get straight to business.
He leaned back in his chair, completely relaxed.
“Nothing too heavy, I promise. It’s late, and I want you to get your beauty rest. We have an important day tomorrow.”
I nodded.
“What’s happening tomorrow?”
“My lawyer will be coming here. You don’t need to worry about anything,” he said calmly.
“Just come downstairs and witness the proceedings. It’s important that you’re present.”
“Right,” I said.
“And the day after tomorrow, we’ll be making the announcement to the board,” he continued.
“Are you comfortable with that?”
I smiled.
Being announced to the board as the new CEO and Victor’s wife would earn me instant respect.
Fear, even.
People would think twice before crossing me now.
“Yes, absolutely. I’d love that.”
“Good,” he said.
“When do we meet her?”
He gazed at me for a few seconds, then smiled.
“You seem to be in more of a hurry than I am.”
I shrugged.
“I want to make a good impression.”
“By next week,” he replied.
“That should give us enough time to prepare you for Charlotte Ashford. She’s… particular about certain things.”
“I’ll make sure I look my best for my mother-in-law,” I said with a laugh.
He laughed too.
We both did.
For a moment, it felt like we weren’t the people we actually were- a desperate woman planning revenge and a possessive billionaire obsessed with control.
We were just two people sharing a meal, sharing a laugh, sharing a moment that felt almost genuine.
“Alright, you should rest,” Victor said after a while.
“I have some business to attend to.”
I nodded and stood up.
“Take care then, Victor.”
I walked toward the elevator, pressing the button.
“And, Miriam,” he called out before I could leave.
“Don’t worry about Williams anymore. Think of this place as your safe haven. You’re protected here. Nothing and no one can touch you.”
I paused and turned back to face him, my hand resting on the elevator doorframe.
“I’ve already stopped thinking about him.
He’s in the past.
He nodded, satisfied with my answer.
As the elevator doors closed, I caught my reflection in the polished steel.
I barely recognized the woman staring back at me.
She looked stronger somehow.
More determined.
More dangerous.
Williams Castellano had destroyed me.
He’d taken everything, humiliated me, threatened me with secrets about my parents’ death.
But he’d made a critical mistake.
He’d left me alive.
He’d left me breathing.
He’d left me angry.
And angry women with nothing left to lose are the most dangerous creatures on earth.
Victor thought he was protecting me.
Victor thought I was grateful.
Victor thought I was his to keep, his to control, his to mold into the perfect wife.
But as I stood alone in that elevator, rising through his penthouse, I smiled to myself.
Let him think whatever he wants.
I had a plan.
I had access to his resources.
I had his trust- for now.
And soon, very soon, I would have my revenge.
Williams Castellano would pay.
Nadia would learn that betraying family had consequences.
Lily would rot in prison for her crimes.
And Victor?
Well, Victor would get exactly what he deserved too.
The penthouse doors on the twenty-third floor opened, and I stepped out into my new life.
But this new life was just a stage.
This was just act one of the production I was staging.
Tomorrow, the real performance would begin.