The Devil's Contractual Bride-Chapter 43: Payback?

Aria’s POV

The elevator doors slid open on the forty-second floor of Voss Enterprises Tower, and I stepped out into a hallway feeling more eccentric than ever.

My heels clicked softly as I walked toward the corner office that had once been Lucian’s private conference room which was now it was mine.

My office.

The nameplate on the door still read TEMPORARY EXECUTIVE SUITE, but the brass plaque beside it already carried my name in clean, modern lettering:

**Aria Voss**

**Majority Shareholder & Executive Director**

Lucian was still the CEO but I was the second most powerful person in the competition.

I paused for a second, fingers brushing the letters. It didn’t feel real yet and maybe it never would.

Inside, the room smelled faintly of fresh paint and expensive leather. A massive glass desk dominated the center, flanked by two white orchids in black ceramic pots. Behind it, a wall of windows overlooked the city. On the opposite wall hung a single framed photograph of Lucian and me on our wedding day outside the courthouse.

Lucian had taken his time to do the whole office decoration like I expected he would.

I set my bag down, sank into the high-backed chair and let out a long breath.

It’s been two weeks since the board meeting. A board meeting that turned I—quiet, recovering Aria into a majority shareholder of a billion-dollar empire overnight.

I pulled my phone from my purse to check the time and froze at the trending news online.

A Forbes notification sat at the top of my lock screen.

**BREAKING: Aria Voss Enters Top 10 Richest Women in America After Acquiring 65% Stake in Voss Enterprises**

I opened the article with shaking fingers.

The headline was accompanied by a candid photo of me leaving the hospital two weeks ago with a crutch under one arm and Lucian’s hand steady at my waist, white roses in my other hand. Below it, the subhead:

**From Hospital Bed to Billionaire: How the Quiet House Wife Became One of America’s Wealthiest Women Overnight**

The piece went on to detail the share transfers, the emergency board meeting, the sudden collapse and rebound of Voss Enterprises stock and most surreal of all; the estimated net worth attached to my name.

$4.7 billion.

I stared at the number until it blurred.

I scrolled down.

Instagram was exploding.

#AriaVoss was trending.

"That’s some Queen shit girl. She went F

from hospital bed to majority owner. Aria Voss said ’watch me rise’ and we all watched. #VossEnterprises"

"Love seeing a woman take control of her legacy. Aria Voss just became the blueprint. "

"Underrated boss move. She played the long game and won. Respect that bitch."

But as usual,my success didn’t sit well with everyone.

"Gold digger level 1000. She married rich, waited for the crash and then swooped in with hidden shares. I won’t take such a materialistic person for a wife#AriaVoss"

"She’s not even that pretty,just lucky. Voss was bleeding and she stole it while he was distracted. Typical gutter girl move."

"From nobody to billionaire in months. It must be nice to marry money and inherit power. #GoldDigger"

I closed the app immediately.

My chest felt tight—not anger, exactly, but something close. I’d spent years building my own career before I met Lucian.

I’d clawed my way up in marketing and earned every promotion and I was at the verge of starting my own company before Ethan happened but now the world had forgotten all that and has decided the only reason I owned anything was because supposedly married well.

I set the phone face-down on the desk.

A soft knock on the door.

"Come in." I muttered

Clara,Lucian’s secretary stepped inside with a proud look on her face.

"Good day Mrs.Voss,I hope you’re settling in well?"

"Yes Clara,you’all have been most kind."

"That’s nothing Mrs. Voss. We’re all here at your service" she said with a small smile.

"Mr. Voss is looking for you by the way. He’s in his office and according to him it’s urgent."

I stood, smoothing my skirt. "Thank you, Clara. I’ll head there now."

She nodded and left quietly.

Lucian’s office was two doors down so I just walked behind Clara,she opened the door,took a small bow and left.

He was standing at the window when I entered with hands in his pockets staring into nothing when I walked in.

The moment his eyes met mine, the tension in his shoulders eased.

"Hey Love ," he said softly.

"How are you."I asked as I shut the door and walked across to where he stood.

He pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head.

"You saw the Forbes list right?" he asked with a bright smile.

"It was hard to miss."

He pulled back just enough to look at me. "Hope you’re okay with the spotlight?"

I shrugged. "I’m rich apparently, although some people have the opinion that I’m also a gold digger who slept her way to the top."

His jaw tightened. "They don’t know you Aria , so you don’t have to worry about them."

"I know." I rested my forehead against his chest. "But it still stings."

He held my cheek with his palm "You earned every share and you deserve even more. The internet can say whatever it wants. We own this company and I’m damn proud of you and the woman you’ve become."

I smiled despite the ache in my chest. "You’re biased."

"I’m being honest love."

He kissed gently on the lips but when he pulled back, his eyes were serious.

"I want to acquire Caldwell Global," he said.

I blinked. "Ethan’s company?"

"Yes."

I stepped back, searching his face. "Lucian... that’s almost impossible. Caldwell Global is privately held. Ethan’s He’s not going to sell or even let you get close to his company. And besides,how would you even know how to manage a game company?"

"That’s where you’ll step.He won’t have any choice than to step down by the time I’m done with him."

I shook my head. "He’ll put up a big fight with Lucian and he might even burn it down before he lets you have it."

Lucian’s smile was dangerous, like he was sure he wasn’t going to lose. "That’s why we’re not asking nicely."

I studied him. "What’s the plan ?"

"I’ll let you in soon," he said. "The pieces are moving and when it’s time, you’ll know. I just wanted to see your permission first but I promise you this,if you let me,I’ll make sure Ethan goes down.And when he does, he’ll have nothing left to fight with."

I exhaled slowly. "Just... be careful. He’s not done. He’s humiliated and that makes him more Viscious."

Lucian pulled me close again. "I know that already,you have nothing to worry about.."

He kissed me once more—harder this time and then stepped back.

"I have a meeting in twenty minutes," he said. "You good here?"

"I’m good."

He kissed my forehead. "I’ll be back before close. We’ll go see Andre after."

I nodded. "I’ll be waiting."

He left.

I returned to my office, sank into the chair, and engrossed myself with the plethora of work in my desk

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur—emails from legal about share registration, calls from PR about Forbes requests, a quiet lunch at my desk while I stared at the ocean and tried not to think about my brother.

At 5:47 p.m., Lucian texted.

*The meeting is running late.You can go home without me, let’s move the hospital visit tomorrow okay?. I’ll see you later love.*

I replied with a heart emoji and a simple *I love you. Be safe.*

Marcus was waiting in the garage when I stepped out of the elevator.

"Mrs. Voss," he said, opening the back door of the Mercedes.

I slid inside. "Home, please."

He nodded and pulled out smoothly.

Traffic was light for once. I leaned my head against the window and watched the city get busy with people going about their even like it wasn’t dark already

I was tired,not just physically but the kind of tired that came from weeks of fear, grief and the surreal weight of billions of dollars attached to my name.

Marcus turned onto the private road leading to our building.

Then he slowed due to the headlight that was pointing directly to our direction.

Suddenly,a black van blocked the lane ahead and the slide door opened abruptly.

Marcus frowned. "That’s not supposed to be—"

Before he could finish, two men in black masks stepped out from behind the van. Another two from the shadows on either side.

Marcus reached for the radio but it too late

The rear door was dragged open and hands grabbed me from nowhere.

I screamed as the masked men dragged me out of the car roughly. I kicked, clawed, but to no avail.

One man clamped a white cloth over my mouth and nose. A sharp, chemical smell flooded into my lungs causing me to choke.

I fought harder as the world tilted.

Lucian’s face flashed behind my eyes but then darkness rushed in and everything went black.