I Marry His Father In Law For Revenge

The crimson silk clung to my body like liquid fire as I stepped through the grand entrance of the Sterling Estate's ballroom. I had chosen this dress deliberately—the color of blood, of passion, of revenge. Every head turned as I made my entrance, fashionably late by design, the whispers following in my wake like a toxic perfume.

"Is that... the Thorne girl?"

"I heard her family lost everything..."

"Didn't her mate reject her for—"

Let them talk. Let them stare. I had nothing left to lose, which made me infinitely more dangerous than any of these pampered wolves who still had reputations to protect.

The charity gala was Seraphina Sterling's crowning achievement—a glittering display of wealth and power designed to showcase her position as the Chairman's daughter and Ethan's perfect wife. Crystal chandeliers cast dancing shadows across marble floors, while the elite of our kind mingled in their designer gowns and tailored suits, their laughter hollow and their smiles sharp as blades.

I moved through the crowd with predatory grace, ignoring the pointed stares and hushed conversations. My target wasn't among these lesser wolves. No, the man I sought commanded a different kind of space entirely.

Gavin Sterling stood at the far end of the ballroom near the bar, and even from across the room, his presence was unmistakable. Power radiated from him like heat from a forge, creating an invisible barrier that kept the other guests at a respectful—fearful—distance. He was taller than I'd expected, his silver-streaked hair catching the light as he surveyed his domain with the cold calculation of a predator assessing prey.

This was the man who had built an empire through ruthless ambition. The Chairman whose word was law among our kind. The father-in-law who could destroy Ethan with a single command.

My heels clicked against the marble as I approached, each step deliberate and measured. The conversations around us gradually died as people noticed my trajectory, sensing the electric tension building in the air. By the time I reached the bar, we had drawn an audience of curious onlookers pretending not to watch.

Gavin's dark eyes found mine as I approached, and I felt the full weight of his attention settle on me like a physical force. Up close, he was even more imposing—broad shoulders filling out his perfectly tailored black suit, his face carved from granite and marked by lines that spoke of decades wielding absolute power. There was something predatory in his gaze, something that should have made me retreat.

Instead, it made my pulse quicken with anticipation.

"Chairman Sterling," I said, my voice carrying clearly in the sudden hush that had fallen around us. "I don't believe we've been formally introduced."

His eyebrow arched slightly, the only sign of surprise he allowed himself. "And you are?"

"Judy Thorne." I let the name hang in the air for a moment, watching recognition flicker in his eyes. "I'm the woman your son-in-law tried to make his mistress after destroying my family."

The silence