Chapter 5
For the first time in months, I wake up in a real bed.
Not on the cold, hard pavement.
Not in some dirty alley, curled up with my arms wrapped around myself.
A real bed With silk sheets and the scent of fresh linen surrounding me.X
It almost feels like a dream.
But when I open my eyes, the massive chandelier above me reminds me that this is real. That I’m in Richard Blackwood’s mansion- no longer a homeless, broken woman left to rot in the streets.
I don’t know why he took me in.8
I don’t know why he’s helping me.
But I do know one thing–I owe him. And whatever he wants in return, I’ll give it.
Richard Blackwood is
is nothing like I expected
Despite his age, he carries himself like a king–powerful, untouchable.
attention.X
He doesn’t speak much unless necessary, but when he does, his words cut through the air with an authority that demands a
Today, I sit across from him in his private study, a grand room filled with books, expensive whiskey, and the smell of old money!
“Eat.” He nods at the untouched plate in front of me. “You look like a skeleton.”
I hesitate, still unused to this kind of treatment. But when my stomach growls, I give in, picking up my fork
“You remind me of someone,” he says after a while, watching me closely.!!
I pause mid–bite. “Who?
His lips press together. “Someone I lost. A long time ago.”?
I don’t push for details. He doesn’t look like the type to spill his emotions easily.
Instead, I set my fork down and meet his gaze. “Why are you helping me?”
His expression doesn’t change. “Because I can.
I frown “That’s not an answer
He leans back in his chair, swirling the whiskey in his glass. “What would you rather
man who doesn’t want to be found?
His words hit harder than I expect
I lower my gaze, gripping my lap under the table.
“I just want my son back” I whisper.
ther be do
doing? Living on the streets? Chasing after a
Richard nods. Then we’ll start there.”
Hook up, my heart pounding. “We?“?
“You think you can fight Ethan Caldwell on your own?” He raises a brow. “You’re nothing to him right now. Just a woman he threw away 2
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Then what do I do?%
His eyes darken with something unreadable. “You rise, Claire”
I suck in a breath &
“You become someone powerful,” he continues. “Someone untouchable. You don’t just fight Ethan–you make him regret ever throwing you away.”
I stare at him, my pulse racing.
“And how do I do that?“X
A slow smirk curves his lips. “By becoming someone the world can’t ignore.”
Richard doesn’t just give me a place to stay–he rebuilds mel
Doctors check every inch of me, making sure I recover from the months of malnutrition and neglect.
Stylists fix my hair, my skin, my nails
Trainers push me to my limits, forcing me to regain the strength I lost.
Every day is a test.X
Every moment is a lesson.
Richard makes sure of that
“You need to control your emotions,” he says
says as I punch the training bag in his private gym. “Right now, you’re still weak. Driven by pain and rage. That won’t win you battles–it’ll make you reckless.“%
I grit my teeth, throwing another punch. “What do you want me to do? Smile and pretend I’m fine?”
He tilts his head. “No. I want you to chan
- it. Use it to your advantage. Make it your weapon, not your exhale sharply, stepping back, sweat dripping down my face
“I want to hurt him,” Ladmit. I want him to feel everything I felt
Richard watches me for a long moment
“Then become someone he’ll never be able to ignore,” he says. “You want revenge? Then rise so high that he has no choice but to look up at you”
And so I push myself harder X
Every day. Every night.E
Until the weak, broken woman I used to be disappears–replaced by someone stronger.
One evening, as I sit in the lounge, flipping through magazines, Richard enters with someone new.
A tall
Dressed in a sharp black surt, his presence demands attention the moment he steps into the room.
His eyes–piercing and observant–lock onto me:
“Claire, meet my grandson,” Richard announces “Lucas Blackwood.”
tense
I’ve heard that name before
Lucas Blackwood. The youngest, most sought after film director in the industry
The man behind countless award–winning movies
And Richard’s heirl
Lucas studies me for a moment before speaking “So you’re the one my grandfather’s been obsessing over
I blink. ” what?”
Richard smirks, sipping his whiskey. “I don’t obsess
Lucas scoffs but doesn’t argue, Instead, he turns back to me. “He says you’ve got potential.”
I straighten “Potential for what?”
He slides his hands into his pockets. For something big.”%
I frown. “I don’t understand.”
Lucas tilts his head. “You want to take Ethan down, right?”
I stiffen.
Richard leans forward, resting his elbows on the armrest. Then you need influence. Power. Something that makes you untouchable”
I glance between them, my heart racing
“And what exactly are you suggesting?
Lucas smirks X-
“How about becoming a star?”
I blink “A star?“!
He nods. “The entertainment industry is ruthless. But it’s also the fastest way to rise to power. Become a name everyone knows, and suddenly, Ethan Caldwell won’t just see you as a bitter ex–he’ll see you as a threat.“%
I stare at him, my mind spinning.
Me? In the entertainment industry?!!
It sounds ridiculous. Impossible.
But then I remember-
The way Ethan dismissed me. The way he replaced me. The way my son called another woman Mommy.
And suddenly it doesn’t seem so impossible.
Richard watches me closely. “So, Claire… do you want to remain in the shadows?”
Lucas crosses his arms, his smirk never fading. “Or do you want to become the woman Ethan regrets losing for the rest of his life?“2 I take a slow, deep breath
The old Claire–the one who cried, who begged, who was discarded like trash–no longer exists
I lift my chin, meeting Lucas’s gaze head–on.
“Where do I start?
Richard chuckles. “Now that’s the right question.”
And just like that-
The rise of Claire Caldwell begins.
