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Chapter 1 - 365 Days to Win Her Back

morning sun spilled golden light over the city skyline, kissing the glass windows of the towering Skywell Corporation, a name synonymous with wealth, power, and ruthless ambition. Inside its 78th-floor office sat Ethan Varen, the cold, brilliant CEO known for his emotionless decisions and ice-blue gaze that never lingered too long on anyone—except, once, on her. Aria Linwood. The woman he had once married in secret, divorced in arrogance, and spent five years trying to forget, though her absence haunted every breath he took. Five years ago, she was a quiet secretary with shy eyes and gentle smiles, too pure for a world like his. Their love had been forbidden—not because of an office rule, but because of his family's pride. Ethan, heir of the Varen dynasty, was destined to marry the true heiress of the Linwood family—a deal forged in boardrooms before either of them was born. But fate, twisted and cruel, played its hand. Two girls were switched at birth—Aria, born a Linwood heiress, was raised as a humble secretary's daughter, while Celeste, the girl everyone thought was the Linwood heiress, grew up pampered and spoiled in wealth that wasn't hers. When the truth came out, the world turned upside down. Aria, humiliated, heartbroken, and carrying a secret she never told anyone—Ethan's child—vanished without a trace.

Now, five years later, she stood again before him, no longer the timid secretary he remembered, but the newly appointed CEO of Linwood Group, wearing a tailored white suit and heels that clicked with confidence against the marble floor. Her hair was longer, her voice sharper, her eyes no longer filled with love but with quiet fire. Ethan froze the moment he saw her. Time seemed to collapse—the memories of her laughter, her tears, the night of their secret marriage, the morning of their cruel divorce—all collided like shards of glass cutting through his chest. "Aria…" he whispered, almost disbelieving. She merely offered a cold smile. "Mr. Varen. I believe we have a meeting." Her tone was icy, professional, devoid of emotion, and that hurt him more than any slap could. But fate was not done yet. The merger between Skywell and Linwood wasn't just a business deal—it was a chessboard of revenge, redemption, and buried secrets waiting to surface.

Behind the closed doors of the meeting room, Ethan's executives whispered. Who was this woman who dared talk to the CEO like that? When she presented her plan, her brilliance stunned the entire board. Her calm dismantled their doubts. Every word she spoke was precise, powerful, a blow to every man who had once looked down on her. Ethan's chest swelled with pride and pain—this was the Aria he had crushed, the Aria who rose from ashes to become unstoppable. Yet, as she spoke, he noticed something else—her ring finger bore a faint tan line, as if she once wore a ring for years. His heart skipped. Could she still wear it sometimes in secret, or was it gone forever? He wanted to ask, but guilt chained his voice.

Meanwhile, in the corner of the room, Celeste Linwood—now revealed to be the fake heiress—watched with venomous envy. Once adored, now forgotten, she despised Aria for taking everything—status, company, admiration—and most of all, Ethan's attention. "You think you can just walk in and take over?" Celeste sneered when the meeting ended. Aria turned slowly, her heels stopping inches away from Celeste's trembling frame. "I'm not taking anything, Celeste," she said softly, her gaze deadly calm. "I'm just taking back what was mine." The words sliced through the air. Even Ethan, who once stood on Celeste's side, flinched. That was the first face-slapping moment—silent but thunderous, a declaration that the powerless girl was gone, replaced by a queen reborn.

That evening, Ethan couldn't focus. His mind replayed her every word, every glance. He knew he had broken her, driven her away, and worst of all—he didn't even know what she'd gone through after. He found himself driving aimlessly until he stopped outside an old house in the outskirts, one he hadn't visited in years. He remembered it as their secret place—the one where she used to read under the old oak tree, where she first whispered "I love you." The house was empty now, except for the faint sound of a child laughing in the backyard. His heart froze. A boy of about five was playing with a small toy car, his dark hair and silver-blue eyes too familiar. Ethan's heart stopped. "No," he whispered, breath trembling. The boy looked exactly like him when he was young. "Mommy! Mommy, look! I built it myself!" the child called out, and Aria's voice answered from inside, soft and warm. "Good job, Liam." Ethan stumbled back. Liam. The name hit him like lightning. He didn't need proof—he knew. That boy was his son. The baby she had carried when she left.

The next day, Ethan confronted her in the elevator, voice low, desperate. "He's mine, isn't he?" Aria's eyes flickered, a storm of emotions fighting to stay calm. "You lost the right to ask five years ago," she said, the tremor in her voice barely hidden. The elevator doors closed, trapping them in silence thick with unspoken words. Ethan clenched his fists. "I'll do anything, Aria. Please… let me make it right. I'll win you back, at all costs." She gave a bitter laugh. "You think you can buy redemption like another company, Ethan? Some wounds don't heal with apologies." The elevator dinged open, and she walked out, leaving him drowning in regret.

But the story didn't end there. Days turned into weeks, and the business war between Skywell and Linwood escalated. Ethan's family, once proud and cruel, began to regret their mistakes. His father, who once called Aria "unworthy," now saw her commanding the industry with grace and intelligence. Slowly, they began to reach out, offering support, gifts, and apologies. Even Celeste's parents, realizing the truth of the switch, knelt before Aria to beg forgiveness. It became a grand group pampering—the world that once mocked her now adored her, cherished her, tried to make amends for the years of pain.

Yet, through it all, Aria's heart remained guarded. Every success was revenge, but every night she still tucked in the little boy who called her "Mommy," wondering if forgiveness was possible. Ethan, meanwhile, visited often, not as a CEO, but as a father learning to earn his son's smile. He cooked for them, told bedtime stories, waited outside Liam's school. Slowly, the walls began to crack. There was a night, under the same old oak tree, when Aria finally whispered, "You hurt me so much, Ethan. I don't know if I can ever love you again." He looked at her, tears glistening. "Then I'll spend my life proving I can be the man you deserved from the start." The wind rustled, the moon shone pale, and their hands brushed for the first time in years. Somewhere, forgiveness bloomed quietly.

But fate, as always, was watching—ready to test them again.

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