He Chose The Dog; I Chose Empire

My masterpiece perfume launch ended in chaos, with my creation blamed for a mass allergic reaction that sent people to the hospital.

My fiancé, Blake, the man who had promised me the world, was the one who framed me.

He exiled me to a remote cabin for three years, claiming he was protecting me. In reality, he had his twin brother impersonate him, stealing every new formula I created and giving them to my foster sister, Carly, who became a star with my work.

When I finally confronted them, the building we were in collapsed. I was trapped under rubble, bleeding out.

Rescuers gave Blake a choice: save me, or save Carly's dog from a different, unstable area.

"Save the dog," he said. "Emily is strong. She can wait."

He left me to die.

But I survived. Rescued by the powerful parents I had pushed away, I was given a new identity and a new life in Switzerland. Now, I'm building my own empire, and I'm coming back to burn theirs to the ground.

Chapter 1

Emily POV:

The sirens screamed, a discordant symphony ripping through the opulent launch party. It wasn't the celebratory kind, but the raw, urgent wail of emergency vehicles. I stood frozen on stage, the scent of my masterpiece, "Ethereal Bloom," now a toxic cloud in the air. People around me weren't applauding. They were gasping, clutching their throats, their skin erupting in angry red hives. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. This wasn't my scent.

One moment, the ballroom shimmered with anticipation, the next, it descended into chaos. A woman in a glittering emerald dress collapsed, her face swelling unnervingly. Another man clawed at his neck, his eyes wide with terror. The air thickened with a chemical tang, something acrid and wrong, far removed from the delicate jasmine and sandalwood heart of Ethereal Bloom. My vision swam. My stomach churned. This was a nightmare, and I was wide awake.

"Emily, what did you do?" Blake Stark's voice cut through the rising panic, sharp and accusing. He was my boyfriend, the CEO of Stark Luxury Brands, the man who had championed my vision for this fragrance. His eyes, usually warm and reassuring, were now cold, reflecting the horror around us. He pointed at me, then at the convulsing crowd. The unspoken accusation hung heavy: You did this.

"No, Blake, no!" My voice was a desperate whisper, barely audible above the mounting screams. "It can't be. I tested it. Hundreds of times. It was perfect. Pure." I scrambled for my phone, pulling up the final lab reports, the meticulous notes detailing every ingredient, every safety protocol. "Look! It passed every single test. There are no allergens in Ethereal Bloom."

But none of that mattered. The official report, barked into a megaphone by a stern-faced fire marshal, confirmed the worst. "Mass allergic reaction. Severe. Product identified as 'Ethereal Bloom' fragrance. Immediate recall required." The words echoed off the gilded ceilings, sealing my fate. My creation, my passion, was now a weapon.

The blare of police sirens joined the ambulance wails, a grim chorus signaling the end of my world. The law was coming. Lawsuits. Public outrage. My career, my reputation, everything I had built, was crumbling around me.

Blake grabbed my arm, his grip surprisingly tight. "We have to go. Now. Before the media circus, before the lawyers descend. They'll tear you apart, Emily. You'll be ruined." He pulled me through a service exit, away from the flashing lights and accusatory stares. His urgency was terrifying, but it also felt like a shield. He was protecting me.

"Where are we going?" I gasped, stumbling to keep up.

"My family estate in Montana," he said, pushing me into a waiting black car. "It's isolated. No one will find you there. You'll be safe. I'll handle everything here. The lawsuits, the public relations. I'll clear your name."

His words were a lifeline in a raging storm. "You promise?" My voice was small, childish.

He leaned in, his lips brushing my temple. "I promise, my love. Just stay low. Keep safe. I'll join you as soon as I can. We'll get through this, together."

Three years melted away in the silent, sprawling Montana wilderness. Three years of solitude, broken only by the visits from "Blake." He would arrive every few months, a whirlwind of passion and intensity that left me breathless. Each time, I'd cling to him, yearning for news from the outside world, for reassurance that my name was being cleared, that we would soon return to our life.

But something shifted. The man who visited me wasn't quite the Blake I remembered. His touch became more possessive, less tender. His eyes, though still dark and captivating, held a new, almost predatory gleam. He never spoke of New York, of the investigations, of my exoneration. He only spoke of us, of our secluded haven, of the future we' d build here.

"You look tired, my love," I'd murmur, tracing the faint lines around his eyes during one of these intense visits. "Is New York still so demanding?"

He' d pull me closer, his embrace almost crushing. "The world is a harsh place, Emily. Full of vultures. But being here, with you, it's my only peace." He'd kiss me then, a long, consuming kiss that stole my breath and stifled my questions. He needed me. He needed this quiet sanctuary. How could I deny him that?

His ardor was relentless, almost insatiable. He devoured me with his kisses, his touch, his desperate need. At first, I was flattered, reassured by his fierce devotion. It was a stark contrast to the terror and uncertainty that had driven me to Montana. This must be love, I told myself. A deep, consuming love born from fear of loss.

Months bled into years. His visits became less about comfort and more about control. His passion bordered on aggression, his love an almost suffocating weight. I grew accustomed to it, to his fierce demands, to the way he claimed me, body and soul. I loved him, or at least, I loved the idea of him-the man who was sacrificing everything to protect me. I worried about his health, the dark circles under his eyes, the way he seemed to burn through life with a desperate intensity.

"You push yourself too hard," I'd whisper, stroking his hair.

He' d pull away slightly, his gaze intense. "I'm just afraid, Emily. Afraid of losing you. Afraid of what the world will do if I let my guard down." His vulnerability was a powerful hook, drawing me deeper into his narrative of protection and sacrifice.

This pattern continued for three long years. I accepted my isolation, my dependence. I accepted his love as it was, intense and demanding, the price of my safety.

Then, the call came.

"Emily," his voice, still deep and resonant, sounded lighter than I' d heard it in years. "It's finally over. They've cleared your name. It was sabotage, just like you said. We're free."

A wave of relief, so profound it made my knees weak, washed over me. "Oh, Blake! Really? Truly?" Tears streamed down my face.

"Yes, my love," he said, his voice brimming with an emotion I hadn't heard in years-genuine joy. "And now that the storm is behind us, there's something I need to ask." There was a pause, a breath held across thousands of miles. "Marry me, Emily. Let's make it official. Let's start our real life now."

My heart soared. This was it. The moment I had dreamed of for three years. The vindication, the future, the promise of a life with the man I loved. "Yes!" I choked out, a sob caught in my throat. "A thousand times, yes!"

We made plans. Grand plans. A beautiful wedding in New York, a new beginning. I waited, giddy with anticipation, my bags packed for my return journey. He promised to send a private jet for me within the week. Days turned into a week, then a week into ten days. He didn't come. My excitement curdled into a familiar anxiety. Something was wrong.

I couldn't wait any longer. I took the first commercial flight out of Montana, desperate to find him, desperate to understand. The moment I landed in New York, a chilling premonition settled over me. I went straight to our old haunts, places he might be.

The private club was buzzing, a low hum of wealthy voices. I pushed through the heavy doors, my heart pounding. And then, I heard it. Not Blake's voice, not exactly. But a voice so eerily similar, boasting, laughing, spilling secrets I shouldn't hear. It was in a secluded alcove, just around the bend from the main bar.

"God, Kash, you really played the part," a woman's voice giggled. "Three years? Stuck in Montana with Emily? You're a legend."

My blood ran cold. Kash? Blake had a twin brother, Kash, a wild card, a distant relative I'd only met once.

"It was a challenging role, darling," the voice, unmistakably Blake's, yet not Blake's, drawled. "But the payoff was worth it. Blake needed her out of the way, and I needed some... entertainment." He laughed, a chilling, decadent sound. "Poor Emily. So trusting, so naive. Giving up all her little perfume secrets, thinking she was sending them to him."

A different voice, this one higher pitched and venomous, spoke next. "And those formulas she thought were protecting her? They've made me a star. Every single award, every single accolade. All thanks to darling Emily's 'hard work.' She just didn't realize she was working for me."

My breath hitched. Carly Carlson. My childhood foster sister. The woman who had sworn to surpass me, whatever the cost.

The true Blake Stark, the man who had been my boyfriend, my protector, my fiancé, finally spoke. His voice was devoid of the warmth I had once loved, replaced by a calculating chill. "It was the perfect setup. Frame her, isolate her, steal her life's work. Kash played his part beautifully."

"And the wedding? Is that just for show?" Carly asked, her voice dripping with malice.

"Of course," Blake replied, a cruel smile evident in his tone. "A final act of public humiliation. She comes back, thinking she's the queen, only to discover she's wearing a crown of thorns, a fool paraded for all to see. My little Emily was always just a stepping stone, a means to an end for Carly's success. And for us."

The world tilted. My engagement ring, the diamond glittering on my finger, felt like a burning coal. Every tender word, every passionate kiss, every promise of a future-all lies. All from a man who wasn't even the man I loved. My Blake. My real Blake. The man I had believed was fighting for me, was actually orchestrating my downfall.

A silent scream tore through my chest. The pain was physical, a scorching fire. I pressed a hand to my mouth, stifling the desperate sob that threatened to escape. I had to get out. I had to disappear. Not from public outrage, but from this suffocating web of deceit.

My phone trembled in my hand. I dialed the only number I knew would offer a true escape, a true sanctuary. My parents. The wealthy tech moguls I had distanced myself from, eager to prove my own worth.

"Mom," my voice was a broken whisper, "I need your help. I need to disappear. Completely. Can you erase me? Make it so I was never here?"

My mother's voice, usually so calm and measured, cracked with concern. "Emily? What's happened? Of course, darling. Anything you need."

"I need travel arrangements. To Europe. And I need my US identity...gone. Erased. I can't be found." My voice grew stronger, fueled by a cold, burning rage.

"It will take time to completely nullify your identity, sweetheart," she said, her voice filled with worry. "But we can get you out tonight. A private jet. To Switzerland. Your father and I will meet you there. We' ll sort everything out."

"Good," I said, a single, bitter tear finally escaping. "I'll be there." My voice was flat, devoid of emotion. They thought they had broken me. They were wrong. They had just freed me.