Her Cold Eyes, His Burning Revenge

brated my

partment, liquidated my assets, and bought a one-way ticket overseas. I

celebrated with Kevin, convinced that the "problem child," the "unstable brother," had f

ling display against the dark sky. A celebration of my absence. That news hurt,

years

ilence. Three ye

h world. The grand ballroom of the city' s most luxurious hotel was packed with industry titans, ea

of it all wa

was the CEO of "Chen Tech," the company built on the ashes of my own. The media

e-changing contract being awarded by InnovateTech Solut

no longer the broken young man from three years ago. My suit was tailored, m

r of surprise crossed his face, quickly replaced by a wide, predatory smile. He came down from the stage and wa

eliberately loud, designed to draw the attention of everyone a

friendly but felt heavy with condescension. "I haven't seen you in

ent, my expres

ter, I see. Did you finally get a decent job? Last I heard, you' d ru

s enjoying this, putting me on display, reminding me

concern. "Alex, what are you doing here? This is

me up and down as if I were something she'd scraped off her shoe.

rld where he no longer belonged. The whispers started around us. People I used t

er? I heard he wen

re? Trying to beg K

used to be

r the crowd, casting himself as the benevolent success story and me as the tragic

friend. Really. It remind

se my temper and prove their narrative right.

le on my lips. My silence seemed to unnerve

se when a new voice cut through

onference is an inv

power that commanded immediate respect. It was Isabella "Izzy" Stone, the notoriously private and

pped be

and eject me. "Ms. Stone! Exactly. I was just telling my.

Then, she did something that mad

her arm th

ned Kevin Chen and gave him a

e said, her voice carrying across

sembled crowd of journali

Isabella Stone announced, her voic