“Peter… how come this is true?” James asked, his eyes wide as saucers, turning to Peter like a child caught in a storm he didn’t understand.The entire room was still—frozen in a silence so thick it could suffocate. All eyes turned to Lena.Jacob stood rooted to the spot, his fingers trembling as he reread the details on his phone. “But this is official,” he whispered, then turned to James, showing him the screen. “There’s no way she forged this… right?”Lena stood stiffly, her mind spinning. Even she hadn’t fully grasped what had happened.“Did my daughter really get the $80 million contract?” Gift murmured under her breath. Her lips curled, just slightly—an involuntary smile forming as she watched the tension in the room shift. Power was changing hands, and she felt it.“Lena, I knew you’d make me proud,” she said aloud, finally giving in to the joy bursting inside her. “That’s my daughter.”Her voice rang out, clear and bold, and it made Mrs. Romanos twitch where she stood—shocked,

Peter felt a chill crawl down his spine, like a ghostly hand brushing against his neck. Something was wrong. Deeply wrong. There’s no way he has my dad’s number. It’s impossible. My father wouldn’t associate with trash like him, he thought, his mind scrambling for logic. There’s no way… Still, a nervous smile curled at his lips. Wayne calmly pulled out his phone and began dialing. “Haha… Look at you, acting like some big-time actor now,” Peter muttered mockingly. “Go on, tell me how you got my dad’s contact, idiot. My father doesn’t mix with scum.” The room grew tense—so silent it felt like the air itself was holding its breath. Then Wayne spoke. “Hello, Zack.” Peter burst into laughter. “Zack? Haha! Wasn’t it my father you said you were calling? You’re a joke!” Wayne didn’t flinch. His voice was colder now. “Call Mr. Arnold,” he said into the phone. “Tell him his son is about to make him regret his life.” He ended the call before another word could be said. “Huh?” Peter b

Wayne and Sara used to be close back in school—an odd pair of sincerity and kindness. She was the one who’d always stood by him when everyone else turned their backs. That loyalty, those quiet moments in the schoolyard, were why he’d come today. To say thank you. But times had changed.She didn’t seem to care anymore.Now, seated among their former classmates, Wayne watched as laughter turned sharp and cruel, directed at him like arrows. His old friend Thomas, the only one not laughing, looked uneasy. His eyes searched the table, searching for something—dignity, perhaps—before he finally stood.“Hey, come on guys, we’re all classmates. Why laugh at Wayne?” Thomas said, voice calm but firm.Before anyone could respond, two more classmates walked in: Ty and Amy.Andrew jumped up with a grin, quickly pulling out chairs for them like a butler greeting royalty. “Hey, class rep! What a coincidence you both came together,” he said, nudging Bright.Bright raised a brow. He’d had his eyes fixe

Who could have gifted Sara a flower worth nearly a million dollars? That kind of person had to be far beyond Dante—by a hundred times, at least. Amy stared at the orchid, her mind spiraling into a quiet storm. Her regard for Dante was already thinning, but now it began to hollow entirely.The reunion was meant for the singles among the former college classmates. Those married weren’t invited—except for Wayne, who had never shown up to any gathering before. They all knew why. In college, he’d been the poor kid, the easy target. They bullied and mocked him, and Wayne never forgot it. His presence today had a simple purpose: to thank Sara. He came only to gift her something nice and leave. That was all.He wasn’t bothered by their judgments anymore. If they only knew—he was wealthier than any of them could ever begin to imagine.Back in the VIP lounge, Sara turned the orchid box over and over, searching for a card or note. There was none.“Who could it be? Or… was this a mistake?” she mu

“Well, Wayne, I must admit—you’ve got some serious guts,” Dante said, forcing a soft chuckle.“But it’d be a great shame if, in the end, you couldn’t pay for what you just ordered. Or worse—if you tried to back out of covering your share of the bill.” His words were laced with false confidence, but the tremble in his voice betrayed the doubt gnawing at him.Wayne gave a calm smile. “Don’t worry about me, Dante. Just take care of your own part. I’ll handle mine.”Bright narrowed his eyes. “But wait—Wayne just asked about the flowers. Is he trying to say he was the one who gave Sara the flowers Ty claimed he bought?”Ty felt a sudden heat crawl up his stomach. Sara’s piercing stare locked on him, demanding answers, but he said nothing. Wayne’s gaze didn’t flinch.Ty quickly gathered his composure. “Ha… What are you talking about? You think this loser could afford flowers worth $700,000?” His laugh was nervous, desperate. “Sara, are you seriously considering that he might be the one who