She paused for dramatic effect, letting the weight of her name sink in."The Downey family," Victoria continued proudly, "is one of the top five leading families in the entire United States. Our corporation has a net worth of over fifty billion dollars. We own properties in every major city, we have government contracts, international partnerships—" She waved her hand dismissively. "Well, I won't bore you with all the details. Let's just say we're almost on par with the Coleman family. Almost."As Victoria spoke, memories began flooding back to Alicia with horrifying clarity. That voice. That condescending tone. That cruel smile.Isabella Downey.Bella, as she'd insisted everyone call her in college.Alicia's face went from pale to nearly white as the full recognition hit her. Her hands began to tremble slightly, though whether from anger or old trauma, she couldn't tell."I see you remember me now," Victoria—Isabella—said with satisfaction, noting the change in Alicia's expression. "

"Do you have any idea who I am?" Isabella's voice rose to a near-shriek. "Do you have any idea what my family can do to people like you?""I know exactly who you are," Pervis replied evenly. "You're Isabella Victoria Whitmore-Downey, heiress to the Downey fortune, vice president of a corporation you probably didn't earn your position in, and apparently someone with so little substance that she has to rely on her family name to feel superior."Isabella's face turned bright red. "How dare you! I could have you destroyed! I could—""You could what?" Pervis interrupted, his tone still maddeningly calm. "Make some phone calls? Throw your family's weight around? Use money and connections to bully people who can't fight back?" He shook his head slowly. "That's exactly what spoiled brats do.""I am not a brat!" Isabella shrieked, her composure completely shattered. "I am a successful businesswoman! I have accomplished—""What have you accomplished?" Pervis asked. "Specifically? What have you

"You're going too far, Isabella!" Alicia shouted, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and fear. "This is insane! We haven't done anything to deserve this kind of treatment!"Isabella's smile only widened, cruel and satisfied. "Too far? Oh, sweetheart, I haven't even gotten started yet. You want to know what's too far? Crossing me. Disrespecting the Downey name. Thinking you could waltz into my favorite restaurant looking like street vendors and expect to be treated like equals."She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper that still carried enough for everyone nearby to hear. "The problem with people like you, Alicia, is that you've never learned your place. You were poor in college, and you're still poor now. You were powerless then, and you're powerless now. Nothing has changed except that you've gotten more delusional about your station in life.""That's not true—" Alicia began."It is true!" Isabella cut her off sharply. "You're nothing. You've always been

Pervis looked directly at Isabella, his expression cold and unmoved by her theatrics.When he spoke, his voice carried clearly across the gathering crowd."You know what's truly pathetic, Isabella?" Pervis said calmly. "It's not your wealth or your family name. It's the fact that despite having every advantage in life—money, education, opportunities—the Downeys somehow managed to raise someone with absolutely no manners, no class, and no sense of basic human decency."The crowd fell silent, shocked by his audacity."You stand here insulting people you don't know, judging them based on their clothes and assumptions about their bank accounts," Pervis continued. "You treat service workers like dirt. You throw your family name around like it excuses your appalling behavior. And you genuinely believe that makes you superior?"He shook his head slowly. "You're not worthy to stand before anyone here, Isabella. Rich or poor, it doesn't matter. You're just a completely useless heiress who mist

Pervis's patience, which had been wearing thin throughout this entire ordeal, finally snapped.As Jenkins's hand reached for his collar, Pervis moved with sudden, precise efficiency.His hand shot up, deflecting Jenkins's grab with a sharp motion.Then, before anyone could react, Pervis's palm struck forward in a controlled blow aimed directly at Jenkins's throat.The impact wasn't hard enough to cause serious damage, but it was perfectly placed.Jenkins's eyes bulged as he gasped for air, his hands immediately flying to his neck.He stumbled backward, wheezing and coughing, before collapsing to his knees on the pavement.The crowd gasped. The other three security guards froze in shock, staring at their colleague writhing on the ground.Pervis stood calmly, his breathing steady, his posture relaxed.The self-defense techniques he'd learned years ago at military school—training he'd nearly forgotten during his years with Anna—had come back to him instantly. Muscle memory combined with