2025-09-13 18:45:00Betrayal and Revelation
The annual charity gala hosted by the Collins Group was a power parade. Under chandeliers, the glittering ballroom echoed with the laughter of politicians, tycoons, and celebrities.. Leon stood near the back, dressed in a simple black suit. To the guests, he was invisible—just the Collins family’s unwanted son-in-law. Emily walked ahead of him, radiant in a sapphire gown. She held her chin high, but her eyes darted nervously whenever they brushed against Leon. Miranda hovered at Emily’s side like a hawk. Brandon moved through the crowd with a champagne glass, his smile sharp as a knife. “Ladies and gentlemen!” Harold’s voice rang out as he stepped onto the stage. “Tonight, the Collins Group pledges its continued strength and commitment to the city. My daughter Emily will now introduce our new development partnership.” Applause. Emily stepped forward, a faint tremor in her hands as she held the microphone. “Thank you, Father,” she said smoothly. “Tonight, I am proud to announce that Collins Group has secured a joint venture with—” Her voice faltered for a second. Leon’s eyes narrowed. “—with Sterling Enterprises.” Gasps rippled through the room. Sterling—the company Leon had destroyed from the shadows. Brandon smirked, whispering loudly enough for nearby guests to hear: “Of course, our useless brother-in-law had no part in this. Emily is the face of our family, not the dishwasher.” Laughter followed. Emily forced a smile, though her eyes flickered toward Leon briefly—hesitant, guilty. The humiliation cut sharper than usual. Not because of Brandon’s words, but because Emily herself had chosen Sterling. Chosen, the very enemy Leon had warned about. He stood in silence, jaw tight, heart steady. The System pulsed softly in his pocket. [Quest Triggered: Betrayal in the Bloodline.] Condition: Public humiliation acknowledged. Response required.] Leon’s eyes cooled. His silence tonight would not be weakness. It would be a blade. The Hidden Shareholder After the gala, the family gathered in Harold’s private lounge. The air was tense. “Emily,” Harold said, his voice hard. “Do you realize what you’ve done? Sterling is collapsing. Their stocks are toxic. This partnership could ruin us.” Emily’s face paled. “But—Father, Brandon told me—” “Don’t blame me!” Brandon snapped. “I told you Sterling had problems. You insisted!” “That’s a lie!” Emily shot back. The argument spiraled, voices rising. Leon stood at the edge of the room, watching. Then, calmly, he stepped forward. “Sterling’s finished,” he said softly. “The partnership will fail before it begins.” Miranda scoffed. “Here comes the prophet again. Why should we listen to you?” Leon’s gaze was steady. “Because I’m not just your son-in-law.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and laid it on the table. The screen displayed a stockholder’s certificate, Collins Group emblazoned in bold. Gasps erupted. Harold froze. “This… this can’t be real.” Leon’s voice was calm, cold. “I now own fifteen percent of Collins Group. More than Brandon. More than Emily. Enough to vote.” The room fell into stunned silence. Emily’s lips parted, her eyes wide. “Leon… what have you done?” Brandon surged forward, fury twisting his face. “You snake! You bought shares behind our backs?” Leon’s gaze cut to him like steel. “I bought what you were too blind to protect.” The System pulsed. [Quest Progress: 70%.] Reward Pending.] The Collins family was no longer laughing. The Silent Avenger The meeting descended into chaos. Miranda screamed, Brandon cursed, and Harold shouted for silence. With his hands in his pockets, however, Leon stood composed. “You mocked me for years,” he said evenly. “Called me useless. Trash. A burden. But out of arrogance, you sold me the exact thing you walk on.” Harold’s fists trembled on the table. “You think you can control this family?” Leon leaned forward slightly, his voice low, dangerous. “I don’t need to control it. I only need to own it. Piece by piece.” Emily flinched, her heart pounding. She searched his eyes, but found no trace of the meek man she once ignored. Only ice. Only resolve. Miranda’s voice cracked. “You… you planned this from the start.” Leon’s lips curved faintly. “No. You planned it for me—with every insult, every humiliation. The System simply kept score.” Brandon lunged forward, but Harold held him back. The older man’s sharp eyes locked on Leon. For the first time, there was no dismissal—only fear. The System chimed softly in Leon’s pocket. [Quest Completed: Betrayal in the Bloodline.] Reward: Skill Upgrade – Negotiator’s Edge Lv 2.] New Quest Unlocked: Blood Ties, Broken Chains.] Leon straightened, turning toward the door. Emily’s voice followed him, breaking, trembling. “Leon—wait. Please… tell me the truth. Who are you?” He stopped with his back to her in the doorway. The silver watch gleamed in the dim light. “He muttered, "I'm the man you chose to betray." "And the guy who'll make you regret it." He walked out, leaving the Collins family fractured, Emily trembling, and the shadows of his empire growing ever larger.
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CHAPTER 52
Emily’s Unexpected Defense The atmosphere in the grand conference hall was electric, charged with tension and whispered speculation. Industry leaders, executives, and media personalities had gathered for a high-profile business summit, a stage where power plays unfolded under the polished veneer of civility. Leon Gray, the man who had quietly but decisively shaken the foundations of the corporate world, was at the center of the storm once again.Emily adjusted her dress nervously, feeling the weight of countless eyes on her. She was here because of Leon, by his insistence, though the thought made her stomach twist. She had never been comfortable in such environments — the subtle games of influence, the veiled barbs disguised as polite conversation, the constant scrutiny. Every glance, every whisper seemed loaded with judgment, curiosity, or disdain.As Leon stood near the stage, calm and collected, Emily noticed the sharp eyes of a rival CEO cutting toward him like daggers. Marc
CHAPTER 51
The Corporate Duel The boardroom was tense, suffused with a heavy, silent anticipation.Brandon stood at the head of the long mahogany table, trying to command the room with a forced confidence that didn’t quite reach his eyes.His recent losses had bruised more than just his ego—they threatened to unravel everything he had built.Tonight was his chance to reclaim his power.“Ladies and gentlemen,” Brandon began, voice steady but sharp, “I’m proud to introduce the next big project that will revolutionize our market and restore our dominance. The Phoenix Initiative.”Murmurs rippled through the room.Several board members exchanged uncertain glances, clearly skeptical.Leon sat quietly at the far end of the table, watching.His posture relaxed, but his eyes were sharp—calculating every reaction, every twitch of doubt.Brandon continued, outlining grand plans, flashy figures, and promises of unparalleled returns.But beneath the surface, Leon knew the truth.Brandon’s so-called investo
CHAPTER 50
Rumors and Realizations The office buzzed with hushed conversations and sideways glances the moment Emily stepped through the glass doors. She could feel the tension like static in the air—curious eyes tracking her every move. She wasn’t sure if they were looking at her or through her, as if the presence of Leon Gray, her husband, had somehow shifted the entire atmosphere.Emily’s steps slowed as whispers floated around her, carried like secrets between cubicles and whispered in quiet corners.“Have you seen how fast Leon’s influence is spreading? It’s like he’s untouchable.”“They say he’s got connections no one can even guess. Not just in business — something deeper.”Emily clenched her purse a little tighter. She had heard these rumors before, but now they felt more personal.She found her desk and sat down, trying to bury herself in her work. But the words stuck in her mind, gnawing at her like a restless shadow.Across the room, two colleagues leaned in, speaking in low tones.
CHAPTER 49
The Gala of MasksThe Collins Group’s annual charity gala was the city’s most anticipated event.Velvet curtains, shimmering chandeliers, and the soft murmur of the city’s elite filled the grand ballroom.Emily stood near the entrance, her heart thudding unevenly.She wasn’t used to this world—the glittering gowns, the carefully practiced smiles, the whispers that floated like shadows.And tonight, she was forced to be here… beside Leon.Her hand trembled slightly as she adjusted her evening dress.She wasn’t sure if it was the nerves or the weight of everything that had happened between them lately.Leon, on the other hand, looked calm. Too calm.His dark suit was tailored perfectly, but his eyes held a cool detachment, as if he belonged nowhere and everywhere at once.Emily glanced around, noticing the sideways glances they drew.Whispers darted across the room like invisible arrows.She caught fragments—“That man isn’t ordinary,” one voice said.“And who is he really?” another whi
CHAPTER 48
The Fall of Brandon’s Allies The city glittered with late-night lights, but inside the Collins Group headquarters, the air was thick with gossip.Everyone had heard the news. Brandon’s humiliation at the board meeting had gone viral among the elite. The once–golden heir of the Collins family was now a shadow of himself, and people were already picking sides.Unfortunately for Leon, or so they thought, most of Brandon’s old friends were ready to strike back.“Leon is nothing without Emily,” one of the CEOs sneered, swirling his wine glass. “A stray dog who got lucky marrying into the family. It’s time someone puts him back in his place.”“Agreed,” another laughed. “Let’s hit him where it hurts — his company. Crush his tiny business, and the mutt will crawl back under his rock.”They clinked their glasses and sealed the deal.What they didn’t know was that Leon was already watching them.Inside a dimly lit office downtown, Leon leaned back in his chair, eyes half-lidded as data stream
CHAPTER 47
EMILY’S SHOCK The news spread faster than wildfire.By morning, the entire city was buzzing.“Brandon Collins removed from office after financial scandal!”“Anonymous investor rescues Collins Group from collapse!”Emily read the headlines in disbelief, her fingers trembling as she scrolled through her phone.Every article spoke of the mysterious intervention that saved the company — an unnamed figure who had quietly exposed Brandon’s embezzlement and stabilized the board’s finances overnight.She knew that calm, deliberate pattern.That unseen hand behind chaos.Leon.Emily sank onto the edge of her bed, her heart pounding.She couldn’t understand it. The man she married was quiet, distant, and painfully ordinary… wasn’t he?But this — this was power.Calculated. Ruthless. Invisible.The very thing Leon always claimed not to be.She glanced toward the hallway. His study door was closed again, as always.That door had become a symbol — a barrier between her world and his secrets.Lat
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