Rebirth of the Fallen Heir : Shadow of Revenge

Chapter 4 : A Dangerous Dance

The adrenaline was still a jagged hum in Eryndra’s veins as Livia pulled back, her thumb catching a stray drop of blood from his bitten lip. She smeared it across her own mouth, a dark, carnal stain that made her look more like a goddess of death than an heiress.

"You’re a quick learner, Eryndra," Livia whispered, her voice still wrecked with a low, post-orgasmic rasp. She adjusted the strap of her midnight-blue gown, her eyes tracking the way his chest rose and fell. "Most men would have crumbled after a night like this. You? You look like you’re just getting your second wind."

Eryndra leaned his head back against the leather seat, his fingers still twitching from the sensation of her skin. "I told you, Livia. I’m done being the guy who asks for permission. Besides, the night isn't over. We have a gala to attend, don't we?"

"The Heritage Auction," she murmured, checking her reflection in a small gold compact. "It’s going to be a bloodbath. Your little stunt at the Plaza has everyone's tongues wagging. They’re all waiting to see if you’ll fall on your face or keep swinging."

"Let them wait," Eryndra said, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His touch was lingering, possessive. "I’m not planning on falling."

"Good," she said, snapping the compact shut. "Because I don’t associate with losers. It’s bad for the brand."

*

The Heritage Gala was held at the Dharmawangsa, a venue that practically bled old-money prestige. The air inside the grand ballroom was thick with the scent of lilies and the hushed, frantic whispers of Jakarta’s elite. As Eryndra stepped inside, the room didn't just go quiet—it felt like the oxygen had been sucked out of it.

He could feel the eyes. Some were filled with shock, others with a new, begrudging respect. But one pair of eyes was burning with pure, unadulterated hatred.

Raka was standing near the bar, looking frayed at the edges. His suit was the same one from the engagement party, but it looked lived-in now, lose and wrinkled. He was holding a glass of scotch like it was a lifeline.

"He actually showed up," a socialite whispered nearby. "I heard he’s broke. How did he even get past security?"

"Probably used his last favor," her companion replied, not bothering to hide her smirk.

Eryndra ignored them, his gaze sweeping the room until he found Livia. She was already surrounded by a phalanx of board directors and old-money patriarchs, playing the part of the Ice Queen to perfection. He caught her eye for a split second, and the tiny, knowing smirk she gave him was enough to make his blood heat up all over again.

The auctioneer cleared his throat, his voice booming over the speakers. "Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. We are about to begin the bidding for our final and most prestigious piece of the evening: The 'Midnight Star' sapphire necklace, donated by the Arundhati estate."

The crowd settled. Eryndra took a seat at a table near the front. To his left, Raka slid into a chair, his face pale and his knuckles white.

"You think you’ve won, don't you?" Raka hissed, his voice low enough that only Eryndra could hear.

Eryndra didn't even look at him. "I know I’ve won, Raka. There’s a difference."

"You ruined me," Raka spat, his breath smelling of cheap whiskey. "You humiliated me in front of everyone. You think I’m just going to walk away? I’m going to buy that necklace. I’m going to give it to Livia. I’m going to show everyone that the Maheswaras are nothing without me."

"With what money, Raka?" Eryndra asked, his tone bored. "The accounts I froze? Or the credit cards I canceled this morning?"

"I have friends, Eryndra. People who know your father’s secrets."

"We’ll see," Eryndra said as the bidding started.

"Opening bid at five hundred thousand USD," the auctioneer announced.

"Six hundred!" Raka shouted immediately, his voice cracking slightly.

The room murmured. People looked at him with pitying expressions.

"Seven hundred," a developer from the back called out.

"Eight hundred!" Raka barked.

Eryndra waited. He watched the way Livia was watching the room. She looked bored, her chin resting on her hand as if she were watching a particularly dull play.

"One million," the developer said.

"One point two!" Raka countered, standing up now. He looked desperate, his eyes darting around as if searching for validation.

The auctioneer paused. "One point two million. Going once..."

Eryndra finally raised his paddle, his voice calm and terrifyingly steady. "Five million."

The silence that followed was absolute. Raka’s jaw literally dropped. He turned to Eryndra, his eyes bulging. "You... you're joking. You’re just bidding against me to spite me!"

"I’m bidding because I like the piece," Eryndra said, finally turning to look at Raka. He gave him a slow, predatory smile. "And because I can actually pay for it. Can you?"

"Five million!" the auctioneer cried, his voice trembling with excitement. "Do I hear five point five?"

Raka opened his mouth, his face turning a deep, sickly purple. He looked like he was about to scream, but no sound came out. He looked at the crowd, then at Livia, who didn't even acknowledge his existence. Finally, he slumped back into his chair, defeated.

"Going once, going twice... Sold! To Mr. Eryndra Maheswara!"

The room erupted into polite, stunned applause. Eryndra stood up, adjusting his cuffs. He didn't wait for the congratulations. He caught Livia’s gaze and tilted his head toward the balcony gardens.

*

The night air was cooler out here, away from the suffocating heat of the ballroom. The scent of night-blooming jasmine was overwhelming, thick and sweet. Eryndra found Livia leaning against the stone balustrade, a flute of champagne in her hand.

"Five million, Eryndra?" she said without turning around. "That’s a bit excessive, even for you."

Eryndra walked up behind her, his presence closing the distance until he could feel the warmth radiating from her back. "It’s a drop in the bucket compared to what I’m going to make from the Nexus project. Besides, it looks better on you than it does in a display case."

Livia turned, her eyes dark and searching. "You’re becoming very expensive to keep up with. I’m not sure I like that."

"I think you love it," Eryndra countered. He reached out, his hand sliding around her waist, pulling her flush against him. The silk of her dress was a thin, tantalizing barrier. "I think you love the fact that there’s finally someone in this city who isn't afraid of you."

Livia’s breath hitched, her hand coming up to rest on his chest, right over his pounding heart. "Don't flatter yourself. You’re still just a man who had a lucky break."

"Is that what this was?" Eryndra leaned down, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear. "Just a lucky break? The car, the lounge, the way you’re looking at me right now?"

"You're very arrogant tonight," she whispered, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt.

"And you're very tense," he replied, his hand sliding lower, his thumb tracing the curve of her hip through the silk. "What happened to that Ice Queen persona, Livia? You seem a little... melted."

Livia let out a soft, sharp gasp as his hand moved with a possessive, heavy pressure. She tilted her head back, her throat exposed in the moonlight. "Shut up and kiss me, Eryndra. Before I decide to change my mind about you."

He didn't need to be told twice. He crashed his lips against hers, his tongue demanding entry as he pinned her against the stone railing. It was a battle of dominance, a desperate, heated exchange that made the world around them vanish. His hands were everywhere—in her hair, on her waist, pulling her closer until there was no space left between them.

Just as he was about to lift her onto the balustrade, a sharp, feminine voice cut through the darkness like a knife.

"Well, well. I knew the Maheswara boy had grown some teeth, but I didn't think he’d use them to bite off more than he could chew."

Eryndra froze. He slowly pulled back, his breath coming in ragged bursts. Standing at the entrance to the balcony was a woman in a gown of blood-red lace. Her hair was a sharp, platinum bob, and her eyes were cold, calculating, and filled with a strange sort of amusement.

Nayomi Kinasih. The crown princess of the Kinasih group and Livia’s longest-running rival in the corporate world.

"Nayomi," Livia said, her voice instantly returning to its smooth, glacial tone as she stepped out of Eryndra’s embrace. She didn't look flustered; she looked annoyed. "I see your habit of lurking in shadows hasn't changed."

"And I see your taste in men has finally moved past 'useful' to 'dangerous,'" Nayomi replied, walking toward them with a predatory grace. She looked Eryndra up and down, her gaze lingering on his swollen lip. "Eryndra. You’ve certainly made a name for yourself this week. My father is quite... intrigued by your recent acquisitions."

"Tell your father I’m not selling," Eryndra said, his voice hard.

Nayomi laughed, a dry, hollow sound. "Oh, we don't want to buy your tech, Eryndra. We just want to make sure you don't do something stupid with it. Like thinking you’re untouchable."

She turned her gaze back to Livia. "You should be careful, Livia. Playing with fire is one thing. Playing with a Maheswara who’s lost his mind is another."

"I think I can handle him, Nayomi," Livia said, her eyes narrowing. "Now, if you’ll excuse us, we were in the middle of something."

"I’m sure you were," Nayomi smirked, casting one last look at Eryndra. "Don't get too comfortable, 'King.' The crown is heavy, and there are a lot of people waiting to see your head on a spike. Especially the Daneswaras. They don't like it when someone messes with their investments."

She turned and vanished back into the ballroom, leaving a trail of expensive perfume in her wake.

Eryndra turned to Livia, his brow furrowed. "The Daneswaras? What is she talking about?"

Livia’s expression shifted, the playful heat from moments ago replaced by a sharp, focused intensity. She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a low, urgent whisper.

"Listen to me, Eryndra," she said, her hand gripping his forearm. "Nayomi is a bitch, but she isn't a liar. The Daneswaras were the secret backers behind Raka’s bid for the port merger. You didn't just humiliate Raka tonight; you cost them billions."

Eryndra felt a cold chill settle in his gut. The Daneswaras were the one family his father had always told him to never, ever cross. They were ghosts—powerful, invisible, and utterly ruthless.

"What are you saying?" Eryndra asked.

Livia leaned in, her lips almost touching his ear, but this time it wasn't for a kiss.

"I’m saying they’ve already set the trap, Eryndra," she whispered. "And you just walked right into the center of it. Watch your back. Tomorrow, the real war starts."

She pulled away, leaving him standing alone in the moonlight. The 'Midnight Star' necklace felt like a weight in his pocket, a prize that suddenly felt much more like a target. Eryndra looked out at the Jakarta skyline, the lights twinkling like diamonds.

He had changed the timeline, yes. But he had also woken up the monsters he wasn't supposed to face for another three years.

"Bring it on," he murmured to the dark, his grip tightening on the stone railing. "I’ve died once already. You’ll have to do better than a trap."