Avery entered the café once again, but this time not cloaked in secrecy or doubt—instead, she arrived with purpose and presence. Her entrance was like the beginning of a grand performance, and she the unchallenged star.
The soft chime above the door announced her arrival, and in an instant, the cozy murmur of conversation dulled as heads turned toward the striking figure gliding across the café floor. Her heels tapped rhythmically against the polished wood, each step exuding quiet confidence and grace,her silhouette elegant and refined. Her hair, shimmered beneath the warm lighting like strands of spun gold. There was something magnetic about her aura—a stillness wrapped in strength, an elegance honed by pain and rebirth.
A teenage girl seated near the window instinctively raised her phone and snapped a quick photo, her fingers dancing over the screen as she whispered to her friend, "I wish I had that kind of elegance…" The caption she typed read: #UnbotheredQueen #EleganceInMotion #MuseMoments.
But Avery's gaze was focused. She walked without faltering toward the table tucked near the back, where Cassian and Laila sat together—too close, too familiar. From afar, one might have mistaken them for lovers sharing secrets. As she approached, both culprits straightened in their seats like guilty schoolchildren caught mid-prank.
Avery stopped beside their table and tilted her head slightly, her voice laced with a practiced sweetness. "Oh my! Sister , what a surprise. What are you doing here?" Her words floated like honey, but to the two at the table, they felt like daggers dipped in ice.
Cassian flinched. Laila froze for half a second, her fork halfway to her mouth. Then both of them sprang to their feet, clearly scrambling to stitch together a believable lie.
Laila was the first to recover, letting out a laugh that rang far too forced. "Oh, Avery! You're here, finally!" she said, voice pitched just a little too high. "I came here with a friend, and by pure coincidence, I ran into Brother-in-law. He told me you were joining him, so I thought—well—I'm always so busy with work, and I hardly get time to spend with you. So I figured… why not take this chance to catch up with my dear sister?"
Avery gave a small, tight-lipped smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "So nice of you, Sister," she said sweetly, matching Laila's tone with surgical precision. "I missed you too. By the way, where's this friend you were with?"
That question landed like a hammer. Laila blinked, her smile faltering.
"She… uh, she had to visit someone suddenly," Cassian interjected quickly, trying to shield Laila from further interrogation. "An emergency. She left just a few minutes ago."
Avery turned her head slowly, letting her gaze settle on him. Her eyes sparkled with feigned admiration. "Oh wow, honey. Answering for Sister now, are you? You're always so considerate—always thinking of my family. How lucky I am."
Cassian chuckled awkwardly, clearly unsure whether he was being praised or ridiculed.
Avery gracefully took the seat across from them and gestured toward the chairs with a soft smile. "Why are you both standing? Please, sit."
The couple hesitated for a second, as if unsure whether to obey or flee. But eventually, they both sank back into their seats, still visibly rattled by her unexpected arrival.
"So," Avery began, brushing an invisible speck of dust off the table, "what were you two talking about with such interest before I arrived?"
Laila fidgeted slightly, exchanging a look with Cassian. "Oh, um… nothing major," she said quickly. "We were just talking about your engagement. I was telling Cassian how excited I am for you two."
Avery's stomach churned at the sight of the false sincerity in her fake-sister's eyes, and at the fleeting smirk Cassian shot her when he thought Avery wasn't looking. How had she ever trusted these people?
Two-faced foxes, Avery thought. Their smiles were stitched with malice and treachery, but to the world, they wore masks of charm and warmth. Disgust rose like bile in her throat.
Just then, Laila stood, brushing invisible lint from her coat. "Well, I should get going," she announced with a breezy smile. "Work calls. Besides, Brother-in-law said he had something important to discuss with you. I don't want to intrude on your private moment."
Without waiting for a reply, she pivoted sharply on her heel and walked away. Avery noticed she didn't look back even once, as if afraid her expression might give away more than words could.
Now, with Laila gone, Avery focused entirely on Cassian. The man who once made her heart race now only made her skin crawl. She studied him carefully—the nervous tap of his fingers against the edge of the table, the way he shifted in his seat. He was anxious. Good.
She leaned forward slightly and smiled. "Honey, you said you wanted to talk to me about something?" Her voice was as soft and sweet as ever—the perfect mask. No one looking at her in that moment would have suspected she loathed the man in front of her.
Cassian gave a dramatic sigh, as if burdened by secrets too heavy to carry. "Yes, baby. I do. But… maybe I shouldn't. I don't want to hurt you."
He gazed at her with false tenderness, the same expression he had worn countless times before—back when she still believed his lies.
In her past life, those words had shaken her. She'd reached out and held his hand, her heart aching with concern. She had told him it was okay to speak freely, that she didn't mind the pain so long as he shared it with her.
But this life was different.
This time, while her words would be the same, her heart held no warmth, and her hands remained firmly to herself.
"Honey," she said gently, voice dipped in concern, "what hurts me more is knowing something's troubling you. Please, tell me. We'll figure it out together."
Cassian gave a small nod, as if steeling himself to say something earth-shattering. "You know how your brother has always hated me, right?" he began. "Yesterday, I ran into him. It was… awful."
Avery widened her eyes slightly, nodding like the perfect fiancée. "What happened?"
"He told me that he would never let our engagement happen. That no matter what, I'd never be good enough for you—or for your family name."
Avery gasped softly, hiding her revulsion behind her hand. "He said that?"
Cassian leaned closer, as if sharing something forbidden. "Yes. And… do you remember how you promised to make me your heir once we were engaged?" His voice dropped lower.
Avery nodded slowly, forcing herself not to recoil when he reached across the table and took her hand.
Inside, she wanted to rip it away, to scrub her skin until it no longer bore his touch. But on the outside, she played her part flawlessly.
"Yes, honey. I remember. But… why would my brother say something like that?"
Cassian tightened his grip slightly, mistaking her act for genuine affection. "Because he wants control, baby. He wants to keep you under his thumb. But we can't let that happen. We have to protect what's ours."
Avery looked down at their hands, at the man who had once been the center of her universe. He was a parasite, clinging to her life, feeding off her love, her trust, her name.
But not anymore.
This time, the trap wasn't hers.
It was his.
And he'd already walked right into it.
"Baby, I know this is hard to believe… and I hate to be the one to tell you something that might hurt you," Cassian continued, his voice heavy with false sincerity, "but… your brother found out about the promises you made me. About naming me your heir after our engagement. He… he completely lost it."
He paused for dramatic effect, then sighed as if recalling a deeply upsetting memory.
"He called me a rat—said I'm nothing but low-class scum trying to claw my way up. He said you're his sister, and you'd always do whatever he says. That he'd never allow someone like me to be part of your legacy."
As he finished, he looked up at Avery, waiting—expecting to see outrage, pain, maybe even tears. But what he didn't expect was the emotion that actually painted her face.
Anger.
Yes, her eyes were burning with fury, but not for the reason Cassian believed.
She wasn't angry at Elias.
She was furious at herself.
How could I have been so blind? So stupid? she thought bitterly. How could I have let this man wrap himself around my life like a snake?
Avery slowly slipped her hands out of Cassian's grasp. Her fingers tingled as if they had been in contact with poison. Her lips curved into a soft smile, masking the storm inside her.
"Don't worry, honey," she said, her tone sweet and warm, "I won't let anyone come between us."
And with that, she stood up, her chair sliding back with a quiet scrape. She didn't wait for his reply. Didn't look back.
Cassian watched her retreat with smug satisfaction, a small smirk curling at the edge of his lips. He leaned back leisurely and took a long sip of his drink, confident that he had just secured his future.
------------
Avery entered her home, stepping through the grand entrance like a ghost. The moment the door closed behind her, she exhaled, the weight of the afternoon settling like dust on her shoulders.
She didn't speak to anyone.
Didn't even pause.
She climbed the stairs with quiet urgency, heading straight into her room. Once inside, she locked the door and made her way to the bathroom. Her feet moved on instinct.
The shower hissed to life, and Avery stepped under the icy stream without hesitation. Cold water struck her skin like tiny needles, numbing the burning rage inside her. Her breath caught in her throat, but she welcomed the chill—it grounded her, reminded her that she was alive, that she had another chance to rewrite the ending.
I'm not the same Avery anymore, she told herself. This time, I protect myself. I protect my family.
After several long minutes, she turned off the tap and stepped out, wrapping herself in a towel. She took her time getting ready, moving with quiet intention.
Instead of her usual silk loungewear, she slipped into something more casual—comfortable, yet still cute. She wore a soft oversized lavender T-shirt with a sleepy cartoon cat printed on the front, half-tucked into a pair of gray lounge shorts. Her hair was tied into a messy bun, and a few damp strands framed her face.
Her reflection looked younger like this—softer. But her eyes told another story.
Downstairs, she made her way toward the backyard. The glass doors opened to a familiar sight—green grass gently swaying in the afternoon breeze, flower beds framing the path, and a pair of white-painted wrought-iron chairs sitting near the old wooden swing set they had played on as kids.
And just as she had expected, her brother was there.
Elias Vale sat hunched slightly over a sleek black laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard. The sun glinted off his dark hair, and he wore his usual button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms. The scene could have been pulled from a childhood memory—so unchanged was his favorite corner of the yard.
Avery walked toward him quietly and came to a stop in front of the table. Elias looked up, startled.
His eyes met hers—and for a second, something unspoken passed between them.
"Elly… do you have something to tell me?" she asked softly.
Elias blinked. He hadn't heard that nickname in years. The sound of it twisted something deep in his chest. It was foreign now, yet it tugged on memories he thought he'd buried—the days when she used to run to him after scraping her knee, the way she once used to trust him without question.
He closed the laptop slowly and leaned back in the chair.
"...Yeah," he said finally, his voice quiet. "I do."
Even though he believed she wouldn't listen—because she never did—he still wanted to try.
_________________
The new headquarters of Blackwood Empire was in complete chaos.
The whispers had begun just past lunch and spread like wildfire: The CEO is returning. Today. No notice. No warning.
It was nearly unheard of. The CEO had been operating from the main office in Country Z ever since his ascension. Nobody expected him to move headquarters back here. And yet, here he was—suddenly relocating operations to the central branch.
Now the entire building was buzzing, nerves and excitement colliding in equal measure.
Department heads frantically adjusted their ties and reviewed briefing documents. Junior staff triple-checked their emails, files, and posture. No one wanted to be caught off guard—not when the man they were about to meet was none other than the notoriously cold and brilliant CEO whose reputation preceded him.
Though the air conditioning was on full blast, sweat dotted several foreheads. Confidence was hard to fake when you knew the person arriving could end your career with a single look.
The glass-paneled hallways had been transformed in under an hour. Dark navy banners bearing the Blackwood industries emblem lined the walls, accompanied by fresh white lilies in crystal vases placed at every turn—elegant, minimal, but unquestionably expensive. A red carpet ran from the elevator to the main reception area, flanked by smartly dressed employees standing in neat lines.
A hum of whispers filled the corridor like murmuring butterflies.
"He's really coming back here?"
"Why now? What changed?"
"Did you see his last acquisition report? Ruthless."
Moments later, the quiet was pierced by the sound of a car pulling up outside.
A sleek, obsidian black Aston Martin Valkyrie glided to a stop in front of the building—its surface gleaming like wet ink beneath the sunlight. The futuristic silhouette, custom rims, and tinted windows made it look less like a vehicle and more like a statement.
The passenger door opened first. A man stepped out in a black tailored suit-Nial Smith Silas's long-time executive assistant. His sharp movements and handsome appearance made his presence nearly as commanding as the man he served.
He walked around the car and opened the rear door with practiced ease.
The man inside stepped outside.The moment his polished black leather shoes touched the pavement, the atmosphere shifted.
He was tall—easily over six feet—with broad shoulders and an aura that made people instinctively straighten their spines. His raven-black hair was styled back in soft waves, and his steel-gray eyes scanned the crowd KZ clinical precision. He wore a tailored threalaaalle-alpiece suit in midnight blue, a silver pocketwatch chain peeking from his vest. The sharp lines of his jaw and the slight downward tilt of his lips only enhanced his severe handsomeness.
The CEO of Blackwood Empire - Silas Blackwood.