The lecture went on quietly, the only sounds in the private classroom being the soft scratch of pens and the low, steady voice of the teacher. Everyone took notes, at least on the surface. When the bell finally rang, chairs shifted and bags were zipped, but the calm didn't last long.
On the rooftop, the wind was sharp and cold.
Mia sat casually on the railing, one leg crossed over the other, her posture relaxed—as if she wasn't about to ruin lives. Debbie dragged the others forward: the red-haired girl, the girl with striking purple eyes, and the two scholarship boys.
"What the hell, Mia? Are you sick?" one of the boys yelled.
Before he could finish, slap.
Debbie's palm connected with his face. "Watch your fucking mouth," she snapped, folding her arms.
Mia stood slowly and walked toward them, her heels clicking softly against the concrete. Her gaze swept over them, cold and calculating.
"Two scholarship students," she said calmly. "One from a broken home. The other with parents too busy working to notice you exist—and still too poor to step outside their budget." She stopped in front of the red-haired girl, gripping her chin, forcing her to look up.
"And then there's you."
She slapped her lightly at first. Once. Twice. Each hit a little harder than the last.
"You laughed at me," Mia said quietly. "You talked back to me. And now you think you can do it again?"
She shoved the girl away. "You dumb bitch."
The boy stepped forward instinctively. "Just because we joined the competition, you think you can—"
Mia whirled on him, fury breaking through her calm. "Disrespect me?" she screamed. "You bastard. I can break you whenever I want."
"You can't remove us," the purple-eyed girl said, glaring back despite the fear in her eyes. "Ava won't allow it."
Mia laughed.
"Ava?" she repeated softly, then stepped closer, her smile sharp. "You really believe in that saint act?"
She leaned in. "Do you know what Ava is really like? What she can't see, she won't touch. She plays the harmless, innocent favorite—the girl who would die to save everyone. Even her acting is a lie."
Her eyes darkened.
"I won't remove you from the competition," Mia continued. "But I will make your family lives hell in this country. You'll crawl back to me, begging for salvation."
She straightened and walked away with her friends.
"What are you going to do now?" Debbie asked, following her.
Mia stopped.
She turned her head slightly and glanced at Debbie—just one look. Debbie froze.
"Stay away from me," Mia said calmly. "You think I didn't notice? When I lost my spot in the elite group, you were happy."
Debbie lowered her gaze.
"Don't forget," Mia went on, smiling, "your family's future depends on me. If you want their jobs to stay stable, do what you're best at—being a dog."
She walked off, her voice trailing behind her. "And don't get on my bad side."
Back inside the school, in the private building near the student council offices—a sleek, well-equipped structure with six rooms and elegant furniture—Ava sat with Daisy.
"Your phone has been ringing all day," Daisy said. "What's going on?"
"My grandparents," Ava replied, rolling her eyes. "They want me to visit. Another family drama."
"What about Prim?" Daisy asked.
"They don't call him," Ava said flatly. "They know he won't pick up—and if he does, he'll probably anger them to death."
Daisy laughed. "Anyway, tomorrow's the party. Be there. I can't wait. Maybe after that, we'll have a full friend-group party. By then, Aria should be back."
Ava checked her phone, reading a message. Her expression shifted.
"I have to go," she said, standing. "See you later."
She walked out, already dialing a number.
"John," she said when the call connected, her voice calm and sharp. "Have you seen the news? Make it bigger. Draw attention. I want the Chen family forced to act."
She paused, scrolling through the headlines.
"And don't forget the others. It's time to give them something to do instead of waiting for my father's business to fall."
She ended the call.
The articles filled her screen—crime reports, corruption scandals, every dirty secret of the Chen Yuluan brothers finally exposed. This was her revenge. The Chen family wanted her parents gone. They had no right to complain about retaliation.
Ava entered the school garage, slid into her car, and shut the door.
The engine started smoothly.
As the car drove toward the main Carter family mansion, Ava's eyes remained fixed ahead—lazy,bored .
The Carter family mansion stood like a contradiction perfected.
From the outside, it carried the weight of old power—dark stone pillars carved with traditional patterns, wide steps polished smooth by generations of footsteps, and a massive wooden gate inlaid with gold filigree bearing the Carter crest.
But woven into that tradition were lines of glass and steel, seamless and intentional.
Transparent walls reflected the sky, holographic security panels blinked silently, and soft blue lights ran beneath the stone like veins, giving the entire estate a quiet, futuristic pulse.
Inside, servants moved with trained precision. Every step was silent, every movement calculated. As Ava entered, dressed in her school uniform, they bowed in unison—heads lowered, hands folded neatly—before straightening and continuing their tasks as if her presence was a constant, unquestioned law.
She passed through the corridor and into the main living room.
The space was vast—so large it felt like two gym halls fused into one, yet it never felt empty.
The ceiling soared high above, supported by elegant beams carved in traditional motifs, while holographic chandeliers floated suspended in midair, shifting softly between warm gold and cool white light.
One side of the room was lined with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the estate gardens, while the other held antique shelves filled with artifacts, rare books, and framed portraits of past Carters watching silently.
Modern sofas curved around a low, glass table etched with faint digital patterns. Traditional wooden screens divided sections of the room without closing it off. The air itself felt heavy—charged with authority and bloodline.
All the Carter family members were already seated.
The moment Ava stepped in, every head turned.
She walked in calmly, her posture straight, expression unreadable. Her uniform was immaculate: a crisp white blouse tucked neatly into a high-waisted red pleated skirt that swayed with each step. Red-and-white polished loafers clicked lightly against the marble floor.
A thin red ribbon was tied into a bow at her collar, a silver bracelet rested loosely on her wrist, and small diamond studs glinted at her ears—subtle, expensive, controlled.
"Grandma. Grandpa. Uncle. Aunty," Ava greeted evenly as she took her seat.
Old Madam Carter smiled faintly. "Good girl. How are you holding up? I know all this mess with your parents must be tiring. Have they been in touch?"
"No," Ava replied, crossing her legs calmly.
"Only Assistant John. He said I should take charge of the company. You know how Dad is."
Grace's eyes sharpened.
"I see," she said, tilting her head. "Brother is too much, placing such a heavy burden on children. You should let your Uncle Peter help. I heard you took control of the shareholders—every single one submitted to you. This year, it's better to work with family."
Ava glanced down at her fingers, inspecting her nails.
"I don't do charity, Aunty," she said flatly. "This is business. And business doesn't do charity. Uncle Peter is neither a Carter nor a Nathan, so why should I help him?"
Grace shot to her feet. "What do you mean by that? This is business! You're just a child. You'll lose everything—you won't be worthy of the shares! Is that what you want?
Ava finally looked up.
"That's a Nathan family matter, Aunty," she said coldly. "I am Ava Nathan Carter. My father's company is Nathan Empire—it's in the name. As for inheritance, that's between me and my brother, and we've already settled it."
She leaned back slightly.
"Don't be greedy. You already want a part of the Carter business and your husband's. Now you're trying to sink your hands into my father's company too. If you used that energy to face your husband's Shen family, maybe he wouldn't be this desperate to hide behind his wife."
"Hey!" Peter shouted, slamming his hand on the armrest. "Do you have no respect for your elders?!"
Ava shot him a sideways glance and sneered.
Before he could say more, Grandpa Carter struck the handle of his chair sharply, the sound echoing through the room.
Silence.
The doors slammed open
"AVA, YOU DAMN BRAT!"
Amelia stormed in, throwing her bag onto the table as she marched straight toward Ava. "What did you do?! Why won't the police let your uncle go? They refused to release him!"
She was practically shaking, ready to throw hands.
"How disrespectful," old Mr. Carter barked.
Amelia turned to him, furious. "Father-in-law, how can you be so unfair? Ava sent her own uncle to prison! They want to investigate him! dont you think of Luke what people would say ?!"
"Enough," Mrs. Carter said sharply. "Henry was wrong. He attacked the spreading news of Nathan's death and tried to sabotage his brother's company. He spent two days in prison—let him stay a week."
Ava clicked her tongue softly.
It sounded like support, but Ava knew better. Two weeks instead of more—it was pressure, wrapped in elder authority.
"Aunt, Uncle," Ava said lazily, stifling a yawn. "Henry's case isn't in my hands anymore. I already withdrew. Why he's still detained? I don't know."
The room went still.
"Okay,—enough," Isabelle said, pressing her palm lightly against the arm of her chair.
"Everyone should take their seats and relax. We are all family."
Jacob turned slightly, his r
tone shifting into calm authority. "Since Nathan has taken a break, all the tasks, duties, and projects he handled under the Carter family are currently on pause. And since Ava is already managing the Nathan Empire, I will take over those responsibilities so he won't be stressed."
Grace let out a short scoff. "Don't bother. I've already taken over. As a sister, it's only right that I help." She stared straight at Jacob, daring him to object.
Jacob's gaze hardened. "The tasks are too advanced for you, Grace."
"I can manage just fine, elder brother,"
Grace replied, rolling her eyes.
Amelia finally sat down, a servant immediately stepping forward to pour her a glass of water. She took it and drank, then spoke casually, as if she weren't dropping a bomb.
"Sister-in-law, haven't you seen the news? The Chen family is in danger. All their secrets are coming out. Other families are moving against them, and the entire business industry is turning into a warzone." She paused, watching Grace closely. "Oh—and your assistants and investors are involved too. I heard one of your allies just went bankrupt."
Grace's eyes widened. She immediately pulled out her phone, fingers moving fast as she checked.
"Tsk," Isabelle said coolly. "Sister-in-law Grace, how could you associate with people like that? If you take over Nathan's projects, it could cause serious problems. It's better to let Jacob handle it—he is the CEO, after all. He's used to this."
Grace glared at her, jaw tight.
"Enough already," Brown Carter said sharply, his voice cutting through the tension. "Look at you all—like sharks fighting after smelling blood."
He leaned back, eyes sweeping the room.
"The project is already being handled. If Jacob were doing his job properly, he would have noticed that most of the projects are nearly complete. Prim took over yesterday. He's already forced the investors and partners into line, and the projects have improved."
He continued calmly, "I made him in charge of Nathan's shares. He's just like his father. And Ava is just like her mother. Both their parents' companies are in good hands."
A heavy silence followed.
"So stop this pointless chatter."
Author note
Sorry sorry sorry for not updating for like ten days my phone got spoiled and everything was deleted so I have to start remaking all the draft sorry for that for not updating