Aiden walked into the engagement hall dressed in a suit tailored perfectly to his frame, his movements calm and deliberate.
The hall had been transformed for the event, glittering under the chandeliers, with tables decorated in ivory and gold, and crystal glasses catching the light. Everything was perfect, but the perfection was poison.
He could feel it crawling beneath his skin—the eyes of the elite upon him, curious, judgmental, and perhaps, in some cases, expectant. They had come to witness the engagement of the heir of the Aiden family, a union they believed would cement influence and power.
They had expected him to be naive, hopeful, perhaps even soft.
Aiden was none of those things now.
Sebastian stood near the center, chatting politely with a group of investors. His smile was charming, easy, effortless. To everyone else, he was the perfect fiancé—the boy who had captured the heart of a wealthy heir and would surely ascend even higher alongside him.
Aiden's lips pressed into a thin line.
He had loved Sebastian once. Foolishly, without restraint. He had trusted him with everything—his heart, his money, his name. And in return? Sebastian had humiliated him publicly, had chosen ambition over love, had destroyed him.
That would not happen again.
Not today.
Aiden stepped forward, the soft click of his shoes on the marble floor echoing in the hall. He caught Sebastian's gaze almost immediately. It was a brief flicker, almost casual, but it was enough. Aiden felt a ripple of satisfaction. The man he had once worshiped now had no control over him. None.
Sebastian's smile faltered just a fraction when he met Aiden's eyes. There was recognition there, but it was muddled with uncertainty. The Aiden he once knew—the soft, obedient, adoring Aiden—was gone. Replaced by someone dangerous, cold, and precise.
Aiden cleared his throat and spoke, his voice calm, almost emotionless.
"Sebastian."
The room seemed to pause. Guests turned slightly, sensing the weight in his tone.
Sebastian's posture stiffened imperceptibly. "Aiden," he replied, smooth and controlled. "Everything ready for the engagement ceremony?"
Aiden's eyes narrowed slightly, sharp and focused. "Before that… we need to talk."
Sebastian's smile tightened, polite but wary. "Now? Here?"
Aiden's gaze swept across the hall. It was indeed public, but that only suited him. The world would watch. Witness. Judge. And Sebastian would not be able to manipulate it, not this time.
"Yes. Here. Now," Aiden said firmly. "The engagement is… over."
The words left his mouth like steel. Sharp, irreversible.
A ripple of murmurs ran through the room. Guests shifted uncomfortably, uncertain. Some leaned forward, curious. The air thickened. Sebastian's carefully constructed world—the image he had so meticulously curated—was under attack, and he didn't yet understand how or why.
Sebastian took a step back, his smile now almost gone. He raised a hand slightly, attempting to placate the gathering. "Aiden, this isn't the time or place—"
"No," Aiden interrupted, voice low but commanding. Every syllable carried authority. "It is exactly the time and place. You've humiliated me, Sebastian. Publicly, privately, in ways that cannot be forgiven. I will not continue this engagement. I will not marry someone who betrayed me. And you… you will have nothing from me. Not my trust, not my influence, not my money. Nothing."
The guests went silent. The room seemed to shrink around Sebastian. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came.
Aiden's gaze was cold, unwavering. Every memory of his past life—the heartbreak, the betrayal, the final moments of despair—had crystallized into this moment. He would not allow Sebastian any foothold, any chance to manipulate him again.
Sebastian's eyes flickered briefly, a hint of panic—just enough to betray him. "Aiden… you don't understand…"
"I understand perfectly," Aiden said, his voice like ice. "I understood the first time. I understand now. You are ambitious, calculating, and selfish. You only cared about what I could give you. I will not make the same mistake again."
Sebastian's jaw tightened. He looked around, seeing the guests' faces, their curiosity, their subtle judgments. His charm and social skill, so honed over the years, had no power here.
"You can't just—" he started.
"I can. And I am," Aiden said firmly, stepping closer. His eyes, dark and precise, bored into Sebastian's. "Consider this my final warning: stay away. Do not come near me. Do not attempt to manipulate my life again. Any attempt to interfere with my family, my business, my reputation… and I will ensure that you regret it."
The guests were silent, the tension almost suffocating. Whispers of shock and speculation buzzed quietly. The elite rarely witnessed someone dismantle another's reputation so subtly, so completely, in public.
Aiden turned away. His gaze scanned the room for just a moment before he stepped toward the exit. Each step was deliberate. Confident. Unafraid.
Sebastian's mouth opened again, but no words came. He wanted to shout, to plead, to beg—but Aiden had stripped him of that power.
Later, in the quiet of his study, Aiden allowed himself a brief moment to breathe. His heart still pounded with adrenaline, but it was steady now. The first act of revenge—the severing of the past—had been executed.
He poured himself a glass of water, hands steady. His reflection in the glass stared back at him—youthful, strong, dangerous. He had changed. This Aiden was not the same boy who had been discarded and humiliated.
He leaned against the polished wooden desk, considering his next move. Sebastian had underestimated him. That was a mistake he would never repeat.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. His assistant entered quietly, bowing politely. "Mr. Aiden… the guest list for the engagement party has been finalized. Everything is ready for the evening."
Aiden nodded, motionless. "Good. Make sure Sebastian does not have access to anything he doesn't already control. No invitations, no arrangements, nothing."
"Yes, sir," the assistant replied, eyes slightly wide. They knew their employer had changed. Something in his aura—calm, cold, and measured—was different. More dangerous.
Aiden set the glass down and walked to the window. The city sprawled before him, bustling and alive. It seemed smaller than he remembered, irrelevant almost. Because for Aiden, the world had changed. He had changed.
Sebastian would soon realize it. Slowly, carefully, painfully, he would feel the consequences of his past actions. And no one would be able to save him.
Hours later, as the sun began to dip below the horizon, Aiden prepared to leave for the engagement hall once more. He adjusted his cufflinks, checked his tie, and took a deep breath. His phone buzzed.
A single message.
Lucian Vale: I'll meet you at the top floor. Come alone.
Aiden's lips curved into a faint smile. Lucian had been watching, waiting, patient. That alone was… comforting, in a way.
He sent a single word in reply:
"Understood."
On the way, memories of his past life flashed before him—Sebastian's betrayals, the humiliations, the nights spent crying alone while the world moved on without him. Every image was a reminder of why he would never again give his heart freely.
This time, he would do more than survive. This time, he would reclaim his power, his dignity, his life.
And Sebastian would be powerless to stop it.
The engagement hall shimmered in golden light as he arrived. Guests laughed and chatted, oblivious to the storm about to unfold. Aiden's eyes scanned the room until they landed on Sebastian.
He was smiling, perfectly poised, unaware of the knife of destiny that now pointed straight at him.
Aiden's heart beat coldly. Not with love. Not with hope.
With purpose.
And the first move of his second life had begun.
He walked past Sebastian without a glance, heading toward the private elevator that led to the rooftop. There, waiting, was Lucian Vale. Silent. Tall. Unyielding.
And in that moment, Aiden knew:
The boy who had loved too much was gone.
The man who would rewrite the rules had arrived.