Chapter 6

MADELYN'S POV

My eyes twitched in anger as he brushed past me.. I want to turn around and kick his ass but.. Fuck!

I looked in front to see dad glaring at me..

"At first you were brat enough to join some business classes.. Now you'll reject good offers?! How worthless can you be?! "

He screamed and I lowered my head..

'Wyne Moretti ! I'll get back at you! '

Dad kept on mumbling but I paid no attention to his nonsense.. When can I just move out of this house?

I heard a scoff and my body straightened up immediately...

"You're gonna look out for jobs anyway.. Join this company.. It'll pay high and give you the experience that you need.."

Gio said and I couldn't help but to nod..

"But I want to start my own business.. "

I said and looked up at him but found nothing but coldness..

Gio’s gaze hardened even more, if that was possible. His eyes—dark, unreadable—burned into mine like a challenge I wasn’t ready to face.

But dad stood in the middle of us..

“You can’t even hold your ground in this house, and you think you’re ready to run something on your own?”

He said, voice sharp like a knife cloaked in silk.

I clenched my fists. The sting of his words bit deeper than I expected. Not because he was wrong—because he knew exactly where to strike.

“I’m not asking for your permission,”

I murmured, trying to keep my voice steady, though it came out softer than I liked.

Dad scoffed again... His hand folded behind his back..

“You don’t even have a plan, Isabella. All you have is attitude.”

“I do have a plan,” I snapped.

“I’ve been working on it for months, just because you didn’t bother to ask doesn’t mean I’m clueless.”

Silence settled like smoke in the room. Gio’s brow arched slightly, amused or irritated—I couldn’t tell.

“Fine,” he said, finally.

“Start your little business. But you’ll do it while working there. That way, when you fail, at least you’ll have something to fall back on.”

My jaw tensed. I hated how smug he sounded. I hated even more that I couldn’t afford to say no.

“Fine,” I said back.

“But don’t expect me to stay there forever.”

As I turned to leave, I felt the tension crawling up my spine. How did I even manage to talk back to him like that? One day, they’d regret underestimating me. Especially Gio.

And especially that Wyne Moretti!

A sigh of relief left my mouth the moment my back contacted with the soft mattress.. My brows creased into a frown as the moments rushed through mind..

At first meeting with Mr Moretti.. Then this surprise visit of Wyne Moretti... Who knows what he told them.. Then this conflict with Gio..

My hands are still trembling a bit because of it.. I hated it.. I hated the fact that he had this power over me.. I hated it more knowing I cannot erase it.. It's something that's stitched to me..

And ripping it off would make a wound that'll never heal..

But for now, I have to deal with this motherfucker who dared to challenge me.. My phone beeped with a notification.. I could predict what it was..

I opened it and yeah.. There was the email for joining his company.. With sour mouth, I accepted it and demanded high payments.. Well If they want me, they need to pay hefty amount for it.. Nothing comes free or cheap..

Surprisingly they agreed by next day as if someone was waiting for my acceptance... I need to join by next month..

I thought.. What could benefit me? I can submit my thesis early by this month.. It's already completed.. I need time away from my family.. I need financial aid to build what I want to build.. And lastly and most importantly, a bit peace of mind..

Joining there will bring all this but not the last one.. By the way he was determined to have me work under him, it isn't just business insights any more.. He is doing it to take revenge.. For rejecting him, for calling him names, for making him wait a week and still didn't show up..

It bruised his ego.. Very badly.. So I may get many benefits but that single man will be the forever pain in my ass the whole time.. All I need to do is, bear it until I build my own empire.. Just till then..

WYNE'S POV

I leaned back in my chair, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips as I tapped my fingers against the edge of the desk. The city lights spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office, but my eyes were fixed on the screen in front of me—Madelyn’s curt response, accepting the job offer with the arrogance I expected.

Expensive taste, Moretti -worthy pride.

She hadn’t changed one bit.

Good.

That would make this more fun.

“She accepted?”

Adrian asked from the other side of the room, where he leaned casually against a bookshelf.

“Yeah,”

I said, my voice calm but laced with something darker.

“Took her long enough.”

Adrian raised a brow, clearly catching the shift in my tone.

“You’re still planning to go through with it?”

I stood, walking slowly toward the glass, hands tucked into my pockets.

“She humiliated me, Adrian. In front of her precious friends, her pompous little family—made me look like some desperate fool.”

“You were kind of desperate,” he teased.

I shot him a sharp look.

“Not the point.”

He held his hands up, smirking.

“Alright. So what’s the game plan?”

“I’ll give her enough room to breathe,”

I said, watching my own reflection distort in the glass.

“Let her think she’s in control. Let her feel useful. Then pull it all away. Slowly. Methodically.”

“Until?” Adrian asked, almost cautious now.

“Until she either begs me for mercy…”

I turned slightly, meeting his eyes.

“Or she fights me with everything she’s got. Either way, I win.”

A silence settled between us—thick, unspoken.

“You sure this isn’t personal?” Adrian asked.

I let out a soft laugh.

“Of course it’s personal.”

MADELYN'S POV

The air already felt heavier. I knew my decision would haunt me the moment I made it, but there was no turning back now.

Moments in the house felt more awkward.. After the conflict between me and Gio, he even stopped saying hello.. He would spare a glance and then look away.. Did it hurt? Of course it did knowing he is my older brother.. The others were cool about it.. I submitted my thesis.. Bid goodbye to everyone and stepped in a foreign city..

Sandro somehow managed to take out some time and drive me to the new city to look for apartments.. Kings Town was the opposite of Queen's Town..

Queens Town was a place you would want to live after retirement.. Few homes, No massive structure, simple life where people still prefers bicycle over cars...

Where else, Kings Town is made of concrete.. Skyscrapers so long that your neck will hurt by looking up.. It's a place of opportunities for youths.. Busy roads with cars honking that'll worsen your hearings within a month..

We met our agent that showed us apartments.. Rent was Oscar worthy high.. But I needed something that's closer to my office and everything I need is nearby.. And there were only one place and it had slightly low rent. . I signed the lease..

I had one month. One month to wrap things up, submit my thesis, gather my mental armor, and prepare for war..

Because that’s what this was going to be—me, stepping into a lion’s den built by the man who looked like he wanted to watch me burn.

I would burn but not alone.. I would be the gasoline that'll put everything on fire.. I'll be the wildfire that'll spread with wind and destroy everything in its path..

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, pushing my hair out of my face. No more hesitation. No more fear. I’d walk into that building with my head held high, heels clicking against the marble, and I’d survive him.

He could try to break me.

But I’d be damned if I didn’t make him bleed, too.