Chapter 2

Four months earlier,

I was at the company’s celebration event the night we signed the biggest deal of the year.

Exactly four months before everything fell apart.

I still had time.

At first, I was confused, overwhelmed by the feeling that I had somehow stepped back into my own past. 

Then I found myself standing at the edge of the pool, and the confusion cleared instantly.

Vivian.

My step-sister walked toward me with a drink in her hand, her smile sweet enough to choke on. 

I knew this moment.

 I knew what she was about to do.

 Last time, I had been too trusting and naive. 

Last time, she had also pushed me into that pool, knowing full well I couldn’t swim.

Once a victim, always a victim?

Not anymore.

I stayed perfectly still as she approached, pretending not to see the way she angled her body to “accidentally” bump me.

“You’ve been looking off all evening,” she said in her sugary voice. 

“Are you okay? Here, I brought us shots.”

Her hand extended the glass her other hand ready to shove.

I smiled. “Thank you, Vi. I’ll just go grab mine from over there.”

Then I stepped aside, taking a completely different route and effortlessly avoiding the trap she’d set with her foot too.

I circled back a moment later, leaned in close until my lips were near her ear, and whispered with a smirk:

“I appreciate the effort… but I don’t trip over the same people twice.”

Then I straightened, gave her the gentlest smile I could muster, and walked away 

leaving her frozen in confusion.

She stamped  her feet on the ground angrily as she went calling for her mom.

Next thing I knew, Drake now my boyfriend not yet finance showed up.

 And of course, I couldn't just cut him off out of nowhere. 

He’d never accept it, and it would look suspicious.

“Baby, where have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” he said, arms wide open smiling like he’d just won a lottery..

I stepped back, dodging the embrace. “Oh really? Looking for me where exactly?”

“The VIP room… you fell asleep in?” I said.

“Oh? And how exactly did you know about that?” he asked, raising a brow.

His smile twitched, but he kept it on. I didn’t give him time to recover.

“Good. Then I’d appreciate it if you were still there,” I said coolly. 

“Why don’t you go back and wait for me? I’ll join you soon, and we can have some drinks… maybe have a little fun.”

I’d always suspected Drake my fiancee and stepsister, but I’d been too naive back then to see the truth. 

Not anymore.

Now, I wasn’t giving them any chance to twist the situation back on me.

I would give them exactly what they wanted—served the way they liked it—my cold smile slowly curling.

“Vivian,” I called.

At first, she pretended not to hear me, but with so many people around, she couldn’t afford to ruin her perfect good girl image.

“Could you let Drake know I’ll meet him a little late  in the VIP room?” I said casually. “He insisted we have a drink together but..”

I lowered my voice slightly. “I might not be early tonight, so he shouldn't wait up. I’ll grab a few drinks before heading there.”

Then I turned and walked away, that cool smile returning.

She’d always wanted everything that belonged to me so hearing that would definitely make her move fast.

Exactly as I expected, Vivian was already heading toward the VIP room.

Perfect.

I slipped downstairs and quietly tipped off a few reporters, letting word spread that Drake and Vivian were together in the VIP room. Chaos followed almost immediately.

And I sneaked back to the room pressing my ear on the door trying to hear what was going on Inside the room:

“What’s that supposed to mean? I heard you wanted her in this room all night—‘to have a good time.’ she said anger full in hear voice.

Are you serious, Drake?” Vivian hissed.

“What are you doing here?” Drake snapped, panic written across his face.

 “How did you know I was here? Vivian, leave. 

Now. What if we get caught? Please, just go.”

“Oh, really?” she scoffed.

 “We were here just hours ago, and now you bring another woman to the same place?” Vivian shouted.

“And of all people—her? Terisa Avila? You know how much I hate her!” she added.

“Fine,” she said suddenly, leaning close. “Give me a kiss and I’ll go.”

Just as their lips met, the press stormed into the VIP room.

Flashes exploded as cameras captured everything.

“What—what is going on?!” Drake shouted, panic flashing across his face.

Vivian froze in his arms, eyes wide, confusion written plainly on both their faces.

Drake ripped off his jacket and tried to cover her. 

“Who sent you here?” he demanded, shielding her from the cameras.

 “It’s a misunderstanding don’t believe what you saw!” he said trying to explain.

But the reporters swarmed him.

“Does Terisa know?”

“Are you cheating?”

“Is this your second affair?”

Flashes burst like fireworks.

I stepped into view, pretending to stumble in. 

“Are you… serious?” I whispered in shock, eyes wide as tears spilled down my cheeks. 

Then I ran out, crying hysterically.

Outside, I wiped the fake tears from my face. 

“So it really was true,” I murmured coldly.

Behind me, a voice spoke:

“Really nice act,” he said, holding a half-filled glass of wine.

 “You’ve got everyone dancing to your rhythm.”

I turned. “Who are you, and what exactly are you talking about?”

A man beside him clearly an assistant answered,

 “Drake was searching everywhere for you. My boss kept him away. Otherwise, you’d be talking to Drake right now, not him.”

“Okay, okay,” I sighed. “Even if Drake came, I could’ve handled it. But who exactly are you?”

The man with the wine smiled slowly.

 “You’ll find out when the time is right. 

For now… things are getting interesting.”

He turned, swirling the wine in his glass as he walked away, leaving me standing there with more questions than answers.

I went back to the party downstairs.

Murmurs rippled through the room.

Side conversations buzzed everywhere. 

“Wow… she’s so savage,” someone whispered. 

“I didn’t know she had it in her.” another whispered.

"This part of her wasn't on her profile when I asked for her profile", Rowan said to his assistant.

 "No she just seemed to be an ordinary little miss of Avila Co-operative that looks free and easy going".

"Well seems that all the family are good at hiding there real faces," Rowan said with a smirk.

I stayed hidden behind Vivian and her mother, listening as they spoke, unaware I was there.

“Mom, she’s been acting weird lately,” Vivian said. “She was so easy to manipulate before… now I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”

“Drake is taking this too seriously,” she added. “He knows I’ll be mad, and yet he still went ahead right in front of me. Oh boy.”

Her mother’s lips curved into a cold smile. 

“She’s been acting smart lately. I don’t know what sparked it, but I’ll still try. She’s usually easy to manipulate.”

“But don’t ruin the plan with this reckless behavior,” her mother warned. “You already know you’re about to ruin everything, right?”

She shook her head. “Seriously, why can’t you just leave Drake? He’s not that great. Why this crazy obsession with him?”

“Mom, he’s Teresa’s boyfriend! I want everything she has—it’s supposed to be mine, not hers!” Vivian cried, nearly sobbing.

“It’s okay, baby. You’ll get everything you want,” her mother said gently. “Let’s just wait for the right time.”

Right across the room, Rowan watched silently.

“She’ll come to me on her own accord,” he said to his assistant, smirking. 

“I don’t need to approach them. It’s good we didn’t move rashly with Vivian’s engagement. From what I’ve seen, she’s not okay—but then again, the whole family isn’t.”

“You talk like you appreciate Teresa a little more, boss. How do you think she’ll approach you?” the assistant asked.

“She will,” Rowan replied, still smirking. “Let’s stay low and observe.”