Mask Off at the Christmas Party

Christmas break was just around the corner.A high school group chat that had been dead for years suddenly became lively again. Messages flooded in by the hundreds within minutes.Some people talked about how excited they were to reunite, while others sighed nostalgically about how beautiful those years had been.The class president sent me a private message again, insisting that I attend no matter what.I had ignored every invitation before, but this time, I agreed.Because I wanted to see what they looked like once they failed and had nothing left.…"I just went to park, and you guys are not going to believe this. There's a Rolls-Royce in the lot."Sebastian Cross, the loudest and most troublesome person in our class back then, burst into the private room and announced it at the top of his lungs.Since we were the only customers in the restaurant today, everyone stopped their small talk at the same time and started guessing."Okay, who's the big shot hiding in our class? Z

"Right about now."I checked the time. It was exactly noon.The acquisition news and the related scandals broke and shot to the top of the trending list almost immediately."Brianna, what do you even do? How do you know all this?" Sebastian leaned over, eager for drama."Because I'm the boss of Radiant Group."My voice wasn't loud, but it was enough to make the entire room go still.Everyone stared at me like they couldn't process what they'd just heard.When I first entered the working world, I ran into setbacks everywhere, but compared to what I went through in high school, it felt easier.I didn't have money, and I didn't have a good degree. As long as something wasn't illegal, I did it.While people my age were traveling and buying stylish outfits, I was doing kitchen prep in restaurants, washing dishes, and peeling potatoes.Back then, I wasn't thinking about getting rich. I just wanted to eat.One day, when I was looking for another part-time job, I met a woman. She sa

I watched Jackson's face turn an even uglier shade than before. Satisfied, I smiled and returned to my seat.Halfway through the meal, the atmosphere slowly relaxed, and people started talking about work."Honestly, Brianna, you're impressive," Cassandra said, idly caressing the gold bracelet on her wrist. "Becoming a boss at such a young age and even running a restaurant is no small feat."She looked sweet and innocent on the surface. The words she chose, however, carried a different intent."Exactly," I said. "Not everyone can make it on ability alone. Some people have to rely on other advantages. You must've dealt with plenty of trouble over the years. Those angry wives can be relentless. Still, it's good to hear you're married now. At least that clears up any misunderstandings."I knew Cassandra's husband.People called him a wealthy tycoon, but in reality, he was nothing more than a contractor with some money. He was nearly 50, with no looks and no physique to speak of. The

By the time lunch reached its later stages, I'd already settled the scores with everyone who had bullied me back then. Since I'd achieved what I came for, I no longer had the patience to sit around listening to them brag about their lives.I was just about to stand up and leave when Rebecca, who had rushed over after finishing a phone call, stopped me."Oh, I almost forgot about you."Before deciding to attend the reunion, I'd looked into nearly everyone who'd ever bullied or humiliated me. Rebecca was the one exception.I didn't have any friends in the education system, so the only information I could find about her came from the school's public website."Brianna, I'm really sorry," she said. "I know what I did back then was wrong, and I know you probably won't forgive me. I just want to do something to make up for the pain I caused you."As expected of a teacher, she spoke in polished, well-practiced phrases."What are you trying to do?" I asked."I had my husband get in touc

Because of the trauma from being bullied in high school, I was afraid of the dark and even more afraid of being alone at night.The woman who first introduced me to modeling suggested I see a psychiatrist. I told her I couldn't afford it, so she took me to bars to meet men, saying that at least I wouldn't be alone that way.By sheer coincidence, it worked because that was how I met Quincy.Unfortunately, our first encounter was far from pleasant. I accused him of harassment, and he accused me of stealing his wallet.After clearing up the misunderstanding, I apologized, and he treated me to dinner.I chose the restaurant, an expensive place I'd always wanted to try but could never justify going to.A few months later, after I started earning money, I went to see a psychiatrist through a friend's recommendation.I didn't realize it at the time, but that so-called top psychiatrist was actually Quincy. At the time, he was using Sebastian's name, pretending to be him.I later found