BRUSHSTROKES OF REVENGE

The Imperial Hotel’s grand ballroom shimmered beneath a thousand chandeliers, each crystal refracting light into a thousand fractured illusions. The air was thick with perfume, ambition, and the faint hum of whispered deals. Every corner of the room pulsed with power—fashion magnates, investors, and social elites mingling under the golden glow of the Maxine Portfolio launch.

Kelvin King entered with the quiet confidence of a man who knew he didn’t need to announce himself. His tailored black suit fit like armor, his expression unreadable. The faintest smirk curved his lips as he scanned the crowd. He wasn’t here for the champagne or the cameras. He was here for one man.

Matthias King.

His older brother. His rival. His obstacle.

Kelvin’s gaze swept across the ballroom until it landed on him—Matthias, standing near the far end of the hall, surrounded by investors and executives. Even from a distance, Matthias commanded attention. The silver mask covering the right side of his face caught the light, gleaming like a blade. His presence was magnetic, his composure absolute.

Kelvin’s smirk deepened.

He began walking.

Each step was deliberate, echoing faintly against the marble floor. Conversations faltered as he passed. People turned, whispering his name. The King brothers rarely appeared in the same room, and when they did, the air always seemed to tighten.

Matthias noticed him almost immediately. His expression didn’t change, but the subtle shift in his posture betrayed recognition—and irritation. He excused himself from the group and moved toward a quieter corner of the ballroom.

The crowd instinctively parted for them.

When they finally stood face to face, silence fell between them like a drawn blade.

Kelvin was the first to speak.

"Hello, big brother." His tone was smooth, casual, almost friendly. "It’s been a while."

Matthias’s eyes, cold and sharp behind the mask, didn’t waver. "What are you doing here?"

Kelvin chuckled softly. "Straight to the point, as always." He adjusted his cufflinks, feigning nonchalance. "Mother heard about your little accident a few weeks ago. She was worried. Father too. They asked me to check on you."

Matthias’s lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "Worried?" His voice was low, edged with disdain. "Tell them a few hired thugs aren’t capable of killing me. They can save their concern for someone who needs it."

Kelvin’s eyes glinted. "That’s what I told them. No one can touch you, right?"

Matthias didn’t answer.

Kelvin’s gaze drifted lazily around the ballroom, as though bored by the conversation. "I heard Zeus Vision partnered with LUXT for the Maxine Portfolio."

Matthias nodded once. "We did."

"A bold move," Kelvin said.

"It is."

Their words were polite, but the tension between them was anything but.

Kelvin’s eyes wandered again—and then stopped.

Across the ballroom, Mindy Wilson stood with Layla, Ana, and Zac. Her champagne-colored gown shimmered under the chandeliers, her hair cascading in soft waves. She was laughing at something Ana said, her expression bright, unguarded.

Kelvin’s gaze lingered.

"So," he said lightly, "I met Miss Wilson earlier. She’s even more beautiful than the tabloids described."

Matthias’s expression darkened instantly. "She is," he said evenly. "And far more talented than people give her credit for." His tone carried a warning sharp enough to cut glass.

He paused, his eyes boring into his brother’s. "I heard you are also joining the Maxine portfolio. I didn’t think King Group had the capability."

The smile vanished from Kelvin’s face for just a fraction of a second—so brief that anyone not watching carefully would have missed it. But Matthias saw it. They saw the flash of genuine anger, quickly masked but unmistakably there.

Silence stretched between the brothers, thick with years of unspoken rivalry and resentment. The air around them seemed to crackle with tension, and several nearby guests glanced over, sensing the confrontation even if they couldn’t hear the words.

Then Kelvin laughed, short and sharp. "Don’t worry, big brother. King Group will win this."

"We’ll see then," Matthias said flatly, his tone making it clear the conversation was over.

Kelvin adjusted his cufflinks again, his composure restored. "I hope we get to work together someday."

The words were polite. The meaning behind them was poison.

Without another word, Kelvin turned and walked away, his smile returning as he melted back into the crowd.

Matthias stood still for a long moment, his fists slowly unclenching. Only when Kelvin disappeared did he exhale and return to the others.

"That didn’t look friendly," Ana murmured, watching Matthias approach.

Layla nodded. "Those two clearly don’t get along."

Matthias rejoined the group, his expression calm again.

"Everything alright?" Mindy asked softly.

The coldness in his eyes vanished the moment he looked at her. "I’m fine," he said, smiling faintly. "Just family matters."

Zac snorted. "If Kelvin came personally, it’s never just family."

Matthias sighed. "He never visits unless he wants something."

Mindy studied him quietly. Though he smiled, his eyes were tired—haunted, even. She didn’t press further. Everyone had secrets they weren’t ready to share.

Across the ballroom, Layton Knight stood near the bar, a glass of whiskey in hand. His sharp eyes had followed the King brothers’ confrontation from start to finish. He couldn’t hear their words, but he didn’t need to. The tension between them was unmistakable.

He was still processing what he’d seen when Kelvin approached.

"President Knight," Kelvin greeted smoothly, extending a hand. "I’ve heard a lot about you."

Layton shook it politely. "Mr. King."

"I heard King Group is also participating in Maxine," Layton said.

Kelvin smiled. "We are. I hope we can have dinner sometime—there may be opportunities for collaboration."

Layton studied him quietly. There was something about Kelvin that set off every instinct he had. "Of course," he said evenly.

Kelvin nodded. "I’ll have my assistant arrange it."

Before Layton could respond, a familiar voice joined them.

"Layton!"

Missy Hawthorne glided toward them in a crimson gown, her smile poised and perfect. "Mr. King," she said warmly. "I’m Missy Hawthorne, Chief Designer of Rona Design."

Kelvin took her hand, brushing a polite kiss across her knuckles. "A pleasure."

Layton’s eyes narrowed slightly. Their smiles were too smooth. Their eye contact lingered too long. These weren’t two strangers meeting for the first time.

They already knew each other.

"I’ll excuse myself," Layton said casually, stepping away. But instead of leaving, he stopped several meters away, pretending to chat with investors while keeping them in his line of sight.

The moment Layton was gone, Missy’s smile vanished.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed. "And why is King Group involved in Maxine?"

Kelvin sipped his champagne leisurely. "After your little fiasco during Bright’s competition, did you really think you could handle this alone?"

Her eyes flashed. "I don’t need your help."

He laughed softly. "Really? You couldn’t even separate Layton and Mindy. It’s been six months. Mindy signed the divorce papers, yet they’re still legally married. Why is that?"

Missy’s jaw tightened. "Layton refuses to sign. And Mindy..." Her gaze drifted across the ballroom until it found Mindy. "...has completely changed."

Kelvin followed her gaze. Mindy stood radiant under the chandeliers, her confidence effortless. Nothing like the timid woman described in the reports.

"I can see that," Kelvin murmured. "She’s grown claws." His eyes lingered. "You never mentioned she was this beautiful."

"Shut up," Missy snapped. "Handle your brother. I’ll handle Mindy."

Kelvin’s smile turned unreadable. His gaze shifted from Mindy to Matthias, then back again. "Don’t worry. He has a weakness now."

Missy frowned. "What are you planning?"

Kelvin’s voice dropped to a whisper. "You don’t need to know. Just don’t disappoint him."

Missy’s expression hardened.

"He won’t like it if you go against the plan."

Kelvin’s smile vanished. "For now, he isn’t the one giving me orders."

Missy froze. "What?"

Kelvin set his glass down and leaned closer. "You heard me."

Then he turned and walked away, leaving her standing alone, her pulse racing.

From across the room, Layton watched them. He couldn’t hear their words, but their body language told him everything. Missy was tense. Kelvin was in control.

They knew each other.

He pulled out his phone.

Mike.

Investigate Kelvin King. Everything. Especially any connection between King Group and Missy Hawthorne. Highest priority.

Seconds later, the reply came.

Understood, President Knight.

Layton slipped the phone back into his pocket, his gaze drifting toward Mindy. For reasons he couldn’t explain, unease settled in his chest.

Mindy had also noticed Kelvin and Missy’s exchange. She couldn’t hear them, but she didn’t need to. The familiarity in their eyes, the tension in Missy’s posture—it was enough.

They knew each other.

Her heart tightened.

And then, without warning, the past began to bleed into the present.

A dark warehouse.

Cold chains biting into her wrists.

The metallic scent of blood.

Then silence.

Ana’s laughter echoing in her memory—followed by the news of her suicide.

The images came in flashes, sharp and merciless.

Her kidnapping.

Matthias’s death by fire.

A life she had already lived.

A life she had sworn to change.

Her fingers tightened around her glass. The stem trembled slightly, but she forced her expression to remain calm.

In her past life, she had never realized Missy and Kelvin were connected. She had been too blind, too trusting.

Now, she saw it clearly.

The way Missy’s eyes darted toward Kelvin. The way Kelvin’s smile never reached his eyes.

There was something between them—something dangerous.

Did both of them planned what happened in past life, or are they just puppets and someone is pulling the strings!

A shadow moving behind the scenes.

The one who had orchestrated everything before.

Her pulse quickened.

"Mindy?"

Layla’s voice pulled her back.

"You’ve been staring into space," Ana said, waving a hand in front of her face. "Earth to Mindy!"

Mindy blinked, forcing a small smile. "I’m fine. Just thinking."

"About what?" Layla asked gently.

"Nothing important," Mindy said quickly.

They exchanged glances but didn’t press further.

Mindy turned her gaze back toward the crowd. Kelvin was gone. Missy was laughing again, her mask perfectly in place.

But Mindy’s instincts screamed that something had shifted tonight—that invisible lines had been drawn, alliances formed in the dark.

She took a slow breath, steadying herself.

This time, she would uncover every secret before it was too late.

Before history repeated itself.

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