Chapter 4

Two months passed in a blur of silence. We never spoke. I honestly thought Eric had vanished from my life for good.

I shouldn't have been surprised when his counterattack began at the Ostville Business Rising Stars Gala. But my countermove would be the one that brought the house down.

The gala was an annual affair, a high-stakes networking event where the city's elite came to see and be seen. The moment Sophie and I stepped into the Grand Hotel, all eyes were on us.

"Look, it's Charlotte Summers! God, she's stunning."

"Stunningly desperate, you mean. I heard she was practically groveling at the feet of some no-name CEO."

"No way! A girl like her?"

"Totally. I heard she even tried to give him a Ferrari, and he turned her down. So pathetic."

I could feel the stares, a mix of awe and pity, admiration and scorn. I had no idea where the rumors were coming from, and I didn't have the energy to care.

I hadn't set foot in this ballroom in two years.

It was because Eric had always sneered at the "spoiled rich kids" who frequented these events.

Back then, I thought his disdain was a sign of his integrity. Now, I realized it was just a mask for his own crippling insecurity.

I never thought he would have the guts to show his face here. But there he was, with his usual posse of yes-men.

"Well, well, if it isn't Ms. Summers!" one of them, a guy named Leo Smith, bellowed across the room. "Life must suck without our boy Eric, huh?"

Another one, Peter White, chimed in with a nasty laugh. "We were starting to think you were dead! Want us to ask Eric to forgive you? Maybe if you get on your knees and beg, we'll put in a good word for you."

Sophie stepped forward, her eyes flashing, and yelled, "You two better watch your mouths. You don't want to get on her bad side."

Her threat was met with sneering laughter.

"Sophie Reed? Who do you think you are?" Leo scoffed. "Get lost."

Sophie just smiled with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Fine. Consider that two million dollars in funding for your startup is gone."

Leo froze. "How... how did you know about that? And the amount? Do you have a spy in my company?"

Sophie's smile widened. "My last name is Reed. As in, the CEO of Redstone Capital. How do you think I know?"

"What? You're... you're the CEO? No way!"

Sophie turned to Peter. "And you, Peter. That Roven project of yours? Say goodbye to your funding."

Peter's jaw dropped. "How do you know about my project? Oh my god. You really are the CEO."

Eric used to tell me he hated that I had money.

So, to support him and his deadbeat friends without bruising their fragile egos, I had secretly bankrolled Sophie to start an investment firm. I was their silent, anonymous benefactor.

I had been feeding a pack of ungrateful snakes.

And now, they were going to feel my bite.

"No need to worry. We're loaded, right?" Eric said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he looked me up and down. There was no trace of the affection he once pretended to have for me. "You think that without your money, I'm nothing?"

I met his gaze and replied, "I think I never want to see you again."

"Great. You think this is some kind of game, don't you? Well, you've gone too far this time. You've officially pissed me off," he yelled.

He took two steps away and spun back, jabbing a finger in my direction. "Today, you're going to learn what regret feels like. Just you wait."

Just then, the announcer's voice boomed through the hall. "Announcing the arrival of Ms. Isabella Frost, of the Frost family!"

The crowd parted. A stunning woman with an air of regal confidence glided down the red carpet, instantly commanding the attention of the entire room.