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The slap echoed through the room, and for a brief moment, everything stood still. I had never hit anyone in my life, least of all my own sister. But there was no satisfaction, no relief—just a sharp, burning sensation on my cheek. Rachel had struck back, with no hesitation. The shock of it kept me frozen, unable to process what had just happened.

I glanced around the room, my father's face red with anger, my mother looking torn between fear and resignation. And Rick—he didn’t even bother defending me. Instead, he pulled Rachel close, like she was the one who needed protection. The betrayal was complete. I could feel it sinking in, twisting in my gut like a knife.

I started laughing. Not the kind of laugh that comes from humor, but the kind that comes when everything finally breaks. I had been the fool all along. The signs had been there, but I chose to ignore them, pretending that my life, my engagement, was still intact. I had trusted them—my sister, my fiancé, even my family. And for what?

As my laughter filled the room, I could feel everyone watching me like I had lost my mind. Maybe I had. Maybe I was the only one who was still trying to make sense of a world that had already crumbled.

"Three conditions," I said, still laughing softly. My cheek ached, but I didn’t care. Let them think I was crazy. Let them think I was breaking. Because I wasn’t. No, my mind had never been clearer.

My father, still wary, stepped forward. “What conditions?”

I smirked. They expected me to ask for something simple, something material. Money, a mansion, maybe even a business. But they didn’t know me. Not really.

"One. Rachel marries before me." The grin on my face widened. They all looked confused, especially Rachel, who glared at me. But she couldn’t see the reasoning behind it. Not yet.

Dad seemed relieved at my first request. He must have thought I was still naive, playing some petty game. “Alright. What else?”

"Two. I want Dark Rose under my name. No ties to VN." It was a small business in comparison to the family empire, nothing that would hurt them. But I knew it would sting. And more importantly, it would give me leverage.

Rachel rolled her eyes, dismissing me as if I were a nuisance. She had always been arrogant, but now, her arrogance was blinding her. She didn’t see what I was doing.

Dad, again, didn’t hesitate. “Fine, that’s easy enough. What’s the third one?”

I turned slowly, locking eyes with the man standing in the corner—the assistant who had been loyal to my father for years. His face was unreadable, but I knew what I was doing. "Three. I want him."

The room went silent. For the first time, there was real shock. My father’s assistant looked taken aback, not realizing he had become a pawn in the game. My father, on the other hand, was calculating. I could see the wheels turning in his head. He wouldn’t give up a valuable asset easily, but he also wouldn’t let me slip away. Not when there was so much at stake.

After a long pause, Dad nodded slowly. “Agreed. Is that all?”

I smiled, sweetly, innocently. “Of course. Did you think I’d want to stay with my ex? No thanks. I don’t read my books backward.”

Rick’s face was priceless—confusion mixed with anger. He didn’t know what to make of this, and frankly, I didn’t care. He and Rachel deserved each other. “A slut and a scumbag,” I added, clapping my hands mockingly. “Perfect match!”

The man beside me, to his credit, tried to stifle his laughter, but I didn’t. I laughed openly, enjoying the chaos I had unleashed. Rachel’s face was turning red, her anger barely contained, and that was exactly what I wanted. I needed her to react. I needed her to give me what I was looking for.

And she didn’t disappoint.

With a growl, she lunged at me, but Rick held her back. “You think you’re so clever,” she spat, her voice shaking with fury. “You’re nothing. You’ve always been nothing.”

I raised an eyebrow, pretending to be hurt. “Oh, Rachel, don’t be so mean. After all, you’ve already got everything you wanted, didn’t you?”

But I wasn’t just provoking her for fun. I needed her anger. I needed her to slip, to let something crucial slip out. And as she struggled against Rick’s grip, her mouth running off in her rage, I knew I was close.

“You think you’re smart, but you don’t know anything! You think I wanted this?” she shouted. “I was forced into this, just like you will be—"

I stopped her with a raised hand, a cold smile on my lips. “Oh, Rachel, you’ve already said more than enough.”

The room was tense, the air thick with unspoken words. I had what I needed. This wasn’t over—far from it. But now, the game was mine to control. And I wasn’t going to let them forget that.

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