He didn’t spare Julian another glance, as if Julian had already lost the right to be noticed.
With long, measured strides, he walked past Julian, utterly calm, moving with an easy confidence that radiated quiet contempt—as though Julian were nothing more than empty air.
But just as they brushed past each other, Bennett’s steps faltered for the briefest moment.
He didn’t stop, not fully; his body simply angled slightly, his head turning ever so subtly in Julian’s direction.
Then a low, icy voice—deep and hollow, as if it echoed from the pit of hell—delivered each word with bone-chilling clarity:
“We’re ‘family’. I’ll be satisfied once you land this deal.”
With that, Bennett didn’t linger or wait for any response. He strode forward without a backward glance.
Julian stared after Bennett and Gwyneth as their silhouettes faded down the corridor, watching until they vanished completely into darkness.
His hands clenched into fists at his sides, nails digging so hard into his palms that a sharp, searing pain shot up his arm—but it did nothing to numb the frigid despair spreading through his chest.
He squeezed his eyes shut, drawing several slow, ragged breaths, fighting to swallow down the bitter taste burning at the back of his throat.
Family?
What kind of family was this?
He and Bennett had never been family—not really.
And Bennett had always wanted more than just this.
————
President’s Office, Harvest Group.
Julian had just finished a call with Yale. When Yale heard that Cloudview Resort had cost forty million, he was so furious he nearly lost it.
The order was clear:
Cloudview Resort must succeed. Failure is not an option.
Just as Julian hung up, his trusted aide Duncan rushed in, face ashen.
“Mr. Locke, I’m sorry!”
Duncan’s voice shook with both defeat and dread. “We lost the guy in sunglasses! He’s obviously a pro—knows this whole area like the back of his hand. He slipped away after a few turns, and our people… couldn’t even catch his license plate!”
“Useless! All of you—useless!”
The fear and anger Julian had been bottling up finally found an outlet. He spun around, eyes blazing, a wild animal pushed past its breaking point. With a violent kick, he sent the small side table flying.
The crash of shattered crystal and ornaments rang out, echoing through the chaos.
“Get out! All of you—get out!”
Duncan flinched, too frightened to protest, and quickly retreated, closing the door behind him.
The office was a wreck.
Julian’s chest heaved, his harsh breathing cutting through the thick, oppressive silence.


 Verify captcha to read the content
Verify captcha to read the content
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Revenge Wears My Ring