BRUSHSTROKES OF REVENGE

At a nearby table, Missy’s usual circle—Sheila and Zara—lounged over their cocktails, their voices lowered but not nearly enough to keep their comments private. They watched each guest who passed with barely concealed amusement, exchanging whispers and quiet laughter as though the gala had been arranged solely for their entertainment.

Zara’s gaze settled on a woman in an emerald-green gown.

”Who wears emerald green to a winter gala?” she sneered. ”It’s far too bright.”

Sheila took a delicate sip of her drink and giggled.

”Someone desperate to be noticed.”

Their laughter blended with the music and clinking glasses around them.

Mindy didn’t bother looking in their direction. She had long since learned that people who spent the evening judging everyone else were usually trying to distract attention from themselves.

A moment later, Matthias returned with a plate in his hand. He set it carefully in front of her.

”Cutlets,” he said simply.

Mindy glanced down at the food, then back at him, surprised by the small gesture.

”Thank you.”

He took the seat beside her. His quiet presence seemed to create a calm space around them, shielding her from the noise and unwanted attention filling the ballroom.

Not long afterward, Layla and Zac joined them. Zac immediately launched into an animated story, and Layla’s dry responses quickly turned it into an argument neither of them seemed eager to win.

Their laughter rose above the surrounding conversations, bringing warmth to the table and making the gala feel less like a room full of watchful strangers.

A familiar voice called from across the room.

”Mr. King! It’s been a while!”

Matthias glanced toward the sound. An investor stood near one of the tall marble columns, raising his glass in greeting.

Matthias rose from his seat.

”Excuse me for a moment.”

He crossed the room to greet an investor, leaving Mindy with Layla, Zac, and the faint hum of gossip from the next table.

Zara’s voice carried over the music, loud enough for half the room to hear.

”Is that the famous Mr. Matthias King?” she said, her tone dripping with mockery. ”I heard he’s very ugly. And that he has a disgusting burn mark on his right face.”

The laughter from her table was sharp and mean.

Mindy’s fork paused mid‑air. Slowly, she turned her head. Her expression was calm, but her eyes were cold enough to freeze glass.

”Some people,” she said softly, ”should be worried about themselves.”

Zara blinked, startled.

Mindy’s voice remained even, but every word cut cleanly. ”I heard Mr. Anderson cut you off after your last scandal. When you called me ’Queen,’ remember? And then half your followers unfollowed you. They finally realized how shallow you are.”

Layla choked on her drink, trying not to laugh. Zac didn’t bother hiding his grin.

Zara’s face turned crimson. ”I didn’t say anything about you,” she snapped. ”Mind your business.”

Mindy tilted her head. ”You made it my business when you insulted someone who isn’t here to defend himself.”

The surrounding tables had gone quiet, eyes flicking between them.

A familiar voice cut through the tension. ”Shouldn’t you be calling her ’My Queen’? Isn’t that the bet you lost?”

Every head turned.

Ana Bose stood a few feet away, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. Her gown was midnight blue, her hair swept to one side, a press badge from Bose Media glinting at her waist.

Mindy blinked. ”When did you get here? I didn’t even see you.”

Ana smirked. ”Where there’s gossip, there I am. How could I miss this? Bose Media is covering the Maxine event, so I begged my father to let me come.”

Zac raised an eyebrow. ”Shouldn’t you be working then?”

”I am working,” Ana said sweetly. ”Showing dumb socialites their place is part of my job. Think of it as public service.”

Mindy covered her mouth, trying to hide her smile. Zac shook his head, amused.

Zara’s eyes narrowed. ”Who are you calling dumb?”

Layla leaned forward, her expression innocent. ”You.”

The laughter that followed was instant and merciless. Even a few nearby guests chuckled. Zara’s face turned scarlet.

Missy’s voice sliced through the laughter. ”Mindy, we weren’t talking about you. Stop bullying Zara for no reason. We were just joking.”

Mindy turned her gaze on her sister, her tone cool. ”Joking about someone’s appearance is bullying, Missy. But I suppose you wouldn’t know the difference.”

Missy’s smile faltered. ”You’ve changed, Mindy.”

”Maybe I finally learned to stop staying quiet.”

The tension between them was palpable. Layla’s hand brushed Mindy’s arm under the table, a silent reminder to stay calm.

Before anyone could speak again, another voice joined the conversation—smooth, deep, and unfamiliar.

”Well, well,” the voice drawled. ”You didn’t say anything wrong. He is rather ugly.”

The laughter died instantly.

Everyone turned.

A tall man stood behind Missy, his tuxedo perfectly tailored, his smile charming but cold. His eyes—gray, sharp, calculating—swept over the table before settling on Mindy.

Kelvin King.

Matthias’s half‑brother.

Mindy’s breath caught. She had never met him—not in this life, not in her past one—but she knew that face. She had seen it in news articles, in media posts, in the photographs that haunted her memories.

Kelvin King—the man who took over Zeus Vision after Matthias’s death in her past life.

Her pulse quickened, but her expression didn’t change.

The moment Zac froze beside her, a troubling thought crossed Mindy’s mind.

Could the rumors about Matthias and Kelvin be true?

People said the two brothers had a complicated history, but no one ever spoke about it openly.

Kelvin stepped closer, his smile widening. ”Miss Wilson,” he said smoothly. ”I’ve heard a lot about you.”

He extended his hand. ”I’m Kelvin King. Matthias’s younger brother.”

Mindy stared at his hand for a moment longer than politeness allowed.

Her mind raced through everything she knew—or thought she knew—about him.

Zac’s sudden silence beside her only deepened her suspicion.

If Kelvin were truly harmless, why had Zac reacted as though he had just seen a threat?

Mindy did not take his hand.

Kelvin’s hand remained suspended between them for another second.

Instead, she offered him a restrained smile.

”Mr. King.”

His extended hand hung in the air for a moment before he slowly lowered it, his smile never faltering. His eyes studied her face, searching for something—recognition, fear, weakness.

”Please,” he said softly. ”Call me Kelvin.”

His smile didn’t reach his eyes.

Zac’s jaw tightened. Ana’s gaze moved between them, sensing the tension even though she didn’t understand its source. Layla’s fingers curled around her glass, her attention fixed on Kelvin.

No one spoke.

The surrounding ballroom continued as usual—music played, guests laughed, and glasses clinked beneath the chandeliers.

But around Mindy and Kelvin, the atmosphere had changed.

”I’ve been wanting to meet you for a long time,” Kelvin said, his tone smooth, almost affectionate. ”You’re quite the talk of Greendale these days.”

Mindy’s heart thudded once, hard. ”I’m sure you hear a lot of things, Mr. King.”

”Kelvin,” he corrected gently. ”And yes, I do. But I prefer to see things for myself.”

He leaned slightly closer, his voice dropping. ”You’re even more intriguing in person.”

The air around the table grew heavy.

Zac’s hand twitched toward his jacket pocket before he caught himself. Ana’s smile vanished entirely. Layla’s eyes darted toward the crowd, searching for Matthias.

Mindy held Kelvin’s gaze, her expression calm, her voice steady. ”Flattery doesn’t suit you, Mr. King.”

He chuckled softly. ”You wound me.”

”Not yet,” she said under her breath.

Kelvin’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second before returning, smoother than ever. ”I look forward to getting to know you better, Miss Wilson.”

He straightened, his eyes flicking briefly toward the crowd—toward Matthias, who was still across the room, unaware of the storm gathering at his table.

Mindy’s pulse hammered in her ears. She forced herself to breathe evenly, to keep her expression neutral.

”Enjoy the evening,” Kelvin said, his tone light again. ”I’m sure we’ll see each other soon.”

He turned and walked away, his presence leaving a chill in the air.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

Then Ana exhaled slowly. ”Well,” she murmured, ”that was unsettling.”

Zac’s voice was low. ”You have no idea.”

Mindy’s gaze followed Kelvin across the room, her mind spinning. Why he’s here?

Layla touched her arm gently. ”Mindy?”

Mindy blinked, forcing a small smile. ”I’m fine.”

But she wasn’t.

She hadn’t expected to meet him in this life. Her rebirth had changed the course of everything—shifted timelines, altered fates. Things that happened before weren’t happening now.

But if Kelvin King was here.

And that meant the danger wasn’t gone—it had only been delayed.

Layla’s voice was soft, concerned. ”Are you sure you’re okay?”

Mindy nodded slowly, her eyes still tracking Kelvin’s movement through the crowd. ”I’m fine,” she repeated. ”Just... surprised.”

Ana leaned closer, her voice dropping. ”That man gives me the creeps.”

”Trust your instincts,” Zac muttered, his eyes never leaving Kelvin’s retreating figure.

Mindy’s hand trembled slightly as she reached for her glass.

She took a slow breath, steadying herself.

The past wasn’t done with her yet.

But this time, she would be ready.