BRUSHSTROKES OF REVENGE

The moment Mindy, Matthias, and Layla stepped out of the Pavilion, a wall of reporters surged toward them.

Camera flashes exploded around them. Microphones were pushed forward from every direction, and voices overlapped as journalists fought to be heard.

”Miss Wilson!”

”How does it feel to win such a major competition?”

”Do you believe this victory will strengthen the partnership between LUXT and Zeus?”

”Will the two companies continue working together?”

Mindy slowed her pace and allowed the reporters to approach.

She gave them a calm, polite smile.

”This victory was not achieved by one person or one company,” she said. ”It was the result of weeks of hard work from both the LUXT and Zeus teams. The designers, coordinators, models, and everyone working behind the scenes sacrificed countless hours to make today’s presentation possible.”

She paused as the cameras continued recording.

”Both companies trusted each other enough to combine their strengths. I believe that trust is what made today’s result possible. The recognition belongs to everyone who contributed.”

Several reporters nodded, impressed by her composed response.

Then one journalist pushed through the crowd.

”Miss Wilson, do you have any comment regarding what happened to Jodey Hale and Missy Hawthorne?”

The atmosphere changed instantly.

”Miss Hawthorne is your stepsister, isn’t she?” the reporter continued. ”Don’t you think you should be supporting her? She is still your family.”

Mindy’s expression remained calm.

But inside, she recognized the question immediately.

It was a trap.

There was no doubt that someone had planted it.

Probably Emily.

Or Missy herself.

Mindy turned her attention fully toward the reporter.

”I do not support criminal activity,” she said, her voice polite but firm. ”If Miss Hawthorne has done something wrong, the law will deal with it. I have no intention of interfering with the investigation.”

She paused briefly.

”And I am no longer part of the Hawthorne family. After severing my ties with them, I don’t believe I should be involved in their family matters.”

The reporter immediately raised another question.

”Then why did you sever your ties with the Hawthorne family?”

Another microphone was pushed toward her.

”No one in Greendale knows the full story. It happened so suddenly, and you disappeared from the public eye for months afterward. What really happened?”

Layla stepped forward.

”No personal questions, please.”

But the reporters refused to retreat.

”We’re only trying to understand, Miss Hart,” another reporter said. ”The public has been curious for a long time.”

Matthias’s cold gaze swept over the crowd.

Several reporters instinctively lowered their microphones.

One of them, however, remained determined.

Mindy studied him for a moment.

He was waiting for her to refuse.

If she refused, the reporters would create their own version of the story. They would allow the Hawthorne family to shape the narrative and portray her as an ungrateful daughter who had abandoned her family without explanation.

Mindy would not give them that opportunity.

She lifted her chin.

”I want to create my own identity,” she said.

The cameras immediately focused on her.

”I want to build something of my own instead of spending my life standing in someone else’s shadow.”

Her voice remained steady, but every word carried weight.

”And I cannot remain silent while other people take what belongs to me, or what once belonged to my mother, and use it for their own benefit.”

The crowd fell silent.

For a moment, even the reporters stopped moving.

Everyone understood what she was referring to.

Mindy did not explain further.

She did not need to.

Another reporter quickly raised his microphone.

”Miss Wilson, Miss Hart, why were the models changed at the last minute? Why did you have to model the final pieces yourselves?”

Mindy gave a faint smile.

Before she could answer, Matthias spoke.

”The models hired by Zeus were kidnapped this morning.”

The reporters stared at him.

”What?”

”Kidnapped?”

”Who kidnapped them?”

”Were they injured?”

The questions erupted all at once.

Matthias’s expression did not change.

”They were found and admitted to the hospital for treatment.”

Shock spread through the crowd.

Layla glanced at Mindy.

Mindy reached into her bag and pulled out a small recorder.

”After we learned what happened to the models, someone anonymously provided the Zeus team with a recording of a conversation.”

She held up the device so the reporters could see it.

”Before I play it, I want to clarify that the voices have been distorted. The people involved cannot be identified by their voices alone.”

A reporter leaned closer.

”What does the recording contain?”

Mindy pressed the button.

A distorted voice filled the air.

”Where are the models?”

Another voice answered.

”My people kidnapped them exactly as we planned.”

The recording ended.

For several seconds, no one spoke.

The silence was absolute.

Then the reporters erupted.

”Whose voices were those?”

”Who gave you the recording?”

”Do you know who arranged the kidnapping?”

”Miss Wilson, do you know who is responsible?”

Mindy shook her head.

”No.”

She turned her gaze toward the Pavilion.

”But we know one thing.”

Her eyes hardened.

”That conversation took place today, and it concerns what happened here.”

Her words were enough.

Whispers spread rapidly through the crowd.

Not far away, Kelvin and Lucy Wale had heard everything.

Kelvin’s face darkened.

His heart pounded violently against his ribs.

How had Mindy obtained the recording?

Who had recorded their conversation?

And did she know whose voices had been distorted?

His thoughts moved rapidly.

Of course she knew.

Why else would she have deliberately asked him earlier whether he knew Missy?

He had walked directly into her trap.

Kelvin’s hands curled into fists.

Then Mindy looked across the crowd and met his eyes.

A smile touched her lips.

It was not warm.

It was not innocent.

It was the smile of someone who already knew the truth.

Kelvin’s stomach dropped.

Matthias stepped forward.

”We will cooperate fully with the police and provide them with the recording. The evidence has already been shared with the appropriate authorities.”

Kelvin’s eyes widened.

He quickly forced his expression back under control, but his clenched fists revealed the anger burning inside him.

The reporters immediately began asking more questions.

”Will Zeus Press charges?”

”Will there be an official investigation?”

”Will the company release a statement?”

Mindy did not answer any question that suggested guilt before the authorities had reached a conclusion.

Instead, she calmly said, ”The authorities will determine what happened. We will cooperate fully with the investigation.”

After several more questions, security finally stepped forward and began moving the reporters away.

The crowd slowly dispersed, but the whispers continued throughout the Pavilion.

Layla watched the journalists leave before turning toward Mindy.

”You certainly know how to turn a press conference into a battlefield.”

Mindy smiled faintly.

”I didn’t start the battle.”

A familiar voice interrupted them.

”Miss Wilson.”

Mindy turned.

Adam approached with Steven beside him in his wheelchair.

Adam wore his usual composed expression, though a trace of amusement glimmered in his eyes.

”So,” he said, spreading his hands slightly, ”how was my performance?”

Mindy laughed.

”It exceeded my expectations.”

She looked him over with playful approval.

”Behind that cold expression, there’s quite a dramatic actor.”

For once, Adam appeared embarrassed.

Steven coughed, clearly trying to hide his laughter.

Layla gave a short laugh.

”When did you plan all of this?”

”About a week before the Portfolio,” Mindy replied honestly.

She glanced at Adam.

”I saw the trial date for Jodey’s case and realized she would probably become desperate. That was when I called Adam.”

Adam continued the explanation.

”I arranged for someone to casually mention Missy’s participation in Maxine.”

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

”Everything that happened afterward was her own doing.”

Mindy nodded.

”She walked directly into the trap.”

Adam’s expression grew lighter.

”I should probably thank her.”

He glanced toward the Pavilion.

”At least now I know who was responsible for ruining the Bright Competition.”

Steven smiled.

”It was worth every minute.”

The three exchanged a knowing look.

They remained together for a while longer, discussing the events of the day. Eventually, Adam and Steven left quietly.

Matthias turned toward Mindy.

”You should go back. I’ll handle everything here.”

Mindy nodded.

”All right.”

She left with Layla.

Inside the elevator, the two women stood alone.

Layla glanced at Mindy.

”So that’s why you asked me to buy shares in Rona Design.”

Mindy nodded.

”The market opens tomorrow.”

She leaned against the elevator wall.

”The news will damage investor confidence. Rona Design’s stock will likely fall sharply, and that could force the board to call an emergency meeting.”

Layla’s eyes brightened.

”The directors may try to remove Missy as CEO.”

”Exactly.”

”There are still board members who remained loyal to Aunt Maria,” Layla said. ”We can approach them.”

Mindy smiled.

”Exactly.”

The elevator doors opened.

They stepped into the suite.

Then both women stopped.

Three shirtless men were doing push-ups across the carpet.

”One hundred and twenty-six!”

Ana stood nearby, enthusiastically counting while holding up her phone.

”One hundred and twenty-seven!”

Layla blinked.

”What exactly is happening?”

Ana innocently pointed toward Zac.

”It was his idea.”

Zac immediately stopped moving.

”What?”

He pointed accusingly at Ana.

”She challenged us!”

Ana shook her head.

”She said our six-packs were fake and that we couldn’t even do twenty push-ups. Then she challenged us to see who could do the most.”

Wade looked offended.

”She insulted me.”

He wiped the sweat from his forehead.

”She said I only have the mind and not the body.”

Dante remained on the floor, breathing heavily as he glared at Ana.

Mindy slowly turned toward Ana’s phone.

”You all realize she’s filming this, right?”

Ana quickly hid the phone behind her back.

”I wasn’t.”

Mindy stared at her.

Ana held out for exactly three seconds.

Then she sighed.

”Fine. I was.”

She proudly raised the phone.

”I got all three of you. This video is worth millions.”

The three men slowly looked at one another.

They were shirtless, exhausted, and covered in sweat.

Then the same realization appeared in all their eyes.

”We’ve been used.”

Layla doubled over laughing.

At that exact moment, Matthias entered the suite.

He stopped in the doorway.

His eyes moved from the three exhausted men, to Ana’s phone, and finally to Layla, who was laughing uncontrollably.

A rare smile touched his lips.

He shook his head.

The room is in laughter.