Victor's words hung in the air, creating a wave of tension that immediately ensnared Vella.

"Aren't you curious why your career suddenly plummeted after we broke up?"

Vella's world seemed to pause for a moment. Her breath caught, and for a second, she couldn't say anything.

Victor was still staring at her, enjoying her shock like someone deliberately trapping their prey.

"What do you mean?" Vella finally found her voice, although it sounded weaker than she had hoped.

Victor shrugged casually, as if his question wasn't a big deal. "I'm just asking. Isn't it an interesting thing? You were quite a promising model back then. Then, suddenly, your agency terminated your contract. The ads that were supposed to feature your beautiful face suddenly chose other models. Even several companies that were once very eager to work with you... changed their minds."

Vella felt her blood run cold. She remembered all of that clearly.

A year ago, after breaking up with Victor, everything had started to change without her realizing it. At first, she thought it was just a coincidence—the entertainment industry was cruel and competitive. But now, hearing the way Victor said it…

Was it all not a coincidence?

"I don't know what you're talking about." Vella tried to control her expression. "This industry is tough. Not everyone can survive."

Victor smiled slightly, but his gaze said otherwise. "Yes, that's true. But some people just need a little... help to fall."

Vella's heart beat faster.

No, this couldn't be. He couldn't possibly...

Victor stepped closer, making her feel increasingly cornered by his intimidating aura. "I'm curious, Vella," he whispered softly. "When all that was happening… didn't you ever suspect even a little?"

Vella straightened her back, refusing to appear weak. "If you're trying to say you had something to do with that—"

Victor let out a small laugh, but there was something eerie in his voice. "I'm just asking." He stared deep into her eyes, as if enjoying how her mind was beginning to unravel.

Vella wanted to move away. She wanted to turn around and forget all of this. But before she could take a step, Victor continued in a lower, more threatening tone.

"But I'm glad to see you here, Vella. It seems fate still wants us to meet."

Vella clenched her fists at her sides, trying to suppress the tremors creeping into her fingertips.

Fate?

Or was this something Victor had planned from the very beginning?

Before she could say anything, someone called Victor from a distance. A middle-aged man in an expensive suit—Vella's stepfather.

"Oh, Victor! I didn't know you were coming."

Victor turned, displaying a friendlier smile. "I couldn't miss an important wedding like this."

Vella's stepfather patted Victor's shoulder familiarly before turning to Vella. "You've met Victor, right? He is my son… and now, technically, he is your stepbrother."

Vella's world felt like it was crumbling further.

Step… brother?

Victor looked at her again, his smile widening—a smile that made her blood curdle uncomfortably.

"Glad to be part of your family, Vella."

Her blood seemed to stop flowing as she stared at Victor, searching for signs that this was just a bad joke. But the man only gave a small smile—a smile that was never truly warm, a smile that hid something behind it.

Vella wanted to say something, anything, but her throat felt dry.

"Oh, you two already know each other?" Her stepfather chuckled, seemingly unaware of the tension between them. "Good, good. I was hoping you could get along."

Victor stared at Vella without looking away. "Of course. Vella and I… have a long history."

Vella clenched her fingers, trying to calm her wildly beating heart. Victor's gaze made her feel as if she was trapped in a game she couldn't control.

"I didn't know you were the son of my father's business partner," Vella finally said, her voice striving to sound steady despite a slight tremor.

Victor smiled. "There are many things you don't know, Vella."

Before Vella could retort, someone approached—a woman in a bright red dress and perfect makeup. A face she knew all too well.

Chloe Laurent.

A top model, the favorite face of luxury brands, and most importantly… the woman who had indirectly destroyed her career.

"Victor." Chloe touched Victor's arm in a overly familiar way. "I've been looking for you."

Vella's gaze hardened. She remembered clearly how Chloe had snatched the projects that should have been hers a year ago. That woman was always one step ahead, as if there was an invisible force constantly pushing her upward—and now, seeing her here, standing next to Victor…

A frightening possibility dawned on Vella.

Was all this connected?

Was Victor the one helping Chloe rise, while she fell?

"Ah, Chloe," Victor turned to her casually, but there was something cold in his tone. "I suppose you've met Vella before, haven't you?"

Chloe smiled thinly, her gaze assessing Vella from head to toe. "Of course. We worked together… once."

Once. Before everything fell apart.

Vella steeled herself. She couldn't appear weak. Not in front of Victor. Not in front of Chloe.

Victor looked at Vella meaningfully. "It's a small world, isn't it?"

Vella lifted her chin slightly, trying to show she was unaffected. "Yes. And full of surprises."

Victor smiled. "Oh, this is just the beginning, Vella."

Victor said it in a casual tone, as if the words carried no veiled threat. But Vella knew better—she knew this man never said anything without a specific intention.

Chloe was still standing beside Victor, her arm linked with his in a clear display of possession. The smile on her face looked sweet, but the glint in her eyes said otherwise.

"So," Chloe tilted her head slightly, her expression full of feigned curiosity. "After all this time, you're finally back in this world, Vella?"

Vella felt her jaw tighten. She knew Chloe was testing her, trying to find a weakness to belittle her.

"I never really left," Vella replied, her voice remaining calm.

Chloe let out a small laugh, covering her mouth gracefully. "Of course. But… this world changes so fast, you know? New models appear all the time, and this industry only accepts those who can survive."

Vella knew the underlying meaning behind those words. Chloe was saying that her spot had been taken. That she had been forgotten.

Before Vella could retort, Victor spoke, his eyes still locked on her. "Don't worry, Chloe. I'm sure Vella still has a place in this world… if she knows how to survive."

There was something in the way Victor said it that made Vella's stomach clench.

"And you certainly know how, don't you, Vella?" Victor continued. "You've experienced it before—how it feels to lose everything."

Vella tensed. She could feel her heart pounding hard, but she refused to show her weakness. She looked directly into Victor's eyes, trying to find answers there.

"What do you really want, Victor?" she finally asked.

Victor smiled slightly, raising the champagne glass he was holding. "I just want to enjoy tonight. Celebrate our family's wedding."

Family. The word felt so wrong coming from his mouth.

"But of course," Victor continued, "we'll be seeing each other often from now on. As siblings… I should naturally make sure you're doing well."

A chill ran down Vella's spine. She knew this wasn't just a warning. It was a promise.

Victor never did anything without a reason.

And now, he was back in her life.

Not as an ex-lover.

But as her stepbrother.

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