23The next few hours crawled by as Allvar paced the room, his mind racing with anticipation. Eleanor and Claire sat nearby, exchanging occasional glances but keeping quiet as they watched him.Finally, the silence was broken by the sharp buzz of Allvar’s phone. His heart leapt as he grabbed it, seeing Mr. Lorentz’s name on the screen again. He answered immediately."Mr. Lorentz?"The butler’s calm voice greeted him on the other end. "Young Master, I have an update."Allvar’s grip on the phone tightened. "Did the hacker find something?""Indeed," Mr. Lorentz replied, his tone as composed as ever. "The hacker managed to infiltrate your ex girlfriend’s computer through technical means. They obtained incriminating recordings of both her and her new lover, Derek Hawthorne."Allvar’s eyes widened. "Recordings? What kind of recordings?""Conversations, video calls... it’s all there," Mr. Lorentz explained. "They openly discuss the plan to tarnish your reputation. It’s undeniable evidence."
24Derek pulled her close, his hands resting on her hips as they swayed to the rhythm of the music playing softly in the background. “I told you, babe, I knew exactly what would hit him where it hurt.” she continued with a proud smile.Serena leaned her head against his chest, her voice dripping with satisfaction. “You should’ve seen some of the comments. They’re ruthless. People are making fun of him, saying things like ‘gigolo in a cheap suit’ and ‘just another pretty face with no brain.’”Derek chuckled, tilting her chin up for a kiss. “That’s what happens when you mess with the Hawthornes.”Serena smiled against his lips before pulling back slightly. “Oh, and that post about his sugar mama? That’s my personal favorite. Some girl even wrote that she saw him hanging around her salon like a lost puppy.”They both laughed, Derek spinning her around before pulling her back into his arms. “This is perfect. He’s going to be the joke of the town for a long time.”Serena’s eyes sparkled as
25Derek paced the room, his face twisted in frustration as Serena watched from the bed, biting her lip nervously. The glow of their earlier victory had completely vanished, replaced by a heavy cloud of panic."Calm down," Serena finally said, her voice attempting to sound soothing, though she was clearly unsettled herself. "Getting angry won't help us fix this."Derek spun around, his face flushed with rage. "How the hell am I supposed to calm down, Serena? Everything's gone! Vanished! This was supposed to ruin him, not us!"Serena flinched but kept her composure. "Yelling at me isn’t going to change anything. We need to figure out what happened.""And you think I don’t know that?" Derek snapped, his eyes blazing. "I swear, this can't be happening. All those comments, all that work—it’s all wiped like it never existed!""Then let’s do something about it!" Serena stood up, walking over to him and grabbing his arm. "Call them. Call whoever’s responsible for taking it down. We need answ
26Serena met his gaze, her voice firm. "We hire someone. A professional. If someone hacked us, we’ll find out how and expose them."Derek stared at her for a long moment before he finally nodded, his expression grim. "Fine. I’ll make some calls. But if we don’t get to the bottom of this, Allvar wins."Serena gave him a small, determined smile. "We won’t let that happen."But what neither of them knew was that Allvar’s hacker had already infiltrated their computer, collecting far more than just deleted posts. The real damage was yet to come.As Allvar sat at his desk, the glow from his computer screen casting shadows on his face, his fingers moved deftly over the keyboard. The hacker had done more than simply take down Derek's post. They had left behind a trail of digital breadcrumbs leading straight to Derek and Serena's darkest secrets.Allvar leaned back in his chair, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. The evidence of his ex-girlfriend's infidelity—texts, photos, and email
27After Allvar hit "publish," he leaned back, watching the notifications light up his screen. It didn’t take long for the post to spread across campus like wildfire. The comments began flooding in, each one harsher than the last.“Yo, did you see this?” a student in the Ridgeway University common room exclaimed, his eyes glued to his phone screen. “Allvar just exposed Serena and Derek!”His friend, Chloe, leaned over to get a better look. “No way. What did they do?”“Dude, read it. Serena’s been cheating on him with Derek, and turned out it was them who posted that anonymous post about him being a gigolo, and there’s actual proof. He posted everything—texts, photos, emails. It’s brutal.”Chloe gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as she skimmed through the post. “Oh my God. Everyone’s gonna see this.”Across campus, phones buzzed as students read the post. Groups huddled together, whispering and laughing at the scandal that was unfolding right before their eyes.“Did you hear about S
28Serena couldn’t believe what was happening. The whispers, the stares, the judgmental glares—she felt suffocated. It was more than a nightmare come true; it was a living hell. Her phone buzzed constantly with cruel messages, and everywhere she went, people seemed to turn their backs on her.As she walked through the quad, a group of girls nearby snickered loudly. One of them, a tall brunette with piercing blue eyes, caught her attention."Look who it is," the girl said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Serena, the campus slut. I didn’t think you'd actually have the nerve to show your face today."Serena froze, her chest tightening. "Excuse me?""Oh, don’t act all innocent," another girl chimed in, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. "We all saw the post. Cheating on Allvar with Derek? And what's more plotting against him? First with corrupting companies then with that stupid anonymous post. Pathetic.""I didn’t—" Serena started, her voice shaking, but they cut her off."Sav
29Allvar tossed his phone aside, a smug grin stretching across his face as he leaned back against his pillows. He felt a rush of satisfaction course through him, the kind of vindication he'd been craving for months. 'Serena is finally paying for everything,' he thought, his fingers drumming against the bedframe. Every lie, every betrayal—it was all coming back to bite her.He stood up and paced the room, unable to contain his excitement. His mind raced with memories of all the sacrifices he’d made for Serena. He’d given her everything: his time, his love, his loyalty. And how did she repay him? By plotting against him with Derek, dragging his name through the mud, and humiliating him in front of the entire campus. But now, she was the one in the spotlight, and it wasn’t flattering. The entire campus was laughing at her now.“Ungrateful bitch,” he muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening. Allvar thought back to the late nights he spent waiting for her, the arguments they had wh
30Derek ran a hand through his hair in frustration, pacing back and forth in the grand office as his father, Victor Hawthorne, sat behind his massive mahogany desk, watching him with a cold, calculating gaze. The silence between them stretched on until Victor finally broke it.“You’re getting sloppy, Derek,” Victor said, his voice low but sharp enough to cut through the tension in the room. “I told you before, we don’t move until the plan is airtight. Now look at the mess you’ve created.”Derek spun around, his expression defiant. “I had everything under control. Allvar was supposed to be dealt with. If it wasn’t for Tom screwing up—"Victor slammed his hand on the desk, cutting Derek off mid-sentence. “Enough with the excuses! You think you can pin this on Tom? This disaster is your responsibility, and now our family’s reputation is hanging by a thread.”Derek’s fists clenched at his sides. “Allvar had it coming! He’s been undermining us for months, playing everyone like fools. I co
Emily had never been one to back down, but as she stumbled towards the door, her face flushed with humiliation, her thoughts were a tangled mess. How could she have been so blind? How could she have dismissed him so easily? The man she had thought was just some arrogant, rich playboy was, in fact, a billionaire with more power than she had ever imagined. The realization was like a punch to her stomach, leaving her breathless.She could still feel the weight of Allvar's gaze on her, his icy eyes cutting through her with the precision of a sharp blade. It wasn’t just the shock of his wealth that had shaken her—it was the way he had handled the situation. The way he had turned the tables, dismantling their arrogance with effortless ease. The way he had put Derek and Serena in their place without so much as raising his voice. It was as if he had orchestrated the whole thing from the very beginning, knowing exactly how it would play out."Did you hear him?" Serena whispered, her voice bare
Derek’s face hardened as he tried to muster whatever defiance he could. "What do you want from us? Haven’t you done enough already?" His voice was laced with false bravado, but his shaking hands gave him away.Allvar stepped forward, his polished leather shoes clicking softly on the marble floor. His sharp, tailored suit made him look even more imposing. He tilted his head slightly, studying Derek as if he were an insignificant insect. "Done enough?" he repeated, his voice calm, dangerously so. "You mocked me, insulted me, and attempted to humiliate me in public. And now, you think you can walk away without facing the consequences?"Serena whimpered, clutching Derek’s arm tighter. "W-we didn’t know who you were! We didn’t mean—""Didn’t mean?" Allvar’s icy gaze locked onto hers, cutting her off mid-sentence. "What you mean is you didn’t think I was someone who could fight back. That’s always the problem with people like you. You respect power only when it’s shoved in your face."Emily
209Mr. Alves froze, the receiver trembling in his grip as the weight of the words settled over him. He couldn’t breathe, his eyes flickering nervously to Allvar, who still stood there, calm and composed."Y-you can't be serious..." Alves whispered, as if trying to reason with the invisible figure on the other end of the phone.The voice was cold and unforgiving. "I don’t make jokes about business, Mr. Alves. You’ve disrespected someone you shouldn’t have. Pack your things. Security will escort you out shortly."The line clicked dead.For a moment, no one moved. The silence was deafening, broken only by the faint hum of the restaurant's air conditioning. Derek and Serena gaped at the manager, their smug smiles wiped clean."What did—" Derek started, his voice cracking."Vacant?" Serena’s voice was a high-pitched squeak. "H-he said vacant!?"Mr. Alves stumbled back, his face still ghostly pale. "T-this is impossible," he muttered, eyes darting to Allvar, who now smiled ever so faintly,
208Allvar clenched his fists in anger, grinding his teeth at Derek's audacity. Serena scowled with flaming cheeks, rolling her eyes dismissively.Allvar remained composed, arching a brow at their reaction. "There seems to be an issue here that requires your assistance," Allvar replied calmly into the phone.On the other end of the line, the voice grew sharp with concern. "What sort of situation, Young Master? Are you alright?"Allvar couldn't help but let a small, wry smile flicker across his face, his eyes glinting with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. "I've been accused of theft, of all things," he explained, his voice laced with disbelief. "The manager here refuses to believe the gold card is mine. He's threatening to call security on me."He went on and relayed all the events that had transpired, describing how he had been openly mocked and ridiculed by the manager.The butler listened attentively, a frown forming on his aged face. Such disrespect towards the young master wa
Allvar's lips curled into a faint smirk, his calm demeanor betraying none of the turmoil his accusers expected. “How… How did this hobo come into possession of this?" Mr. Alves gasped, his eyes widening in disbelief as he scrutinized the exclusive card in his hand. Allvar remained impassive, his posture relaxed as he watched Mr. Alves struggle to reconcile the elegant card with the man before him. The manager cleared his throat, masking his astonishment with an air of accusation. His gaze darkened as he fixed Allvar with an intense glare. “You’re a criminal! Where did you get this card? This isn’t something just anyone can own. Where did you steal it from?” “From my family," Allvar replied casually, his tone devoid of concern. Emily froze, her pale face reflecting her confusion. She trusted Allvar's integrity but couldn't fathom how he had acquired such an item. In stark contrast, Derek and Serena scoffed simultaneously, their eyes rolling in unison. “Like your pathetic fam
206“Hey!! You're making a mistake here!” Serena called out in a harsh voice, her face scowling at the waiter, who turned slightly to acknowledge them once more.“Do you know who this man is?!” she demanded, pointing dramatically at Derek, who had the audacity to look smug. Emily could only roll her eyes at their theatrics.With newfound determination, Serena stomped toward their direction, intent on blocking their path. She crossed her arms and glared daggers at the trio. Pleased with the development, Derek swaggered forward to join her, standing beside her like a soldier in solidarity. He eyed the waiter and Allvar with disdain, sneering as if he owned the entire establishment.“Do you know who I am?!” Derek bellowed, his voice dripping with arrogance. “Do you realize what weight my family name carries? How dare you relegate me to the background just to attend to this nobody?!”He jabbed a finger toward Allvar, his contempt thinly veiled, while the waiter’s face twisted in confusion
205Allvar took a slow, deep breath to calm himself. Then, with steady hands, he reached into his wallet and extracted a sleek gold card his father gave him, it shimmered under the restaurant's ambient lighting. He placed it on the table with quiet confidence."I would like to be considered a VIP as well," he declared, his voice steady, betraying none of the inner storm churning within him.Derek's response was swift, his laughter sharp and full of disbelief. "Oh, come on! You think that piece of plastic makes you special here?" He leaned in closer, his eyes narrowing into a mocking glare. "This isn't some game where you can just buy your way to the top. It's about who you are, and clearly, you're playing out of your league."As Serena joined in, Allvar's gaze turned toward her, wondering what had ever drawn him to such a cruel woman. Her beauty was undeniable, but now, her biting cruelty far eclipsed any physical allure she once held."Absolutely, darling. It's adorable you think a b
204Their heated exchange was abruptly interrupted by a waiter, who approached with an apologetic yet firm demeanor. “I must ask you to keep the noise down. This is a respectable establishment, and we need to maintain a peaceful atmosphere.”Derek’s face, now a picture of barely restrained fury, turned towards the waiter, his fists clenched at his sides as if he were physically holding back his anger. “Fine,” he spat out through gritted teeth, the words venomous. “But we refuse to sit near these… individuals.” His eyes, sharp with disdain, flicked towards Emily and Allvar, a clear line drawn.Serena, echoing Derek’s sentiment with a venomous edge to her voice, added, “Absolutely. We’d rather not share our space with such… bastards.” Her lips curled around the word, her disdain palpable. She tossed her hair, an attempt to regain some semblance of control, though the slight tremble in her hands betrayed her composure.The waiter, taken aback by the harshness of their words, replied in a
203Derek and Serena exchanged glances, scrambling to regain their footing after Emily's deft rebuttal.Derek cleared his throat, forcing a tight smile. "Now see here, we simply want the best for you both. It would be a shame if...appearances were deceiving." He glanced meaningfully at Allvar.Emily's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized Derek. His arrogant demeanor was starting to crack under the pressure. "Appearances? Or your fragile egos now that the tables have turned?"Serena clenched her jaw, nostrils flaring as she watched the exchange. How dare this woman speak to them this way! And yet, she was wary of making another misstep against a business tycoon like Emily.Drawing in a deliberate, slow breath, Serena adopted a smooth, almost affectionate tone as she turned her attention back to Emily. "My dear, we're only trying to offer you some guidance. You see, Derek's father, Victor Hawthorne, holds a significant presence in the City, owning numerous businesses, including the expansiv