Returning the Favor

Vivienne stepped out onto the cool balcony of the villa, the evening sea breeze catching her hair as a faint, mocking smile played on her lips. She tapped the green button on her screen and brought the phone to her ear. "What is the matter? Is Director Kensington already regretting her aggressive actions from the lobby?"

Over the phone, the sound of Camilla gnashing her teeth came through loud and clear. She clearly struggled to mask her frustration, but quickly covered it with a thick layer of arrogance. "Vivienne, do not push your luck. It is a massive honor that we are willing to pay a staggering one hundred and fifty million dollars just to hire you!"

"Oh, really? You make it sound like I am in urgent need of your millions." Vivienne leaned comfortably against the railing of the balcony, her eyes scanning the dark horizon. She casually dismissed the exorbitant sum as entirely insincere. "Since this is not a sincere collaboration, do not bother calling me again."

"Wait a minute!" Camilla shouted. She hopped up to sit on the edge of her office desk, her tone shifting into a cold, venomous smirk that dripped through the receiver. "Vivienne Kensington, do not forget that I still have that blackmail video from six years ago in my possession."

At the mere mention of the video, Vivienne’s expression darkened instantly. The cool sea breeze suddenly felt freezing. The trauma and visceral humiliation of that dark night flashed through her mind, a nightmare she had fought so hard to bury. The threat of having her darkest, most vulnerable moment exposed to the world hung heavy in the air. Forced into a corner, she reluctantly swallowed the bitter taste of her pride.

"If you do not want me to expose what took place six years ago," Camilla gloated, sensing the silence, "I advise you to come over and have a discussion with me tomorrow morning."

Vivienne took a deep breath, her knuckles turning white around the phone. "Fine. I will go over tomorrow." She hung up the call immediately, staring blankly out at the crashing waves.

Unbeknownst to Vivienne, little Chloe had been eavesdropping near the sliding glass door. As soon as the call ended, she scrambled back to the kids' room, her tiny feet padding quietly but quickly across the floor.

"Brothers!" Chloe whispered urgently, her eyes wide with alarm as she ran up to them. "That vicious woman just called! She threatened our mommy!"

Maddox’s face hardened instantly. He crossed his arms, looking remarkably fierce for his small stature. "Then we initiate our plan without delay."

Jaxon did not waste a single second. His small fingers flew rapidly across his custom mechanical keyboard. He swiftly uploaded his and Chloe’s fabricated resumes to the official casting site of Junior Styles, a popular children's clothing brand operating directly under the Obsidian Group.

"They are currently looking for two young child models," Jaxon explained, his eyes locked on the progress bar on his monitor. "With our portfolios, we will definitely be selected. Once we infiltrate the company as models, we can finally get close to that billionaire. We need solid proof to figure out whether Gideon Rothwell is really our father!"

The next morning, the atmosphere inside Lumina Jewelry was thick with tension. The secretary escorted Vivienne straight to Camilla’s office and quietly shut the door behind her.

Camilla waited on the plush leather couch, an employment contract already laid out on the glass coffee table. Seeing Vivienne walk through the door, Camilla secretly breathed a massive sigh of relief. Vivienne’s calm, unsuspecting demeanor told Camilla everything she needed to know—Vivienne clearly had no idea that Gideon was the man from the hotel room that fateful night.

Gloating over her perceived upper hand, Camilla stood up and slid the contract forward with a smug grin. "I thought you would not dare show up."

Vivienne did not even reach for the paper. She stood tall, her presence commanding in the quiet room. "I had to come, considering you still hold that video over my head. I should thank you for not leaking it all these years."

Camilla flinched slightly. The truth was, she never dared to release the video because she feared Gideon would realize she was not the woman in his bed. But she quickly recovered her arrogant posture. "Let us skip the pleasantries. I have the contract right here. The one hundred and fifty million will be yours as long as you sign it."

"It seems you really need me," Vivienne noted, mocking Camilla’s transparent desperation.

"Do you honestly think I want you to stay in Lumina?"

"Of course not." Vivienne leaned in, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "After all, the man who wants me to stay is the one fronting the exorbitant one hundred and fifty million on your behalf. You found yourself quite a wealthy rock to lean on over the past six years, haven't you?"

She knew Gideon was the one holding the purse strings. Her voice turned razor-sharp. "It is a pity that you still owe me a slap from yesterday. Wouldn't signing this right now be a terrible loss for me?"

Camilla’s face twisted in outrage. "Do not push your luck."

Vivienne stepped closer, invading Camilla's personal space with a deadpan expression. "I suffered a great loss at your hands six years ago. I will not allow you to manipulate me into anything else. Will you go down on your knees and apologize to me if you want this contract signed?"

Furious at the blatant disrespect, Camilla raised her hand to strike again. "I will expose the world-renowned Veda to all of Crownhaven!" she screeched.

But Vivienne was faster. She swiftly caught Camilla's descending wrist mid-air. Giving the arm a slight, painful twist to lock it in place, Vivienne raised her free hand and brutally backhanded Camilla across the cheek.

*Smack!*

The sharp crack echoed loudly through the spacious office. Camilla stumbled back, clutching her reddening face in sheer disbelief. "You bitch—"

"Does Miss Veda treat others like this in Glitzara too?"

An indifferent, commanding voice abruptly interrupted the chaos. Vivienne turned toward the doorway. Gideon stepped into the office, his imposing frame casting a long shadow over the room. He had arrived just in time to witness the brutal slap.

Instantly reverting to her pitiful victim persona, Camilla bit her lower lip. Tears welled in her eyes as she rushed forward, falsely taking the blame for the altercation. "Gideon! Do not blame Miss Veda. It is my fault. Maybe I have done something wrong to upset her."

Gideon ignored the theatrics and stepped right up to Vivienne. His towering presence filled the room, the air growing suffocatingly tight around them. He delivered a chilling, absolute warning. "If you continue to display such an aggressive attitude, I have ways to eradicate all opportunities that might lead you back to Glitzara."

"Are you threatening me?" Vivienne laughed in pure disbelief. She tilted her head up to meet his stare head-on, her eyes filled with unhidden abhorrence. She absolutely despised being threatened.

Gideon frowned slightly, bothered by the intense hatred in her gaze. "So what if it is a threat?"

Vivienne pointed out their glaring hypocrisy fiercely. "You people are the ones who desperately wanted to hire me. Yet you neglected me at the front desk yesterday, and she physically assaulted me first. Do I look like easy meat to you?"

Gideon stood his ground, his tone stern. "She should apologize for her initial wrongdoing. But you must apologize for your wrongdoing just now."

Vivienne firmly held her ground. "What have I done wrong? I was merely returning the hospitality and courtesy she showed me yesterday. I only got even with that slap. It is not my fault."

She scoffed loudly at his reprimand, turning on her heel without a second thought. "There is nothing left worth discussing."

Declaring the conversation over, she marched purposefully toward the door, leaving them both behind. She stepped out of the office and headed straight down the corridor toward the elevator bank.

Before she could reach the call button, a large, impossibly strong hand abruptly hauled her by the arm.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" Vivienne struggled indignantly, her heels scraping against the polished floor.

Gideon ignored her protests. He physically dragged the struggling Vivienne away from the open corridor and shoved her into the isolated, dimly lit stairway. The heavy fire door clicked shut, silencing the outside world.

He cornered her against the wall. His amber eyes lowered sombrely, studying her flushed, defiant face as he delivered his final ultimatum.

"You had better go back and apologize."