Twenty years ago, my oldest brother, Ethan, made me the fall guy just to keep his precious little sister, Dorothy, out of trouble. My second brother, Ryan, had even looked me in the eye and promised: "Victoria, if you just take the fall for Dorothy this once and do her time, we will do whatever it takes to clear your name when you get out. We’ll make sure you get your normal life back." And Lucas, the third brother, just said it straight to my face: "You’re the older sister. It’s your job to protect her. Mom and Dad told us to look after Dorothy before they passed." "Just take one for the team." Ignoring my crying, my begging, and my desperate struggles, the three of them joined forces to throw me to the wolves. I was sent straight to prison. Three years later, I was finally released, only to find that everything that once belonged to me had been handed to Dorothy on a silver platter. My design portfolios were stolen and published under her name. The prestigious awards that should have been mine were shining in her display case. Even my fiancé, Mario, had married her. When I stormed over to demand answers, Mario literally shoved me out the door. "Victoria, have you no shame?" he sneered. "Dorothy is kind, generous, and actually talented." "You honestly think I’d choose a convicted felon with a ruined reputation over her?" Even my own brothers completely abandoned me. They threw a prepaid card with a measly five thousand dollars at my face and bought me a one-way ticket out of the country. Now, twenty years later, I am back in the country with a multi-million-dollar tech patent in my hands. Standing in front of me are two very familiar faces, begging for my help. I let out a cold laugh. "I’ll partner with anyone in this city. Anyone but you."
"Ms. Samuels, the people waiting outside are Mario and his wife, Dorothy Johnson, from Future Tech." "The Johnson family has built quite a reputation in New York over the last few years. And Dorothy's three brothers are..." "That's enough," I said, raising my hand to cut my assistant off. I turned my eyes toward the two familiar faces standing outside the glass door. My office was fitted with one-way mirrors. I could see their every movement clearly, but to them, it was just a blank wall. Twenty years. Dorothy hadn't changed a bit. It looked like my brothers had kept her perfectly sheltered in her little bubble. That innocent face of hers had only grown more refined with age. Mario was standing next to her, looking sharp and professional in a designer suit. "I’ve made myself clear. We are not doing business with them. Tell them to find someone else." "If they can't, then that's their problem." I scoffed. Though my assistant looked confused, she nodded and went out to deliver the message. "But why?" I heard Dorothy’s bewildered voice through the door. The next second, the two of them bypassed security and burst right into my office. "Ms. Samuels, is there something wrong with our proposal? Why won't you even consider a partnership with us?" "Or is it because..." Dorothy froze mid-sentence. Her eyes locked onto my face. Her throat seemed to tighten, and she couldn't squeeze out another word. After what felt like an eternity, she gasped, "Vic... Victoria?" "Victoria? It’s you!" Mario gasped, his eyes widening in pure shock. He took a few steps forward, staring at me. "You... you’re the legendary Ms. Samuels?" "I can't believe it. Twenty years, and you’ve managed to climb this high." There was a mix of awe, nostalgia, and utter disbelief in his voice. I leaned back in my chair and looked up at him with a smirk. "What did you expect, Mario? Did you think I’d be living like a stray dog, dying in some back alley overseas?" "That’s not what I meant," Mario frowned, his eyebrows knitting together. "Why do you have to be so hostile? After all, we used to be..." "Victoria!" Dorothy suddenly rushed forward, grabbing my hands with forced warmth. "Victoria, where have you been all these years?" "The boys and I missed you so much! Are you still mad at me?" "I know I caused you so much trouble back then, but it's been twenty years. It's time to let it go. We’re family, Victoria. We haven't had a proper reunion in forever." "Come home with me, please." It's been twenty years? Let it go? Of course it was easy for her to say. She wasn't the one who spent three years in a cold cell. She was still playing the same old naive, innocent girl. Or rather, she had been so spoiled by everyone that she never had to grow up. "I’m not your sister, Dorothy," I said, my voice ice-cold as I snatched my hands back. "Stop acting like we're close." Dorothy stood frozen, her eyes welling up with tears. "Victoria... are you really still holding a grudge over what happened back then?" Even after all this time, she still acted like a fragile teenager. "Victoria, what is your problem?" Mario barked, stepping in front of Dorothy. "Dorothy is trying to be nice to you. She’s inviting you home, and instead of being grateful, you treat her like trash!" "If you hadn't made that mistake back then, none of this would have—" "Mario!" Dorothy cut him off, clutching his arm. "Don't blame Victoria. It’s my fault. It’s all my fault." She turned back to me, squeezing out a pathetic smile. "Victoria, you probably know why we're here." "Our company is facing a massive technical bottleneck right now, and you happen to hold the exact patent we need. Could you please just..." "No," I replied instantly. I turned to my assistant. "Show them out." They tried to argue, but my security team was already moving in, pushing them out the door. I could hear Dorothy's soft whimpering and Mario's angry shouting fading down the hallway. I didn't care. I simply turned back to my laptop and got back to work.
I didn't expect another uninvited guest to show up the very next day. Lucas barged past my secretary and slammed my office door open. "Well, look at you, Victoria! It really is you. When Dorothy told me, I didn't want to believe it. But here you are, back in the city." "Bullying your own little sister the moment you get back? Some older sister you are." Lucas had aged quite a bit over the last twenty years. There was gray hair at his temples, and he looked like a seasoned businessman. But one thing hadn't changed: his blind devotion to Dorothy. Just like twenty years ago, he immediately took her side and started pointing fingers at me. I slowly capped my pen and stood up. "Sir, watch your mouth. There is no Victoria here. You are standing in the office of Victoria Samuels, the founder of CN Tech." "Furthermore, I license my technology to whoever I want. It’s purely business." "There is nothing personal about it." "Now, if you are suffering from early-onset dementia, I suggest you visit a hospital." "Why, you—!" Lucas slammed his fist on my mahogany desk, his face turning red with anger. "You’ve got some nerve, Victoria! Just because you got lucky and started a little company, you think you can look down on us now?" Brother? I wanted to laugh. Where was this 'brotherly love' twenty years ago when they conspired to send me to prison? Where were they when I finally finished my three-year sentence, only to be handed a five-thousand-dollar card and kicked out of the country to starve? They told me back then that the Johnson family couldn't have a 'criminal' ruining their reputation. Why didn't anyone talk about family values back then? And now he wanted to talk about feelings? What a joke. I looked him up and down with pure disgust. "Sir, I’ll say it one last time. My name is Victoria Samuels. I don't go by Victoria anymore." "And I don't have any siblings. Get out of my office." Lucas refused to budge, but my security guards quickly arrived and dragged him out by his arms. After that incident, I tightened the security at the front desk. They weren't allowed anywhere near my floor. I finally enjoyed a few days of peace. That was until I received a VIP invitation to a high-society charity gala hosted by the Morgan family. After some consideration, I decided to go. But the moment I walked into the venue, I ran straight into Dorothy and Mario. "Victoria!" Dorothy squealed, running toward me with a fake, bright smile. "I knew it was you! I didn't expect to see you at Mrs. Brown’s gala tonight." "Oh, but Victoria, you do know this event requires an exclusive VIP invite, right? Not just anyone can walk in." "Do you actually have an invitation?" She stared at me with her wide, innocent eyes, practically oozing superiority. I frowned, thinking of Mrs. Brown who was waiting for me inside. I had zero interest in playing along with her little drama. I brushed past her hand and turned to walk away. But she wasn't having it. She chased after me and grabbed my arm, her face instantly shifting into a victim expression. "Victoria, why are you ignoring me?" "Is it my fault again? Did I do something to make you hate me?" Her voice was just loud enough to draw the attention of the surrounding guests. In seconds, people began whispering. "Wait, isn't that Victoria? The oldest Johnson daughter?" "Oh my god, it is! Didn't she go to prison years ago and get disowned by her family? Why is she back?" "Twenty years and she's still as toxic as ever. She’s throwing a tantrum the moment she sees Dorothy." "Seriously. Everyone knows Victoria has a criminal record. She’s nothing compared to Dorothy, who is so talented and sweet." "Victoria, Dorothy is just trying to be nice. Don't be so dramatic!" Mario stepped forward, shielding Dorothy as if I were some kind of monster. But I hadn't even said a single word. My phone buzzed in my hand. It was a text from Mrs. Brown, letting me know her husband was ready to discuss our project partnership in the private lounge. "I have a business meeting. Move," I said coldly. I tried to step around them, but someone grabbed my arm from behind and yanked me back. The force caught me off guard. My heels slipped, and I fell hard onto the marble floor. My phone flew out of my hand and smacked against the ground, the screen instantly going black.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" I snapped, my voice rising in anger. I quickly scrambled to pick up my phone, but no matter how many times I pressed the power button, the screen remained dead. The guy who did it was standing over me, looking down like some righteous judge. "Apologize to her!" "What?" I stared at him, thinking I had misheard. "I said, apologize to Dorothy!" Mario demanded again. I let out a sharp, hysterical laugh. I gathered my things from the floor and pushed myself up, standing tall. "Mario, are you completely insane?" I hissed. "If you have a mental issue, go see a doctor." "Or are you just losing your mind with age?" "You—!" "It’s okay, Mario. Don't blame Victoria," Dorothy sobbed, putting on her classic fragile act. "It’s my fault. If I had known Victoria still hated me this much, I wouldn't have approached her." "I’m sorry, Victoria." "Are you still mad at me for marrying Mario?" "But you were in prison back then, and the Johnson family desperately needed the alliance, so I had to..." "And Mario and I already have—" "Are you the bitch who’s bullying my mom?" a loud, arrogant voice interrupted. Before I could even turn around, a sharp pain shot through my forehead. A heavy decorative stone had been thrown straight at my head. Warm blood immediately started trickling down my face. I gasped in pain, clutching my forehead. I looked up and saw an eighteen-year-old boy standing in front of me. He was tall, well-built, and had a nasty sneer on his face. He stormed over and shoved me hard, stepping right in front of Dorothy. "You trashy woman, are you trying to get with my dad? Is that why you're harassing my mom?" Jefferson yelled, clenching his fists. The surrounding guests gasped and took a few steps back to stay out of the crossfire. "Jefferson, stop it! Don't be rude," Dorothy said, though there was barely any weight to her voice. Jefferson rolled his eyes. "Mom, I’m trying to protect you! You’re way too soft. You never stand up for yourself." "Women like her are so manipulative. Dad is rich and handsome, who knows what kind of dirty tricks she’s trying to play." "And don't tell me to be polite. If my uncles find out this ex-con tried to hit on Dad, she’d be in a much worse state than this." The three of them chatted away like I wasn't even there, completely ignoring the fact that I was bleeding on the floor. To make matters worse, with my phone broken, I couldn't even call the police. I had to ask for help. But the guests around us only looked at me with disgust and avoided my gaze. I couldn't even contact Mrs. Brown. I dragged myself up and grabbed a nearby security guard’s arm. "Please, tell Mrs. Brown that Victoria Samuels is outside and needs—" Before I could finish, the guard let out a mocking laugh. "Who? You? You’re trying to tell me you have a business meeting with Mrs. Brown?" "Who are you trying to fool? Get out of here. Leave before I throw you out myself." The guard pointed toward the exit threateningly. Mario and Dorothy, who knew exactly who I was, chose to remain completely silent. I turned to walk toward the lobby desk to use their landline, but Mario blocked my path again. "Victoria, if you just agree to license that patent to us, I’ll personally drive you to the hospital." "And about your relationship with your brothers... Dorothy and I can help smooth things over. We can help you get back into the family." Before I could even respond, Jefferson lunged forward again, shoving me back. "You cheap bitch, trying to flirt with my dad right in front of my mom? Are you begging for a beating?" The veins on my temples were throbbing. I looked at Mario and Dorothy, who were still playing dumb. "Are you two deaf and mute? Can't you control your own son?" "If you won't teach him some manners, I will." I found my footing, stepped forward, and slapped Jefferson across the face. The loud, sharp *SMACK* echoed through the lobby. "What do you think you're doing?!" Suddenly, Dorothy wasn't deaf or mute anymore. She shrieked and lunged forward, throwing her arms around Jefferson to protect him as if I were a wild animal.
The crowd began pointing and muttering insults at me. Just then, the loud screech of tires sounded from the driveway. A sleek black Maybach pulled up to the entrance, and my three brothers stepped out. Seeing them arrive, Jefferson immediately clutched his cheek and ran over to Ethan, crying. "Uncle Ethan! You have to help me! She tried to seduce Dad right in front of us, and when I stopped her, she slapped me!" "She made Mom cry too!" Hearing this, the three brothers' faces darkened instantly. The moment Ethan’s eyes landed on me, he froze. "Victoria?" But within a second, his expression turned freezing cold and accusing. "It’s been twenty years, and the moment you step foot back in this country, you start targeting Dorothy again?" "Oh, so you’re the trashy, ex-con aunt everyone talks about," Jefferson sneered, looking at me with pure disgust. "You really are a piece of work." Dorothy put on her most pitiful face and clutched Ethan’s sleeve. "Ethan, please don't yell at Victoria. It’s my fault. It has nothing to do with her." "You haven't shown your face in twenty years, and the moment you do, you bring drama to Dorothy," Ryan snapped at me. "And look at you, covered in blood. Who are you trying to guilt-trip? Are you trying to embarrass the Johnson family in front of everyone?" Before Ethan could even speak, Ryan had already finished judging me. Dorothy, playing the saint, stepped forward and tried to grab my hand. "Victoria, I know you must have suffered a lot while you were away, and it’s natural for you to hate me." "But Jefferson is Mario’s and my son. He’s your nephew. How could you lay a hand on him?" "He’s just a kid." "If you're angry, take it out on me. Just hit me instead." She grabbed my hand, trying to force me to slap her face. But Mario quickly stepped in and pulled her back. "Victoria, enough is enough!" Mario yelled. "You claim you don't care about the past, yet you stalked us all the way to this gala!" "You're making life miserable for Dorothy and me just because I married her instead of you!" "Let me make this clear: I love Dorothy. No matter what kind of sick games you play, I will never love you. Get over it!" Mario held Dorothy tightly, delivering his grand, dramatic declaration of love. I stood there, completely numb, watching this circus. "Who said I stalked you here?" I asked, massaging my temples. "Do you people have no shame?" "I’m here to meet with Mrs. Brown for a business partnership." As soon as the words left my mouth, Lucas let out a loud, mocking laugh. "You? Partnering with Mrs. Brown?" Lucas sneered. "Has living abroad made you completely insane? Do you even know who she is?" "Mrs. Brown is not someone a person like you can just casually chat with." Dorothy sighed, looking at me with pity. "Victoria, please stop lying." "Mr. Brown is one of the wealthiest men in Los Angeles. The Morgan family has a massive legacy. They aren't people we can easily reach." "I get that you want to impress our brothers, but you shouldn't make up such ridiculous lies." Her words instantly turned me into the laughingstock of the night. The crowd whispered and snickered. "She really is delusional, trying to use the Morgan family's name to look good." "Where does she get the confidence? Claiming she knows Mrs. Brown... how embarrassing." "Look at her. She looks like a mess. How could she possibly know Mrs. Brown?" I didn't bother explaining. Seeing that it was almost time for our meeting, I decided to ignore my broken phone and just head inside to find Mrs. Brown in person. I pulled some tissues from my bag, looked in the compact mirror, and wiped the blood from my forehead. I packed my things, turned around, and walked toward the entrance, but Dorothy grabbed my arm yet again. "Wait, Victoria, where are you going?" "To see Mrs. Brown." A wave of snickers burst out around us. "Still lying even now." "Let's see what she does when Mrs. Brown actually gets here." Just then, someone in the crowd gasped. "Oh my god, Mrs. Brown is actually coming this way!" Everyone turned toward the grand entrance. Draped in a stunning custom gown and wearing a flawless emerald necklace, Mrs. Brown was walking gracefully toward the lobby. Dorothy’s face lit up, and she immediately stepped forward. "Mrs. Brown—" The others watched with bated breath. "Of course Dorothy is the one who actually knows Mrs. Brown." "Exactly. Victoria's little lie is about to blow up in her face." They all smirked, waiting to watch me fall. But Mrs. Brown walked right past Dorothy, completely ignoring her, and stopped directly in front of me. "You must be Ms. Samuels! I’ve been waiting for you. Please, come right in." The entire room went dead silent.
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