I had been locked in a bitter feud with Kianna for six long years.
She was the reason my mother fell from a building, leaving her paralyzed.
In return, I exposed her family’s secrets, shattering their reputation and plunging them into bankruptcy.
Everyone believed we were destined to spend our entire lives destroying each other.
When we met again, Kianna had already made a dazzling comeback. She faced the press with the ease of someone who had rehearsed every answer.
"Back then, didn't our classmates all joke that at eighteen we'd fall in love, at twenty-five we'd get married, and before twenty-eight we'd have kids? Kianna, which step are you at now?"
"Almost engaged," she replied smoothly.
"You're ahead of us all!"
I absently twisted the ring on my finger. In truth, I had already completed all three of those milestones.
——
At that moment, a man walked in through the door. He was Kianna's fiancé.
He was young, bright, and polite. He nodded to everyone in turn before taking his seat beside her.
She didn't spare him a glance. Instead, her eyes locked on me.
And I could feel the probing stares from everyone around us.
After all, our past had been a public spectacle. Everyone knew how vicious things had gotten between us.
I picked up my lighter and walked out.
The two men next to me thought I was about to storm the stage and beat up her fiancé.
They instinctively grabbed my arm.
I raised an eyebrow at them.
"Ah—haha, Diego, where are you going?"
"Restroom," I replied flatly.
"Oh, right, of course."
They sat back down, laughing nervously.
Just before I left, I caught their hushed whispers.
"Two years apart, and Diego's temper has calmed a lot."
"Seriously. Just now, I thought he'd rip that pretty boy's face apart."
"Two years, and he still hasn't let go. The moment he saw Kianna with another man, he had to run out to cool off."
"Well, since nothing happened, let the security team stand down."
Only after stepping outside did I notice the two rows of bodyguards lined up at the door.
When they saw me, their expressions tensed.
The one in the lead touched his earpiece, then gestured for his men to fall back.
I sat down on the lawn and called my daughter.
Over the phone, she chattered about the new story she had learned today.
Meanwhile, Kianna's interview moved outdoors.
No matter how many people surrounded us, our eyes always seemed to find each other.
"Miss Crawford, after being ruined back then, do you have anything you'd like to say to the person responsible?" a reporter asked.
She gave a soft laugh and looked straight into the camera.
"I saw him today. His eyes are still as beautiful as ever. If I get the chance, I'll dig them out myself—and string them into a bracelet for my fiancé."
The crowd gasped at her venom.
But for us, after six years of hating each other, such words were nothing new.
"Did you ever retaliate back then?" another reporter pressed.
"I crippled his mother—does that count?" She tilted her head and smiled.
I swirled the wine in my glass, listening to my daughter's bedtime story on the phone, gently coaxing her to sleep.
My calm indifference clearly irritated Kianna.
Or perhaps between the two of us, no excuse was ever needed—we simply wanted each other destroyed.
She came over and sat beside me, pressing one finger against my phone screen.
Catching a glimpse of what I was watching, she let out a mocking laugh.
"The Great Compassion Mantra would suit you better."
Then she turned to introduce me.
"Carlos, this is our college class monitor, Diego."
Carlos smiled warmly and extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Diego Reynolds. I'm Carlos Smith, Kianna's fiancé."
Everyone around us waited for me to snap, to put on the familiar show of rage.
Instead, I only replied lightly, "Hello."
Kianna narrowed her eyes at me, as if she wanted to strip me bare with her gaze.
