Chapter 3

I wore that damned silver evening gown, standing at the edge of the crowd at the Black family charity auction, holding a glass of champagne I hadn't touched.

Elliot had sent the final confirmation message an hour ago: "Everything's ready. Tomorrow night, ten o'clock, Berth Seven. Take care, sister."

I put my phone on silent and tucked it into the bottom of my purse. Now, I just needed to play Mrs. Black for a few more hours.

Adrian stood beside me, his arm loosely draped behind my waist, chatting and laughing with a city official.

He looked perfect—suited, refined, graceful. Only I could feel the cold distance his fingertips conveyed through the fabric.

Olivia was on the other side of the hall, surrounded by several art critics and collectors, wearing an ivory dress, all smiles, occasionally glancing our way with clear, innocent eyes.

The emcee walked onto the stage and tapped the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, next is a special segment for tonight. We're honored to have our family's art consultant, the talented Miss Olivia Hart, present a unique work that combines cutting-edge technology with artistic beauty—a revolutionary new concept in compact handgun systems. We have reason to believe this will be a breakthrough in personal defense. Please welcome Miss Olivia!"

Applause erupted. Olivia gracefully walked onto the stage, spotlights hitting her.

Behind her, a display platform covered with black velvet was wheeled up. My heart began beating uncontrollably, fingers tightening on my glass.

"Thank you all." Olivia's voice came through the microphone, soft and confident. "For years, I've been obsessed with combining elegant form with absolute functionality. This system, which I call 'Moonlight Whisper,' is the culmination of two years of my heart and soul."

She reached out and pulled off the velvet cloth.

On the display platform, under soft lighting, three weapons lay side by side.

Sleek silver gun bodies like works of art, unique ergonomic grip designs, and that signature, nearly invisible linked firing mechanism.

Every detail, every curve, even the texture of the matte coating, branded itself onto my retinas like a red-hot iron.

That was my "Shadow's Kiss."

I'd spent countless nights hunched over my design table, revised the blueprints over a hundred times, tested countless prototypes at the private range.

Adrian had seen the early designs. He'd said: "Very clever, but too complex, too expensive. Put it on hold."

Later he told me the project had been indefinitely shelved.

Turns out it was shelved here, becoming Olivia's "heart and soul."

All the blood in my body seemed to rush to my head instantly, then freeze to ice the next second.

I watched Olivia on stage talking eloquently, listening to her explain in detail how "she" solved the "technical challenge" of miniaturized feeding, how "inspiration struck" to design that concealed safety. Every word was like a dull knife, sawing back and forth across my heart.

Adrian applauded, leaning toward the city official beside him with a low laugh: "Olivia always brings surprises, doesn't she? She has not just an artistic eye, but a real engineer's mind."

His tone was filled with undisguised admiration, even a hint of pride.

That voice drilled into my ears, becoming the last straw that broke the camel's back. The string of rationality snapped with an audible "ping."

I set down my glass, the metal stem hitting the table a bit loudly. I walked straight through the crowd toward the display platform.

I could feel countless eyes landing on me, whispers rising low. Adrian called out urgently behind me: "Keira!"

I didn't stop.

I reached the edge of the stage, looking up at Olivia under the spotlights. My voice wasn't loud, but clear enough for those in front to hear, since the microphone was nearby.

"Olivia," I said, my voice oddly steady, surprising even myself. "You just said you spent two years designing this system?"

Olivia's smile froze for a moment, then became even softer, with just the right amount of confusion. "Yes, Keira. It was a long process."

"Really?" I took a step forward, closer to the display, my fingers nearly touching the cold gun body. "Then can you explain why the internal structure of your 'independently designed' firing mechanism is identical to the seventh draft I submitted to the family weapons R&D department three years ago, down to the screw specifications?"

The hall instantly fell silent. All eyes focused on Olivia and me.

A flash of genuine panic crossed Olivia's face, quickly replaced by grievance and disbelief. She stepped back half a pace, hand clutching her chest. "Keira... I don't understand what you're saying. This is my design, my team can testify..."

"Your team?" I interrupted her, my voice finally tinged with barely suppressed trembling and anger. "Did anyone on your team tell you that when the prototype of this feeding system was tested, it nearly blew off two of my fingers? Did anyone tell you that to adjust its center of gravity, I made forty-seven different weighted grip models? Are these details in your 'design notes,' Olivia?"

"Keira! Enough!" Adrian had rushed over, grabbing my arm and yanking me backward hard. His face was ashen, his eyes filled with terrifying fury and warning. "Do you know what you're doing? Apologize now and leave here!"

I shook off his hand, staring at him. "Leave? After she stole my work and brazenly claims it's her own 'talent'? Adrian, look closely! This is 'Shadow's Kiss,' my design! You saw the blueprints yourself!"

"I've seen a lot of your impractical fantasies!" Adrian's voice suddenly rose, drowning out mine, echoing through the silent hall. He stepped forward, using his body to block me from Olivia, facing all the guests, his face written with the anger and embarrassment of an offended husband. "Everyone has seen how much Olivia has devoted to this project! And you, Keira, your condition has been very unstable lately. You're always immersed in these... inexplicable jealousies and delusions!"

He turned to me, his gaze icy and cutting, lowering his voice but loud enough for nearby people to hear: "I'm sick of your unreasonable tantrums. Apologize to Olivia. Now."

"I apologize?" I laughed, the sound sharp and crazed. "For you stealing my work and treating me like a lunatic?"

The next second, a heavy slap came crashing down.

"Crack!"

The sound was shockingly loud. My head snapped to the side, my left cheek instantly losing all sensation, followed by searing pain. My ears rang, and I tasted rust in my mouth. I staggered, nearly falling.

Adrian stood before me, chest heaving, the hand that struck me still slightly raised. He stared at me, a flash of panic in his eyes, quickly covered by deeper fury and determination.

"You unreasonable lunatic!" He pointed at my nose, his voice hoarse and distorted with anger. "Look at yourself! Talking nonsense, maliciously slandering! Get out! Stop embarrassing yourself here!"

Tears surged uncontrollably to my eyes, not from pain, but from immense humiliation and complete heartbreak.

Through my blurred vision, I saw Olivia had retreated behind Adrian, pressing a handkerchief to her eyes, shoulders trembling slightly, emitting delicate sobs.

She raised her tearful eyes, looking toward the crowd, her voice broken and pitiful: "Please don't blame Keira... She, she's probably just too tired... This isn't the first time, she always feels others have taken her things..."

"Not the first time"—those words slithered into everyone's ears like a snake.

I saw faces that had once smiled at me now written with contempt, disgust, and undisguised schadenfreude. In their eyes, I'd completely become a pitiful woman consumed by jealousy, madness, even kleptomania.

The world twisted and faded before my eyes. My cheek was numb with pain, but my heart felt like it had a huge hole, cold wind rushing through.

I raised my hand, wiping the blood seeping from the corner of my mouth with my fingertips. I glanced at Adrian. He was looking at me with eyes mixed with warning, annoyance, and barely noticeable urgency, as if saying: Apologize quickly, end this farce.

I looked at Olivia again. From behind Adrian's shoulder, she gave me a fleeting smile full of vicious triumph.

I said nothing. I turned around, straightening my nearly collapsing spine, and walked out of the resplendent auction hall step by step amid everyone's silent stares and whispers.

The door closed behind me, sealing off that nauseating glitz and hypocrisy.

The cold night wind scraped against my swollen face, bringing sharp pain. But this pain, compared to the wasteland already burned to ash in my heart, was nothing at all.

Never looking back.