Lucas stepped into the house and banged the door. Stephanie was watching the entertainment news in the huge living room, just then the news about Clayton's Group of industries came up and he stopped for a minute before going upstairs to his room.

The news was that Clayton's Group of industries have decided to go into the entertainment industry so they purchased Dax Media henceforth it's under Clayton's Group of industries.

Stephanie was surprised and kind of admired the brain behind such a huge company. They diversified into fashion, entertainment, heavy equipment manufacturing, armoury production, vehicles and aircraft production, real estate management, electronic and electrical devices production and a lot more. Hence the success or downfall of the economy of America and other nations depended on the CEO's decision.

"This company is a huge company and this person is the richest man in the world but his identity is still hidden", Arnold commented.

" But can't we have a collaboration with the least of his companies?"

" Woman, there is no least company under him. Our company can't measure up to even one-third of one of his companies, sigh".

" Is he that powerful?"

" I guess you didn't know, well his company is registered as the largest conglomerate in the world that is second to none".

" We can't afford to offend them, quick find a way we can collaborate or get a contract from them as soon as possible".

"I have been thinking about that for some time now, it's just that they like keeping a low profile else I would have tried to pull strings to get into a contract with them".

"I think it's wise to wait for Kevin to return before you proceed with any of your plans"

" Come to think of it, I almost forgot to call the cake designer. You will have to see to the other parts of the preparation, I am going to my study now".

Stephanie glanced upstairs and imagined Lucas's expression when the father's will will be read. That mother of his was something else.

She could remember when both of them were college students and best friends. Avery was a very beautiful woman with elegance and an aura to die for. Men flocked around her like bees and their room did not lack gifts and fresh flowers. Either it will be sent by secret admirers or an endless stream of suitors.

She on the other hand came from an average family which could barely provide for her daily needs not to talk about acquiring expensive cosmetics. All she had to do was to rely on Avery and tag along with her anytime she goes on her shopping spree.

She was a quiet girl from a humble home but through Avery her eyes were opened to the latest and trending fashion. But along the line she became insatiable and wanted to do the fishing alone.

Arnold was a very popular and handsome young boy whose looks could set the heart of women on fire but he got attracted to the cold and reckless Avery who despised him so much.

Even though he was disgraced so many times in public he had no choice but to propose to Avery on the night of their students' banquet.

Everyone knew how steadfast Arnold was in terms of chasing her and how much show she put up just to avoid him each time their path crossed.

Avery was a carefree and boisterous girl so she never took into account the changes in Stephanie's behaviour towards her.

On this very night, she would have been sabotaged beyond redemption.

Avery could be described as cold on the exterior but warm on the interior. Stephanie had staged her sickness and caused Avery to go out in the middle of the night just to find some medication for her. She had arranged for some hooligans to take advantage of her and then she would tarnish her image.

Although she had an aloof expression, what she did not know was that Avery's father had underground connections in the whole of America and beyond. The mafia and the dark world belonged to him hence he needed to pull less or no strings in the dark to get what he wants.

He had his people in every city, state and town in America and the identity of his daughter remained a mystery to the low-level hirelings.

"Boss here comes the target", one of the three guys reported.

"Leave that place immediately else you would never know how you died", the leader told him through a communication device.

"We missed such a beautiful target today, what's up with boss today?"

Back in their hood, they were given a "mild " punishment. They never knew who they offended until they heard that their target was the Mafia lord's daughter, their knees shook and they thanked their rotten stars that they had not made a move on her by then.

Even if they were given the lion's gall bladder to eat, they would never summon such courage to lay hands on Lord Antonio's daughter.

They felt like shredding that lady that gave them the job into pieces but unfortunately, she was well masked when they met and even if they had to find out who she was, their status in the organization cannot aid them in the investigation. That lady knew how to play her cards very well.

Ever since that day her plan could not fall through her hatred for Avery intensified, hence she sought other means to harm her. She knew how influential and intelligent academically Avery was, so she couldn't play her dirty tricks on her in terms of giving her a missing script issue.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

After a few more trials by Arnold, Avery accepted to get into a relationship with him. He treated her like a princess and was very sincere with her. Stephanie couldn't stand their romantic moments and decided to stop hanging out with them.

On this particular day, Arnold had insisted on having a good time with Avery but she decided to let her friend tag along. At the restaurant, the respect he was accorded and the expensive buffet gave Stephanie a second thought.

Avery had an emergency call from home during their time out and had to leave the dinner halfway. She pleaded with Arnold to send Stephanie back home.

Steph thanked the heavens for the opportunity, back home when Arnold had requested water, she drugged him and took advantage of him.

The guilt made him push forward the marriage date as soon as possible. Knowing that his marriage was built on lies and betrayal so he divorced Avery after ten years of marriage. He couldn't withstand Stephanie's constant blackmail of him, the photos of that night between them were too disgusting and in that way, Stephanie got what she had always wanted in her palms. How could she let off the son of her enemy? To achieve this, she decided to cut off all his chances of success and sowed a seed of discord between the father and son.

Arnold couldn't look into the son's eye without feeling annoyed. Hence his sickness acts up when he is agitated so he decided not to bother this son of his.

Stephanie watched at the sidelines and felt satisfied with her efforts so far.

Back to the present...

She made calls to her fashion designer and the cake designer, all of these were at her service and decided to curry favour with her. She felt so proud and was even happier that she took that step many years ago even though it was risky.

She sighed and decided to go on a shopping spree with her friends. Back then she was not in their social circle, and was treated as trash and with disdain. Nowadays, she will be the first person to be invited to any occasion. Humans are too superficial! They were now rubbing shoulders with her, she snorted and looked at them with a humble attitude.

Stepping into the big shopping mall, Stephanie was surrounded by the attendants, and all of them were eager to please her because

everything she wore from head to toe was branded.

"Hello madam, welcome to our shop. This is directly from our factory and this is the first set of this season's collection. Would you like to try out our latest wears?"

" Exactly, Stephanie is no longer on the level of having to wear old season wears".

" I heard this particular brand is the trending one although but it has been keeping a low profile for a while and this is the brand every socialite is wearing nowadays".

They went on to try some beautiful gowns in the changing room. At the entrance, a beautiful middle age woman who looked very ordinary stepped into the shop and looked around. Her disposition and aura made the attendants feel like she is important guest but when they looked at her they couldn't see any branded material on her.

"What do you want?" One of the attendants asked rudely.

"If someone can't afford to buy our wears, just go to the discount shop", another mocked.

"Keep an eye on her, everything here is expensive", the first attendant told the other and walked away. Avery kept a neutral expression and observed every cloth. This son of hers was so amazing, she chuckled internally.

"If you don't want to buy anything just leave, don't hold up our business here. If you touch any cloth here, you can't afford to buy it or compensate us".

Stephanie couldn't take it anymore, she was human and she decided to let it all out. Just then the most annoying voice she had wished she would never hear travelled into her ears.

"Who do we have here?" Stephanie walked haughtily toward Avery. The latter's skin was very good and her face was so smooth without pores, wrinkles free and full of collagen whereas she had to cover up her wrinkles and dark eye circles daily with heavy makeup. She immediately became jealous and full of envy again, why doesn't she get old for goodness sake? She must be a vampire. Or maybe she must've done surgeries so that she could look young but she doubted it because she knows what the skin that went under the knife would look like. On most days she would be ashamed to go around the house bare face because she knows what she did.

"What are you doing here? Can you afford to buy anything here? One of her minions asked while lifting her nose high up in the air.

"Exactly, only our Steph can proudly enter this place unlike some people".

Stephanie relished in the mockery of Avery but pretended to scold them.

"Hey, you guys shouldn't talk like that, no matter what happened Avery is still my friend", she looked wronged on Avery's behalf.

Avery gave her a glance that made one feel as if he or she is not important at all. Stephanie hated that expression the most. Why would she feel as if she is a goddess when Stephanie felt like she is the dirt trampled upon? Avery, Avery, Avery, she had always given people the feeling of "mightier than thou" thus she must not allow her to get away with it today.