Chapter 4

The gala was in full swing, the crystal chandeliers scattering sharp light across the hall.

I was peeling a shrimp for Noah when a piercing shriek cut through the noise nearby.

"Waaah! He hit me! That little brat with no dad hit me!"

I spun around. Serena's nephew was clutching his face, sobbing.

And Noah had been shoved down onto the hard marble floor, a red welt forming on his forehead where it had struck the corner of a table.

Serena came rushing over:

"Oh my God, Tyler! Are you hurt? What kind of child does something like this? Completely out of control!"

The guests nearby turned to stare, murmuring to each other:

"Isn't that the ex-wife's kid? Figures he'd cause a scene."

"I heard his own father doesn't want him. No wonder he's like this."

I dropped my napkin and crossed the room in seconds, pulling Noah into my arms. He was shaking.

"I didn't push him..."

Noah was crying, pointing at the pieces of his Transformer scattered across the floor.

"He grabbed my toy. And he called Mommy a... a bad word."

Liam walked over, his face hard.

He didn't even glance at Noah's injury. His first move was to pull Serena to him. Then he turned on me:

"Ava! Take him outside! Why would you bring a child to something like this?"

"Making a scene?"

"Liam, are you blind? Look at who's actually hurt here."

Serena leaned against Liam and dabbed at her eyes with theatrical delicacy:

"Liam, it's fine. Ava's been raising Noah alone—it's hard, kids act out. But Tyler is my family's pride and joy. If my father hears about this, the investment into Holt Group..."

The word "investment" landed like a trigger.

Liam's expression shifted—cold, hard, and resolute.

He stared at me:

"Apologize to Serena. Apologize to Tyler."

I was holding Noah. My hands were trembling.

"What did you just say?"

"Apologize!" Liam's voice went harder.

"Don't let your selfishness destroy Holt Group's future."

I looked at this man I had once fought through everything alongside, and the very last ember of warmth inside me went dark.

"Alright."

I set Noah down and slowly stood up.

Liam thought I was yielding. His expression eased slightly.

The next second, I picked up a glass of red wine from the nearest table and threw it across Serena's million-dollar gown without warning.

Then, before anyone could react, I stepped forward and slapped her—clean and sharp.

Crack.

The entire hall went silent.

"That one was for my son."

I held Serena's gaze as she reeled from the blow.

Then I turned to Liam. From my clutch, I pulled out the IPO prospectus he'd been guarding like his life depended on it.

Under his horrified stare, I tore it apart.

"Liam, the dynasty you've been dreaming of is nothing but a shell."

I spoke loud enough for the entire room to hear, and dropped the bombshell cold:

"The Walsh family's assets in Southeast Asia have been frozen. Serena's three hundred million in debt is due today."

The color left Liam's face instantly. He grabbed Serena's wrist:

"Is it true? The Walsh family—"

Serena began to stammer a response, but at that moment, the gala doors burst open.

Several men in black suits with hard faces pushed their way inside.

The man in front held up a debt certificate stamped with Southeast Asian legal seals:

"Miss Walsh—with compounding interest, that comes to three hundred and fifty million dollars. Ms. Linne sent us to collect."

Liam looked like he'd been struck by lightning. He turned to me, his eyes filled with terror and dawning regret.

"Ava... what have you done?"

At that moment, his phone erupted with alerts.

Ethan's voice cut through the stunned silence in the hall:

"Mr. Holt! The IPO application has been rejected!"

"The regulators received an anonymous tip—financial fraud. The Walsh family's assets are all non-performing debt!"

Liam collapsed into a chair.

He watched my back as I walked away, and he finally understood.

He had thrown away a god and welcomed a ghost into his house instead.

The moment I stepped through the doors, I made the call.

"Ava, what's next?"

I looked up at the stars scattered across the night sky, my voice perfectly calm:

"Liquidate Liam. I want him left with nothing."