Chapter 46: Another Past

Ivy

Another past is back to haunt me, wrapped in an immaculate suit and a twisted sense of vengeance.

George Albert. His name alone brought a storm of memories crashing down, memories I had tried so hard to bury. From the moment we crossed paths in business school, he had made it his mission to snuff out my ambition. I had been the bright-eyed idealist then, eager to carve my own path in a world dominated by men like him. But George? He thrived on destruction, wearing it like a badge of honor.

Meeting him made me feel the pain of not having a wolf even after I had told myself not to. If I did have a wolf, I would have taught him a lesson he won’t forget in a hurry. One that will have him crawling away in shame whenever he sets his eyes on me.

We had started as rivals in the lecture halls, both of us sharp, relentless, and hungry for success. But it didn’t take long for our competition to spiral into something darker. George wasn’t just content with winning; he wanted to see me fail. 

The subtle sabotages began almost immediately—deliberate "mistakes" in group projects, rumors that mysteriously circulated about me at networking events. The worst came during our final year when I spearheaded a groundbreaking startup pitch that had the entire school buzzing. I had poured every ounce of myself into it, only to find out that George had somehow gained access to my presentation and leaked it to another team days before the pitch.

My project was dead on arrival, my reputation tarnished in ways that if not for my father's intervention, I won't have recovered. And when I confronted him, his response was as chilling as it was cruel. 

“This world isn’t big enough for the both of us, Ivy. Either you learn to stay in the shadows, or I’ll make sure you regret standing in my light.”

Those words had echoed in my mind for years, fueling my rise. And now, here he was again, stepping into my world with the same smug expression, as if he owned it.

***

The boardroom was silent, the air crackling with tension as his words hung between us. I met his gaze, refusing to flinch under the weight of his arrogance.

George Albert smirked as he leaned casually against the edge of the table, his presence dominating the room like a predator toying with its prey. "Oh, Ivy," he drawled, his tone dripping with mockery. "I go where the action is. You know that. And besides"—he paused, his smirk widening—"is it a crime to say hello to an old friend?"

The word friend tasted bitter in his mouth, just as it did in mine. We had never been friends. Not in business school, not in the years since, and certainly not now. His very presence was a reminder of every sabotage, every underhanded maneuver he’d pulled to try to snuff out my career before it even began.

Across the table, the family—the father, the son—sat paralyzed, their fear now unmistakable. Their gazes darted between George and me, but it was clear where their terror truly lay. They knew George. He was the one who had backed them into this corner, forcing them to the brink. The invisible hand suffocating their business was now right here in this room, smiling like he owned it.

He thrived on fear, and this moment was no different.

“I should’ve known you were behind this,” I said, my voice steady despite the fury building inside me. “You haven’t changed, have you? Still using threats and intimidation to get what you want.”

He chuckled, the sound low and menacing. “And you haven’t changed either. Still pretending you’re the hero in a world full of villains.”

I stood, planting my hands on the table as I leaned forward, my gaze never leaving his. “If you think you can bully these people into selling their legacy to you, you’ve made a grave mistake. They came to me for a reason, George. And I don’t back down from men like you.”

He tilted his head, his expression unreadable. “Oh, Ivy. Still so self-righteous. Do you really think you’ve won here?”

I smiled, cold and sharp. “I don’t think, George. I know.” I reached for the pen on the table, signing the contract with a deliberate flourish. The sound of the pen scraping against paper was the only noise in the room, a declaration of war in its own right.

When I finished, I looked up at him, my eyes blazing. “There. Deal sealed. You came here to ruin it, but all you’ve done is embarrass yourself. You should be ashamed.”

George’s smirk faltered for just a moment, a flicker of something darker crossing his face. “Careful, Ivy,” he said softly, his tone like a knife gliding over silk. “You don’t know what you’re playing with.”

I straightened, meeting his gaze head-on. “Oh, I know exactly who I’m dealing with. You think your uncle’s influence will protect you forever?" I asked, my voice low but biting. “And in case you’ve forgotten, there are security cameras in this room. If anything happens to anyone here, you’ll be the first person they investigate, sir,” I added with a mock salute.

The tension in the room was intense, the silence deafening as the weight of my words settled over everyone. George’s jaw tightened, his wall of control cracking ever so slightly. He leaned in closer, his voice a low growl only I could hear.

“You think this is over?” His breath brushed against my ear, sending an unwelcome shiver down my spine. “You’ve only just begun to see what I’m capable of.”

I refused to flinch, my resolve like steel. “And you’ve only begun to see what I can withstand.”

He pulled back, his expression eerily calm, a man plotting his next move. “Enjoy your little victory, Ivy. It won’t last.”

With that, he turned and strode out of the room, the sound of his footsteps echoing long after the door had closed behind him.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, the adrenaline coursing through me like fire. But I knew better than to let my guard down. This wasn’t the end. George Albert didn’t walk away without a plan.

As the family representatives watched me with a mixture of awe and apprehension, I forced a smile, though the weight of the moment still hung heavily in the air.

“Shall we move forward?” I asked, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

But even as they nodded and the conversation resumed, my thoughts were elsewhere. George had issued a threat, and I knew he would follow through.

He always did.