Chapter 2

“Hunter, what are you doing sleeping here? Did studying the stock market wear you out?”

Felicity “Lissy” Dawson’s crisp voice pulled me back to reality as she gently patted my shoulder.

I blinked at her in disbelief, my mind a blank slate.

Genevieve “Eve” Lockwood touched the back of my hand, her expression filled with admiration.

“I brought your favorite strawberry cake. Come on, take a break,” she said, tearing open the packaging and scooping a piece to feed me. The sweet scent of strawberry wafted toward me as the spoon hovered near my lips.

The moment the strawberry touched my lips, a shiver ran through me.

I’ve been reborn.

The horrifying memory of free-falling from a skyscraper and the sharp pain of my head splitting open felt like a distant nightmare.

Seeing me sit there dazed, Genevieve frowned, her tone displeased. “The Stock Tycoon Championship is pushing you too hard. I’ll call my sponsor to lock in the win for you.”

Lissy smirked. “I can’t stand Genevieve’s bossy billionaire act, but seeing you like this, Hunter, I’ll back her this time.”

In the past, I would have pushed back. “Don’t interfere. I have my own career to focus on.”

But now, all I felt was dread. These two women, once my closest allies, now seemed more like sinister messengers from hell.

Lissy and I grew up together in the Starlight Haven Orphanage, supporting each other through thick and thin.

Genevieve first came into our lives when she was five, tagging along with her parents during one of their orphanage inspections. She snuck off to play, fell into a pond, and Lissy and I saved her. From then on, our trio was inseparable.

When I turned eighteen, both Genevieve and Lissy confessed their feelings to me, each vowing to stay by my side forever.

But everything changed when Ryder Hartwell came into the picture.

In my past life, during the American Stock Tycoon Championship, I led my team to navigate the financial crisis unscathed.

Then Ryder emerged, accusing me of stealing his stock trading strategies.

I showed my analysis and trading simulations to prove my innocence.

But Ryder revealed videos of his stock predictions, each posted an hour before my simulations were logged.

That was when Genevieve and Lissy arrived. I’d expected them to defend me.

Instead, they turned cold, their words laced with disappointment.

“You’re just jealous of Ryder!”

“Stealing his parents wasn’t enough for you? Now you’re stealing his stock strategies? How low can you go?”

Their betrayal was a knife to the chest.

Ryder became a celebrated financial prodigy, showered with accolades and admiration.

Meanwhile, I was branded a fraud, endlessly harassed online, and isolated. It all culminated in my untimely death—pushed off my own penthouse by one of Ryder’s rabid fans.

Not this time. Never again.

I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood. My chest burned with rage.

This time, I’ll strip away their façades, expose their lies, and take back everything that was stolen from me.

I forced down the bile rising in my throat and smiled faintly. “I’m withdrawing from the Stock Tycoon Championship.”

The sympathy on their faces vanished instantly.

Genevieve rubbed her temples, irritated. “Don’t be dramatic. Withdrawing isn’t a joke.”

Lissy chimed in, “Exactly. You said you wanted to prove yourself. Was that just talk?”

I cut them off, my tone flat. “I’ll stay in the competition… if Ryder withdraws.”

Genevieve slammed her hand on the table. “Why? Ryder already gave you the Sterling family name. Can’t you leave him alone?”

Her frustration boiled over as she flung the strawberry cake onto the floor. It splattered like a crushed dream.

I stared at the mess, my voice cold. “Gave? Let’s call it what it is. He stole my place for twenty-three years—my family, my name. Every time I see him, I’m reminded of the years I spent starving and scavenging just to pay for school.”

Lissy frowned. “That’s all in the past, Hunter. It wasn’t Ryder’s fault…”

I didn’t bother arguing further. I shut my laptop and motioned toward the door. “You can see yourselves out.”