Chapter 1

My mother was in a coma after a violent car accident.

Yet, while hosting our corporate annual gala, my sister publicly declared that the boy she took in years ago was her real brother and the true heir to the corporation.

Stunned, I stood up to stop her. She shoved me off the stage without a second thought.

"If my brother hadn’t taken pity on you and paid for your tuition back then, you wouldn’t even have the right to breathe the air in a place this nice."

Lucas looked at me with faux concern, pretending to steady me, but whispered a chilling threat directly into my ear:

"Listen to me, Kieran. Don't cause a scene. Get out right now. If you piss off Jessica, you know damn well what will happen."

In my past life, I obeyed Jessica blindly. I gave in to every demand. What did I get in return? Not praise, but cut brake lines and a speeding truck.

Now, reborn into this life, I would never give them another chance to destroy me.

Looking at Lucas’s smug, arrogant face, I didn't hesitate. I kicked him hard, sending him flying backward across the floor.

"Who the hell do you think you are? You're an ungrateful piece of trash. You aren't even worthy of shining my shoes."

The entire banquet hall instantly froze, every eye snapping toward me.

"Who is this guy? Did he seriously just lay hands on the Sterling family's heir?"

"What an ungrateful bastard. Someone like that deserves to starve on the streets."

"Everyone knows Jessica dotes on Lucas more than anyone. If he dares to touch Lucas, he’s dead. Word is the last guy who crossed Lucas vanished from the city overnight."

Murmurs of disgust aimed at me, mingled with cheap flattery for Lucas, flooded the air like a tidal wave.

Seeing Lucas on the ground, Jessica rushed forward and shoved me hard.

"What kind of garbage are you to put your hands on my brother?"

She helped Lucas up, checking him over frantically even though he didn't have a single scratch. "Are you hurt? Does anything ache?"

Lucas shook his head, playing the noble saint. "Jessica, don't be too hard on Kieran. He has no family, no roots. It's only natural he’s jealous seeing how much you love and protect me."

It was the most transparent, manipulative performance, yet Jessica swallowed it whole, her heart breaking for him.

She whipped around, glaring at me with venom. "Get over here and get on your knees! Apologize to Lucas right now!"

Lucas stood behind her, smirking mockingly at me.

In my previous life, I foolishly believed that if I swallowed every humiliation and obeyed her every whim, she would eventually treat me like real family.

In the end, reality delivered a brutal slap across my face.

I stood there calmly, watching their pathetic little display.

"What a touching show of sibling love. If you want to act, get on a theater stage. This is the annual gala of the Sterling Group. Irrelevant outsiders need to see themselves out."

With that, I made a polite "after you" gesture toward the exit.

Seeing that I dared to talk back, Jessica turned red with fury. She lunged forward and kicked at me. "The Sterlings put food on your plate and paid to educate you! We never expected gratitude, but who knew you'd be greedy enough to covet my family's company?"

"Your family's company?" I scoffed coldly. "I call you my sister, and you really think you're the master of Apex Horizon? One word from me, and your cozy little executive title is gone."

Seeing how unyielding and sharp I was, the guests in the crowd began to whisper in doubt.

"His clothes look pretty ordinary, but nobody talks like that on Sterling home turf without serious backing, right?"

Yet the moment anyone voiced rational doubt, the sycophants immediately pounced.

"If you ask me, the Sterlings just spoiled a stray dog, and now he thinks he can bite the hand that fed him."

"Everyone knows Jessica has hosted the annual gala for years. That’s official Sterling endorsement right there."

"This guy is delusional. He actually thinks he's the young master."

"Look at him, gaunt and scruffy. He doesn’t even have a fraction of Lucas's class."

Jessica and Lucas saw the crowd siding entirely with them, their smirks widening.

Lucas stepped forward, mimicking the demeanor of a high-society prince. He snapped his fingers at the security guards. "Throw this disruptor out into the cold."

Without flinching, my gaze turned icy as I swept my eyes over the approaching guards. "You’d better remember who signs your paychecks. Open your damn eyes and look at who's standing right in front of you!"