Chapter 5 : The Uninvited Guest
1238 Words
Damian DeVille looked much healthier, though his face remained pale. "A rather dramatic revenge for a beginner, Stefano."
"This isn't revenge, Mr. DeVille. It's just a minor cleanup," Stefano replied as he sat down beside the man.
Damian chuckled, then handed over a neatly sealed gold envelope. "You saved my life, and in return, I am giving you a new identity. From now on, you are Stefano Giroldo, my primary business associate from overseas."
Stefano opened the envelope. Inside was an official invitation with the Vane Group logo printed in bold. "Vivianne’s company anniversary party," Stefano murmured. A smirk played on his lips.
"Everyone who matters will be there. Including Julian Oldenburg," Damian added, staring out the window. "Are you ready to face them?"
Stefano slowly crumpled the invitation, his eyes flashing again with a sharp, golden-hazel light. "I’m not just ready to face them, Mr. DeVille. I’m going to make sure that party is the last night they ever sleep soundly."
"Good. Because I want to see how you destroy them from within," Damian said with a tone of satisfaction.
The car sped through the crowded city streets, carrying Stefano toward the stage where he would begin his master performance.
[System Warning: Target 'Vivianne Vane' detected within a five-kilometer radius. Initiating profile data synchronization for public confrontation.]
Stefano leaned his head back, staring at his reflection in the dark car window. The weak man who cried in the rain was dead. All that remained was a man ready to burn the world down to reclaim his dignity.
"Let’s begin," Stefano whispered softly.
***
"Who is the guest in that car?" asked one of the photographers in front of the Grand Ballroom of the Vane Hotel.
The roar of the black sports car's engine drowned out the orchestral music drifting from inside the building. Its doors swung upward with a fluid, graceful motion. A man stepped out, adjusted his silver watch, and stood tall under the glare of the lobby lights.
"Mr. Giroldo has arrived," the hotel manager whispered into his walkie-talkie.
Stefano stepped onto the red carpet with an entirely different aura. The custom black suit hugging his frame gave off an air of dominance and authority. There was no trace left of the man who had been trembling under the pouring rain just a week ago.
[Target analysis initiated] the system's voice whispered in his head. [Vivianne Vane is ten meters ahead of you. Her heart rate is increasing upon seeing you. She does not recognize you.]
"Good evening, Mr. Giroldo. We are deeply honored by your presence at the Vane Group's thirtieth anniversary," said Vivianne with the same sweet smile that used to make Stefano melt.
Stefano locked eyes with her. Golden hazel met an ambitious dark brown. "An impressive party, Mrs. Vane. I’ve heard quite a bit about your company’s recent achievements."
"You flatter me," Vivianne replied. She seemed captivated by the composure of the man before her. "Come, let me introduce you to my fiancé, Julian Oldenburg. He manages most of our investments."
Julian stepped forward with a glass of champagne in his hand. He scanned Stefano from head to toe. "Giroldo? A rather unfamiliar name among the city's elite. Have you just returned from abroad?"
"The world is a vast place, Mr. Oldenburg," Stefano replied flatly. "Sometimes people are so busy looking up that they forget to notice what is right beneath their feet."
Julian let out a short laugh, though his eyes betrayed his distaste. "A fascinating philosophy. But in this business, we prefer to talk about numbers rather than proverbs. So, which sector specifically interests you in terms of investing in the Vane Group?"
"Efficiency," Stefano said concisely. "I like seeing how something useless is discarded, only to be replaced by something far more powerful."
Vivianne frowned slightly. There was something in this man's voice that felt incredibly familiar, yet she couldn't place it. "Your voice, have we met before?"
"Perhaps in someone’s nightmare, Mrs. Vane," Stefano said, taking an elegant sip of his drink.
Suddenly, Elara emerged from the crowd of guests. She wore a striking purple silk gown adorned with excessive diamond jewelry. Her sharp eyes immediately fixed on Stefano.
"Vivianne, why are you letting our important guest stand here? Escort Mr. Giroldo to the head table," Elara commanded. However, her footsteps halted when she stood directly in front of Stefano. She narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the structure of Stefano's jaw.
"Is something wrong, Madam Elara?" Stefano asked calmly.
"No, it’s just..." Elara paused for a moment. "Your face reminds me of someone I utterly loathe. But it’s impossible. He was merely a gutter rat, whereas you possess the aura of a lion."
Julian suddenly placed a hand on Stefano’s shoulder, a gesture intended to intimidate. "Speaking of gutter rats, you know, Mr. Giroldo? We just threw out some dead weight a month ago. A useless son-in-law. He was poor, stupid, and a thief."
Stefano didn't move. He felt a heat at the back of his head as the system detected the provocation.
[Warning: Emotional levels rising. Recommendation: Utilize emotional manipulation protocol.]
"Is that so?" Stefano offered a thin smile. "Perhaps he was just in the wrong place. Or perhaps, he was waiting for the right time to show who the real thief is."
Julian narrowed his eyes. He began to sense something off about the way this man spoke. He leaned his face closer to Stefano’s ear, whispering in a tone meant only for the two of them. "This suit is custom from Le’Vane Mode, right? I know every stitch of it. And the way you stand, the way you hold this glass..."
Julian suddenly yanked Stefano’s hand toward the brighter light. His eyes locked onto a small scar on Stefano’s wrist, the scar Stefano had gotten while saving Vivianne from an accident years ago.
"Wait a minute," Julian’s voice shifted into a condescending laugh. He released Stefano's hand roughly, then turned to face the guests who were beginning to take notice. "Ladies and gentlemen! I apologize for the interruption, but it seems we have a very talented actor in our midst tonight!"
Vivianne looked confused. "Julian, what are you doing? Don’t embarrass us in front of the investors."
"Investor?" Julian pointed his finger at Stefano’s face. "He’s no investor, Vivianne! Look closer! Look at those eyes, even if the color has changed, the gaze of a loser cannot be hidden!"
A sudden silence blanketed the ballroom. The orchestral music stopped. Elara stepped forward, her face flushing with rage. "What do you mean, Julian?"
"Mother, this 'great man' standing before us is Stefano!" Julian shouted. "The thief we kicked out into the streets! He must have rented this suit and the car outside with his stolen loot, or maybe he sold his kidney just for this one night of play-acting!"
Whispers began to fill the room. Several guests started to laugh, looking at Stefano with the same contemptuous stares he knew all too well.
"Stefano?" Vivianne stepped back, her eyes trembling. "You’re Stefano? But how?"
Stefano remained standing still in the center of the surrounding insults. He stared at Julian, who now felt victorious. "You think by screaming my name, you can change the reality that I am standing here as someone far more powerful than you, Julian?"
"Powerful?" Julian roared with laughter. "You’re just trash wearing expensive perfume! How much was the car rental? Ten million?"
- Writer
