Rita's cheek was still swollen from Lainey's slap. There was no way she'd just let her leave after that.

Lainey tipped her head slightly, her gaze settling on Rita with a calm, almost amused look. "Rita, are you sure you want to go down this road?"

Rita mistook that composure for weakness. Lifting her chin, she drew herself up arrogantly. "Of course! Who knows what you've hidden away? Open your suitcase. I'm going through it myself."

Larry stayed completely uninvolved. He remained beside Charlee, holding her close as if nothing else in the room mattered, whispering reassurance to her.

At that sight, whatever lingering ache remained in Lainey's chest vanished, replaced by nothing but cold hatred.

Her expression turned indifferent. Without a word, she crouched and pulled open the zipper of her suitcase. "Go ahead. Look carefully. See if there's anything in there that belongs to your family."

Rita wasted no time. She immediately began rummaging through the contents, turning everything upside down without the slightest regard. Clothes were tossed aside carelessly, the suitcase quickly becoming a chaotic mess. As if that wasn't enough, she deliberately flung a few of Lainey's undergarments onto the floor, her actions dripping with insult.

Lainey stood there, watching silently. Then she lowered her eyes and sent a quick message to her assistant, Rose Ford.

"Come to the Millers' with a few bodyguards. Bring some empty suitcases."

The reply came almost instantly.

"Are you finally done tolerating them? Leave it to me. I'll be there in ten minutes."

A faint, almost ironic smile curved Lainey's lips.

Rose had told her more than once that the Miller family wasn't worth her patience, especially Larry. Back then, she hadn't listened. She had given everything she had, thinking effort would be enough.

Now she looked up again. Rita was still searching with a smug expression, while Charlee stood nearby watching like it was entertainment.

Lainey spoke again, her voice steady. "So? Finished yet? Did you find anything that belongs to you?"

Rita gave the suitcase a disdainful kick, her lips curling. "There's nothing useful in here. Just trash."

Her eyes were full of scorn as she added, "Now pick it all up and clean this mess before you leave."

But instead of complying, Lainey walked over to a nearby shelf and picked up a porcelain vase, turning it slowly in her hand.

She said quietly, "Not everything here belongs to you." She held it up slightly. "I bought this vase two months ago. Three million. Since I paid for it, I'm taking it away."

Her hand then pointed toward the wall. "That painting and the clock over there... I purchased both three months ago. Ten million altogether. They're coming with me too."

Rita's expression twisted in disbelief. "Are you serious? You gave those to us! You can't just take them back now!"

Larry's brows pulled together as well. "My mother is attached to that painting. You're not taking it."

Charlee, still playing the role of the fragile victim, added softly with a wounded tone, "I always thought you were someone generous. Why are you suddenly acting so petty?"

With the three of them speaking one after another, the situation was quickly twisted—making it seem like Lainey was the unreasonable one causing all the chaos.

Just then, Rose showed up, accompanied by a group of bodyguards. Lainey immediately gestured around the living room while issuing instructions one after another. "The Hermès fruit bowl—mine. Pack it. The Tiffany tea set—mine. Take it. The Chanel curtains—also mine. Take them down."

Her gaze shifted to the living room sofa. "And this sofa cost me two million. That goes as well."

Rose looked almost energized, as if she had been waiting for this moment. With efficient coordination, she and the bodyguards began clearing out everything Lainey had originally financed, one item after another.

Larry's expression turned increasingly dark. "So this is your revenge? You're really tearing this entire house apart just to get back at me?"

Lainey didn't respond immediately. Instead, she calmly bent down and started collecting the rest of her belongings from the floor. Only after finishing did she speak. "I wasn't planning to argue over a few things I once bought." She paused briefly. "But your mother insisted on making a scene out of it. So now she gets to see what it looks like when I stop holding back."

She zipped up her suitcase and stood upright again, her gaze landing on Rita with a faint, almost unsettling smile. "Well, Rita, satisfied now?"

The words hit like a final blow. Rita's eyes rolled back, and she collapsed on the spot.

The moment Lainey turned to leave, panic erupted behind her.

"Mom!" Larry shouted.

"Mrs. Miller!" Charlee cried out as well.

Seeing Rita faint, Charlee immediately seized the opportunity, her voice dripping with concern and accusation. "Larry, this is too much. Lainey actually took everything and stressed Mrs. Miller into collapsing. How can she be so disrespectful to you and your family?"

Larry laid Rita down on a chair, his face tight with anger as he straightened up again. He turned toward Lainey with a cold, cutting stare. "Go ahead then," he yelled. "Walk out now if you want. But when Nova Tech's launch succeeds in a few days, don't expect to come back. Even if you crawl on your knees, I won't let you near this family again."

At the mention of Nova Tech, something shifted in Lainey's expression. That company's AI division was the backbone of the Miller Group's upcoming success. In her past life, she had attended that very launch—not as a guest, but as Larry's hidden helper behind the scenes.

When Bryan had attempted to expose Nova Tech's fake technology, she had interfered and sabotaged Wilson Group instead, forcing him to step back. She had even handed over her own company's research just to secure Larry's success.

That single event had made Nova Tech explode in value, earning Larry unimaginable profits.

This time, things would be different. She would not help him.

And she would make sure Bryan didn't lose either.

A confident curve appeared on her lips. "Alright. Then we'll see how that turns out," she said softly.

Dressed in a way that commanded attention, Lainey stepped into Nova Tech's product launch with confidence.

As soon as she neared the entrance, Larry's voice reached her, sharp with anger.

"Bryan Wilson, you showed up here just to ruin my launch, didn't you?"

Across the venue, Bryan stood with his usual cold expression, though a faint trace of ridicule appeared in his eyes. "You seriously believe this passes as a product launch? You say Nova Tech's AI robot can think like a human, yet all you did was hide cameras inside it and hire people to respond to customers. Buyers pay a high price for your so-called technology, investors throw money at you because they believe your AI leads the industry, and then you walk away with billions built on nothing but hype. Tell me, is any of that a lie?"

Tension tightened Larry's face. "That's not true—"

Before he could continue, Lainey made her entrance. A form-fitting red dress clung to her figure, and it drew attention the moment she stepped inside. At the same time, a slow and captivating smile rested on her lips.

For a brief second, astonishment flickered across Larry's eyes, and it quickly shifted into relief. "Lainey, you're finally here. Come on, tell them the truth. Let everyone know that Nova Tech's AI is legitimate."

With a doctorate in artificial intelligence, Lainey had always been the one capable of solving problems like this, so there had to be a way for her to turn things around for him.

The spark of hope lighting up Larry's face didn't go unnoticed by Bryan.

As his eyes shifted toward Lainey, a shadow passed through his gaze.

He never expected her to appear at all, and from what he could tell, she had come here for Larry's sake.

A bitter feeling rose within him, yet he forced it down, and his expression grew even colder.

After everything that had happened between them the other night, had she already put it behind her?

At the sight of Lainey walking in dressed like that, jealousy flickered unmistakably in Charlee's eyes.

She had been certain that after the wedding was called off, she would take Lainey's place beside Larry at Nova Tech's launch and enjoy all the attention. Instead, Lainey still showed up, and she looked more captivating than ever.

What made it worse was that Larry, while Bryan publicly challenged him, still relied on Lainey to fix the situation.

As that realization settled in, Charlee tightened her hold around Larry's arm.

Even so, she still chose to back Larry, and her voice came out gentle and encouraging. "Exactly, Lainey. You should clarify things for him. You used to be his girlfriend, so if there was anything fake going on, there is no way you would not know."

A pleased look appeared in Larry's eyes as he glanced at Charlee, clearly satisfied with her response.

Without any change in expression, Lainey met her gaze and spoke in an even tone. "Whatever I had with Larry is finished. If someone needs to defend him, it should be the one clinging to his arm. A lunatic and an idiot. You two are a match made in heaven."

Her words struck them both like a sudden blow.

At once, Larry's face darkened, and irritation showed clearly. "I understand that you are still angry about the wedding. Fine, I'll apologize if that's what you want. But after I speak, you will stand there and support Nova Tech's AI with your professional credibility. If you refuse, then you can forget about marrying me."

Without giving her a chance to respond, he turned away and walked straight toward the stage.

Once he stood before the crowd, Larry began delivering a confident speech about Nova Tech's cutting-edge AI, its groundbreaking potential, and how it was set to take over the entire market.

After wrapping up his speech, Larry faced the crowd and spoke with confidence. "You all came to Nova Tech's launch because you trust this company to bring you profit. As for the claims Bryan Wilson made earlier, I doubt anyone here is naive enough to take them seriously."

Shifting his attention, he looked toward Charlee, and his expression softened with a hint of affection. "A close friend of mine, Charlee Foster, invested in Nova Tech just a week ago. By today, her returns have already multiplied twentyfold."

At that cue, his assistant brought up the stock chart on the massive screen behind him.

"See for yourselves. Nova Tech is rising faster than anyone expected."

Excitement rippled through the crowd.

"Twenty times in a few days? This is insane! I'm buying more!"

"Count me in for five million."

"Put me down for ten."

"I'm not missing this chance. One move like this and we are set for life."

As the crowd grew more eager and poured money in, satisfaction slowly spread across Larry's face.

Naturally, he believed nothing could stand in his way, not even Bryan. In his mind, the future already placed him as the wealthiest man in the country.

His attention shifted toward Lainey, and his tone returned to its usual commanding edge. "Lainey, step up there and explain the advanced technologies behind Nova Tech's AI."

At that exact moment, a frantic voice cut through the noise, and it pulled everyone's attention at once.

"Mr. Miller—someone just placed a one billion short order on our stock!"

"A billion? Our stock is climbing fast, and someone still dares to bet against it? Let them watch their money burn." With his jaw set tight, Larry forced the words out, each one edged with irritation.

Stepping closer, Charlee spoke in a calm and comforting tone. "Try not to get worked up. Anyone reckless enough to short Nova Tech right now is practically throwing their money away. It's not worth your energy to dwell on someone that careless."

"I would really like to see who made such a foolish move."

Before the moment could pass, a composed female voice broke through the noise. "That was me. I shorted Nova Tech with a billion dollars."

At once, the entire crowd turned toward Lainey.

She stood there with quiet confidence, and the smile on her lips only deepened. "Do you have an issue with that?"

Caught off guard, Larry struggled to process what had just happened. Rather than stepping in to defend Nova Tech's reputation, Lainey had done the opposite and openly placed a massive short position just to strike back at him.

"Have you completely lost your senses? You actually spent a billion to bet against Nova Tech just to spite me? Do you even understand how much you stand to lose?"

Standing nearby, Charlee allowed a trace of satisfaction to show, though her tone remained gentle. "If you don't know anything about stocks, why gamble so recklessly? Larry's stock only goes up. It can't possibly drop. At this rate, you'll lose the shirt off your back."

As soon as her words settled, quiet laughter began to spread throughout the room.

What Charlee expected was to see Lainey falter under that pressure, but she found herself disappointed instead.

Without showing the slightest concern, Lainey pulled out her phone and tapped on the screen with steady composure.

"I appreciate your concern. Since that is the case, I will increase my short position on Nova Tech by another billion."

A collective gasp swept across the crowd.

"She just doubled it to two billion against Nova Tech? Has she gone mad? If the stock moves ten times against her, she will lose two hundred billion!"

A deeper shadow fell across Larry's face, and a harsh laugh slipped from his lips. "Lainey, if you insist on throwing money away by betting against Nova Tech, then I will happily accept it. Give it a few days, and the market will leave you buried under tens of billions in losses."

Despite his words, Lainey remained calm, and nothing in her expression shifted.

At that moment, a low and steady male voice cut through the tension. "What makes you so certain she will be the one drowning in losses?"

With a chilling tone, Bryan stepped in. "The AI you claim to have is nothing but a front. Most of what you showcased today barely works beyond a basic prototype. On what grounds do you believe the stock can keep rising like this?"

For years, tension had existed between Larry and Bryan, and it was clear neither would back down. Anger edged Larry's reply. "I allowed you to attend this launch, not to repeatedly undermine me. Just because Wilson Group lacks this level of technology does not give you the right to spread false accusations about Miller Group."

Without hesitation, Bryan stood up, and the authority he carried made the entire room fall silent.

With a single motion, he placed a file onto the table and spoke with quiet certainty. "The evidence exposing Nova Tech's deception is already online. You can deny it all you want, but it will not change anything."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Larry's assistant shouted in alarm, "Mr. Miller! We have a problem! Nova Tech's stock is crashing!"

Quickly, Charlee opened the top headlines on her phone, and the leading story confirmed the AI fraud scandal surrounding Nova Tech.

With urgency, she held the screen out to Larry, whose complexion had already drained of color. "Larry, look at this—"

A slight tremor ran through his hand, yet he refused to give in. " Those are all lies! Just jealousy from the Wilson Group. The market is just overreacting to fake news. Everyone stay calm. It's nothing. Just a little fake news."

While uncertainty spread through the room and no one could decide who to believe, Lainey's voice broke through, steady and composed. "Just a fake story? Then explain this. What about the allegations involving Gavin Edwards, Nova Tech's lead developer, and the claim that he raped his adopted sister while still being married?"