Chapter 18

Brinley slammed the door shut and slumped against it,dragging in shaky breaths.

After a long pause, she forced herself into the bathroom and splashed cold water over her face.

The reflection staring back had flushed cheeks and wide,unsettled eyes.

Her palm pressed against her chest, as if she could slow the frantic pounding beneath her ribs.

There was no denying it-any woman would have been shaken by that kind of lethal charm and physique.

Austin knew exactly what he was doing. He reveled in watching her lose composure.

Brinley shook her head hard, as if she could scatter the tangled thoughts clouding her mind. Sleep didn't come easily; she tossed and turned before exhaustion finally pulled her under.

With tomorrow's business gala ahead, she knew she had to get some decent sleep. Since walking away from Colin, she had come to understand a hard truth-no man's affection could rival the pull of ambition.

A career's triumph was far more intoxicating than fleeting romance. She had vowed to shape her own destiny, never again sacrificing her future for love.

The following evening, the business gala unfolded beneath dazzling chandeliers, the glow casting the hall in the splendor of a grand ballroom.

Brinley arrived in a custom black mermaid gown,sequins along the hem scattering light with each graceful step.

As she made her debut as CEO of VantagePath Realty,her polished makeup and composed elegance seized every glance in the room.

The guest list brimmed with Bleron's entrepreneurs,making the event influential yet not entirely exclusive

Among the crowd, only a select handful from the city's inner circle carried the knowledge of her connection to Austin.

Across the room, Colin arrived with Milly at his side.His gaze locked on Brinley the moment he entered.

He had heard she would attend, and that alone been reason enough to come.

In truth, he hadn't planned on bringing Milly, but she had insisted-and he hadn't managed to refuse her

Milly had chosen a white dress styled to echo Brinley's old eleggance, a calculated attempt to imitate her former softness. But against Brinley's luminous poise,Milly's effort looked cheap and artificial.

"Colin, let's.. let's head over there," Milly whispered tightly, clutching her handbag so hard her nails nearly punctured the leather.

Colin's silence stretched on, his focus pinned entirely to Brinley. She looked more dazzling than ever-like a diamond he had once held in his hand, only to let it slip away.

Brinley paid no mind to the lingering looks cast her way. She held her champagne glass lightly and stood at the terrace's edge, serene and untouchable.

"Ms. Shaw, are you all by yourself?" a man's voice drawled behind her.

She turned, her gaze falling on a middle-aged man with a sagging belly and an oily grin.

She didn't recognize him; he clearly wasn't from any family of consequence. His eyes roved over her with a greasy boldness before he let out a low chuckle. "Nice to meet you. l am Rogelio Scott. Running a company of that scale must be exhausting for someone as young as you."

Brinley inclined her head with a courteous nod and shifted just out of reach. "You're flattering me, Mr.Scott. VantagePath Realty thrives because of the team behind it."

"What team can measure up to a dependable man?"He pressed, leaning closer until his pudgy fingers nearly brushed her arm. "If you were with me, you wouldn't have to work so hard."

Dropping his voice, he added with a hushed murmur,"I can give you more than yoursugar daddy ever could."

The hum of conversation dimmed; a few onlookers turned openly curious stares their way.

Her expression chilled, lips curving into a smile as brittle as glass.

Staring at his oily face, she couldn't help recalling the ridiculous gossip that once painted her as some young woman climbing through an old man's bed. The thought alone made her want to laugh.

"I'm afraid you've mistaken me," she replied aloofly,her words cutting deep.woman of my league is nowhere near within your reach."

Rogelio barked out a laugh as if she'd just entertained him. "Ha! Everything has a price, Ms. Shaw. Just say the number." His hand lifted, thick fingers reaching to pinch her chin. "Stay by my side, and the entire Scott Group could be yours."

A brutal smack shattered the air, silencing the hall in an instant.

Brinley's palm hovered mid-swing, her fingers tingling from the impact.

Rogelio clutched his burning cheek, his eyes flashing with shock before twisting into rage. "You dared to slap me?!"

"What's wrong with that?" Brinley shook out her stung hand, her gaze slicing through him like steel. "Look at you-pathetic,oily, and shameless."

Rogelio's face contorted as he rolled up his sleeves,preparing to lash back-until someone abruptly stepped between them.

Colin blocked Rogelio's path. Though he did not want to cross him, he still stood up for Brinley. "Mr. Scott,laying hands on a woman hardly suits a gentleman."

Recognition flickered across Rogelio's face, then dissolved into a sneer. "Mr. Palmer? I didn't expect you to play the hero."

His eyes raked over Colin with contempt. "With Palmer Group's stock in freefall, you still have the nerve to meddle in other people's business? Better worry about your own crumbling empire first."

The moment the words landed, Colin's face twisted crimson with fury, his fists balling so tightly that his knuckles whitened.

A sharp retort hovered on his tongue, but the memory of Palmer Group's precarious state silenced him,leaving only frustration in his chest.

Rogelio, seizing on Colin's hesitation, lashed his wrath at Brinley. "And you! Don't fool yourself into thinking a pretty face makes you exceptional. At the end of the day, you're just a woman! What could you possibly accomplish, you pathetic whore?"

Brinley's glare turned lethal as she demanded,that again, I dare you!"

Before the insult could leave his mouth, Brinley's leg snapped out, striking the back of his knee.

Rogelio crumpled with a startled cry, collapsing onto the polished floor.

In one swift motion, she seized his tie and yanked him down further, pressing his cheek against the floor with unflinching force

Her voice was low, edged with deadly certainty."|"L make sure you learn what respect really means."