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The call had barely ended when my phone screen lit up again. A friend request. From that girl. I accepted. Her messages came crashing down instantly. [Smart move. Don't think just because you're his cousin you can control him. Kieran's heart belongs to me!] [Figures. A bitter old single woman who can't stand seeing anyone else happy. So pathetic.] I let my finger glide over the screen. Reading these venomous words, I felt nothing but amusement. I tapped out a reply. [First. I'm not his cousin.] [Second. Everything Kieran owns—the clothes on his back, the food in his mouth, even that luxury apartment he brags about—I paid for all of it.] [To put it bluntly, he's my kept songbird.] After the messages were sent, the other end went dead silent for three full minutes. When she finally replied, the contempt had only thickened. [Stop flattering yourself! You're just some distant cousin, bossing him around just because you're older. He's completely sick of you!] [Kieran has money. How could he possibly be a kept man?] [If you can't stand seeing us happy, then I'll make sure you get an eyeful.] Then came a barrage of photos. Kieran in the library, saving her a seat, seen from behind. The two of them in a movie theater, cheeks pressed together in a selfie. And that custom-made gold fountain pen. Every photo came with its own smug caption. [He said once he passes the grad college exam, he'll lay it all out for you. You won't be able to control him anymore.] [Your big 40th birthday last week? He skipped it. He was at the movies with me.] [That pen you gave him? He handed it right over. I use it as a bookmark.] The words pressed against my chest, heavy and suffocating. Last week. My 30th birthday. Kieran told me he had a prep class for the exam. Couldn't miss it. I didn't want to hold him back. I nodded, told him it was fine, and even sent him two thousand dollars as a bonus—a little treat for working so hard. And he took my money. To take another woman to see my favorite movie. And that pen. I'd gone to Switzerland on business. I'd hunted through shop after shop to design that custom order. He'd held it like a treasure back then. Said he'd keep it forever. Then he turned around and handed it to her. I stared at the familiar profile of Kieran in the photo. The last trace of warmth inside me went cold. For years, I'd told myself he was just young. Still growing up. I'd protected his fragile ego at every turn. Even when he came home late, even when he turned cold with me—I'd convinced myself it was the stress of the exams. The truth was, he had simply learned to take me for granted. My fingers hovered over the screen. The decisive, commanding business manager that I was—gone, at this moment. In the end, I typed nothing. I was suddenly tired. Four years of keeping Kieran. For the first time, it all felt unbearably dull. Right on cue, his message popped up. [Raven, three thousand dollars is nothing to you. You've got five minutes to send it. If not, I'll never take another cent from you again!] The threat in those words made me laugh. His misbehavior had disappointed me. My father taught me long ago. If a pet misbehaves, don't bother training it. Just get a new one. I figured people worked the same way. My fingers moved. I sent four words. [As you wish.] Chapter 2 After my reply, Kieran went completely silent. About ten minutes passed. Then my phone rang. His voice was laced with something close to panic. "Raven, please don't be mad. I didn't mean what I said. I was just running my mouth." "It's my fault. I should never have spoken to you like that." "Just don't be angry, okay? Let me take you out for dinner. Make it up to you." The familiar tone, that practiced softness—for a moment, it almost felt like before. Then I remembered the photos the girl had sent. And his laughable threat. I pushed down the wave of emotion rising in my chest. My voice came out flat. "Fine. The usual place." It was an upscale restaurant downtown. I'd taken him there countless times before. I still remembered our first date. He'd been so shy, he couldn't even hold the knife and fork properly. Said it was too expensive, that we should just eat street food instead. That raw, awkward innocence was what drew me in back then. I'd learned his parents had died young. That he had a sick little sister. My heart had softened. I'd started supporting him. I never imagined it would cost me four years of money. And four years of my life. Kieran was wearing the suit I'd bought him last year. He looked sharper than usual. When he saw me walk in, he stood up immediately, his face arranging itself into that familiar, ingratiating smile. "I've been saving up. Order whatever you want. Today, it's on me!" He pushed the menu toward me. His "savings," of course, were just the extra living allowance I'd given him last month—money meant for supplements. For his health. "You sure?" I raised an eyebrow. He thumped his chest. "Absolutely. Don't hold back, Raven. Think of it as my way of thanking you. For everything." So that was it. He wanted to use a single meal to sever ties with me. I said nothing. I opened the menu and ordered the most expensive steak. Then I added truffle pasta, caviar salad, and a bottle of very decent vintage wine. Every dish I named drained more color from Kieran's face. I thought back to the street food he used to treat me to. Even a cheap burrito, and I'd hesitate forever, afraid of wasting his money. I felt for him—his tough background. Every time, I ended up grabbing the bill. For four years, I'd shouldered the cost of every single date. At first, he'd blush and stammer out a thank you, his eyes brimming with genuine gratitude. Now, he was using my own money to chase other women. And still daring to give me attitude. The meal passed in thick silence. Kieran tried several times to break the ice. Each time, my cold indifference shut him down. As the check was about to arrive, he suddenly clutched his stomach, his face twisting in pain. "Raven, I need to hit the restroom. You keep eating." I watched him hurry away. A cold smirk tugged at my lips. He'd used this trick a hundred times. Every time the bill came, he'd find an excuse to vanish. I'd always end up paying. Before, I thought he was just embarrassed. Now I knew. He was simply comfortable taking advantage. I was calmly cutting my steak when a wave of ice-cold water crashed over me. "You're seducing your own cousin, you shameless old hag!" The girl who'd called herself Kieran's girlfriend had appeared out of nowhere, her finger jabbing toward my face. "Did you threaten him? Is that why he's having dinner with you?" Every head in the restaurant turned. The waitstaff rushed over. The girl didn't care. She lunged for the table, sweeping plates and glasses to the floor. Shattered fragments scattered everywhere. No one had ever dared bully me. Not since I was a child. I stood up. Under the shocked stares of the entire room, I emptied the entire bottle of red wine over her head. Right at that moment, Kieran emerged from the restroom. He rushed to shield the girl behind him. His eyes were full of nothing but tender concern. Then he turned to me, roaring. "Raven! She's my classmate. Are you seriously jealous over this?!" "How could you bully a young girl like that? If you've got a problem, take it up with me!" He paused, waiting. When I stayed silent, he took it as surrender. His voice dropped, low and smug. "Just pay the bill. And the damages. And I'll let this slide." I walked straight past them. Toward the door. Kieran's composure cracked. He shouted after me. "Hey! Stop right there!" "Raven! What the h*ll is this?!" I didn't look back. I walked out of that restaurant. And from that moment on, I never cleaned up his messes again. Later, I heard from the restaurant manager. Kieran had no choice. He ended up pawning that expensive watch I'd given him just weeks ago. Just to cover the meal. And the damages. Chapter 3 When I got home, my phone was drowning in Kieran's messages. [Raven, that was too far! Do you have any idea how humiliated I was today?] [Tessa is just a young girl. Why couldn't you just let it go?] [You need to apologize to her right now. Otherwise, I will never forgive you!] I read his twisted accusations and felt nothing but hollow irony. He used my money to fund his little romance. I'd let it slide. Consider it money thrown to a stray dog. But now she'd climbed over my head, and I was the one who had to apologize? And pay for the damages? I tapped his profile. Hit block. The world went blissfully silent. The next day, I applied for a business trip. Partly to clear my head with a change of scenery. Partly because I couldn't be bothered to deal with Kieran anymore. But when I dragged my suitcase home a few days later, I heard music pounding from inside my villa. I walked in, frowning. The living room was a war zone. A dozen young men and women were crammed together, drinking, playing cards. Empty bottles and snack wrappers littered the floor. My new sofa was trampled with footprints. There was even graffiti on the wall. And Kieran sat at the center of it all. On my couch. With Tessa curled in his arms. Looking for all the world like the master of the house. A guy with bleached hair let out a whistle. "d@mn, Kieran. This is the mansion your parents gave you? It's insane!" Kieran tilted his chin up, smug. "You clearly haven't seen much. This is actually the cheapest property I own." Tessa snuggled closer, her voice dripping with honey. "I always knew Kieran was the best. Not like some old woman who only knows how to use family ties to hold onto him." Their words stabbed into my ears like needles. I drew a slow breath. Took out my phone. Called the police. "Hello? I'd like to report a crime. Someone has broken into my home. There appears to be... debauchery occurring." My voice was calm. Quiet, even. But it cut through the noise like a blade. The music screeched to a halt. Every face in the room turned toward me. Kieran's smug grin froze solid. He hadn't expected me back so soon. And he certainly hadn't expected me to call the cops. He scrambled to push Tessa aside and stood up, forcing a weak smile. "Raven... you're back already? These are just my classmates. We were just hanging out." I let out a cold laugh, scanning the wreckage of my living room. "Hanging out? You turned my house into a landfill. Kieran, have you forgotten whose name is on the deed?" The bleached-haired guy swaggered forward, glaring at me with open hostility. "Who the h*ll are you? What gives you the right to claim this is your place?" "This is Kieran's house. It's got nothing to do with you!" A girl beside him chimed in immediately. "Exactly! Get the h*ll out, or we'll make you!" Tessa stood up too, arms crossed, staring me down. "So that's why you suddenly agreed to us being together. You were just waiting to come back and catch us. Typical scheming old hag." Kieran looked at my dark expression. His courage faltered. But he still clung to his pride. "Raven, don't be mad. We'll leave right now. Just tell the cops not to come. It'd be way too embarrassing if this got out." He edged closer, dropping his voice to a coaxing murmur. "Raven, just play along with this once. I'll forget everything that happened before. We can go back to how things were. I'll be good to you again." I cut him off, my eyes like ice. "Kieran, do you seriously believe I'll still indulge you the way I used to?" The sirens grew louder. They stopped right outside the villa. Without another word, I handed the property deed to the police. Once they confirmed I was the owner, they began taking everyone in. Kieran's face went bone-white. He had never imagined I would actually call the police on him. The rest of them were just as stunned, their eyes wide with shock and growing fear. Kieran panicked. He grabbed my arm, his voice dropping to a desperate plea. "Raven, I know I messed up. Next time, I'll ask you first. I swear. Just forgive me this once, okay?" I shook him off. Looking at his groveling figure, I barely recognized him. The boy I once knew—the one with the clear eyes, who blushed and stammered out thank-yous when I gave him an extra hundred dollars—how had he turned into this? This time, I didn't hesitate. I watched coldly as the police took them all away. Chapter 4 Kieran was eventually brought into the station. Illegal trespassing. Willful destruction of property. I didn't press criminal charges in the end. But the incident still made waves at his university. I thought, after all that, he might finally settle down. I was wrong. A few days later, I went to the city hospital to visit an ailing business partner. The moment I stepped out of the elevator, I saw them. Kieran, supporting Tessa as they walked out of the obstetrics and gynecology department. Tessa was pale as paper, her eyes rimmed red. She'd clearly been crying. Kieran was frowning, trying to explain. "Stop being mad. I'm doing this for us." "What happened last time really was our fault. My cousin was furious. This baby... we can't keep it. But once I inherit the family fortune, I'll make it all up to you. I promise." Tessa shook off his hand, her voice cracking. "I knew it. That old hag forced you into this. She just can't stand to see us happy!" Her gaze swept forward and landed on me. Her eyes instantly curdled into venom. "This is all your fault! You're the one who made him give up our baby!" "You're just jealous because I can give Kieran a child—openly, rightfully!" She lunged at me, face wild with hysteria. Kieran grabbed her, holding her back. But he didn't offer me a single word of defense. He just frowned and urged me to leave. I watched him shield her. The last flicker of feeling inside me finally died. "Kieran. Have you forgotten your little sister is still in this hospital? Her medical bills are due. And I'm the one who's supposed to pay them." His face shifted at the mention of his sister. But he still clenched his jaw. "Raven, this is between us. Don't use my sister against me." A cold laugh escaped me. "You used my money to get another girl pregnant. And now you expect me to keep paying your sister's hospital bills? Kieran, you've got nerve." Tessa, fresh off the loss of her child, completely broke down. She tore free from Kieran's grip and hurled her water bottle straight at my head. "You killed my baby! I'll kill you!" The bottle flew toward my face. I shut my eyes on instinct. But the impact never came. When I opened them, a hand—long, well-defined fingers—had caught the bottle midair. "Making a scene in a hospital. Not really appropriate, is it?" A cool male voice. I looked up. Dorian. In the business world, he was our company's fiercest rival. And, as it happened, a visiting professor at Kieran and Tessa's university. "Professor Dorian." Both Kieran and Tessa froze, clearly blindsided to run into their own professor here. Dorian subtly positioned himself in front of me. A flicker of anger passed through his eyes. "This is a public space. What you're doing is not only disruptive—it also borders on assault. Would you like me to bring this to the university's attention?" Tessa shrank behind Kieran, too terrified by his presence to speak. Kieran scrambled to smooth things over. "Professor Dorian, this is all a misunderstanding." Dorian arched an eyebrow. His gaze drifted toward me. A faint smile curved his lips. "My girlfriend was being chased down and screamed at. That's a misunderstanding too?" Kieran and Tessa were stunned. So was I. I stared at Dorian in shock. Since when was I his girlfriend? Dorian ignored my expression entirely. He slipped an arm around my shoulders. "She's not some 'cousin' or 'old woman.' She's Raven, Vice President of the Sterling Group. Someone you should think twice before provoking."