Revenge Wears My Ring novel Chapter 136

Elodie nodded, the worry in her eyes deepening.

“The Suttons are toxic now—no one wants to touch them. The banks are pulling their loans so fast they're barely breathing. Zayden is their last hope, the only thread they’re clinging to. Julian’s taking full advantage of that, lashing the Suttons’ lifeline to himself, hoping he can ride the Ford family’s power and swallow up Cloudview Resort in one move.”

“Elodie,” her voice carried clearly through the glass, sharp as a guillotine and brimming with an unshakeable confidence, “Cloudview Resort is just the beginning. Nothing and no one will stand in my way.”

She turned her head ever so slightly, the light slicing across her delicate features, sharpening them with an icy edge.

“I’m taking everything I lost—every single thing—back, with interest. I won’t leave a cent on the table.”

Her voice dipped lower, heavy with an obsession that was almost hidden, but not quite, her words pressed with iron resolve. “Whatever they took from me, they’re going to cough it up twice over. Not a penny less.”

As her words faded, a heavy silence settled over the office.

Only Gwyneth’s silhouette remained by the window, radiating an invisible, suffocating pressure—an aura of absolute determination that dared anyone to doubt her victory.

---

The pulse of Nocturne Spirits was like a tide gilded in gold, crashing again and again against the mirrored walls.

Zayden appeared where neon and smoke collided, his pale gray cashmere coat tailored perfectly to his tall frame, though the exhaustion etched between his brows betrayed the toll of a long-haul flight.

At his side, Desiree wore a pearl-white backless gown, as if a white rose had been uprooted and thrust into the noise. Her flawless makeup covered the insecurity flickering in her eyes, while her diamond earrings trembled with each deliberate tilt of her chin, a desperate attempt to prop up her old air of privilege.

Julian practically launched himself from his booth, his smile so wide and forced it seemed ready to melt into the throbbing bass.

“Zayden!” He spread his arms and called out, voice cutting through the noise. “Finally! I thought you’d never come back—I missed you, man!” He clapped Zayden hard on the shoulder, the gesture just a bit too familiar to be real.

Queenie trailed close behind, a sticky shadow who latched onto Desiree’s arm with syrupy delight, her voice sweet and exaggerated with awe. “Oh my god, Desiree! You look incredible tonight—like something out of a dream!”

She looped her arm through Desiree’s with practiced intimacy, her gaze darting between Zayden and Desiree, her pitch rising for the crowd. “Mr. Ford and Desiree—now that’s a power couple. Honestly, it’s like they were made for each other. Right, Julian?”

Julian jumped in immediately, eyes bright as he looked at Zayden. “Of course! Zayden and Desiree—the golden couple. They always have been, since we were kids!”

The gossip was barely above a whisper, but each word stabbed into Desiree’s back like a thousand icy pins.

Her grip on the champagne glass turned her knuckles white, the smile on her lips stretched to the breaking point.

She could feel their eyes on her, slicing right through her expensive gown, stripping away her carefully crafted façade, trying to expose whatever was rotten underneath.

Zayden sensed the tension too—that charged, watchful air. He frowned, scanning the corner of the room where the whispers hovered. As soon as his gaze landed, the group fell silent, suddenly fascinated by their drinks or faking animated conversation.

He looked down at Desiree, who was working so hard to keep her composure. In her eyes, he saw the raw edge of fear and vulnerability, like a stone dropped in the stillness of his heart.

Without thinking, he reached over, gently covering her hand where it clung to his arm, his touch warm and reassuring. “Desiree, are you alright? Too loud in here? Want to get some air?”

Desiree had told him about that night—how Gwyneth had tried to drug her, how she’d barely escaped.

That Gwyneth was seriously asking for trouble.