No Trace of Love and Hate

Gasps rippled through the crowd as Nicholas’s words were captured in full by the rolling cameras.

The red-hatted reporter’s excited voice rang out,

"Our Best Actor fiercely defending his woman. This is sensational! A guaranteed headline!"

Before I could respond, a rough grip yanked my wrist.

"Isla Vasquez, who gave you permission to be here?"

That familiar voice. It was my half-brother, Matteo.

His grip was painfully tight, his expression dark with fury.

"This isn’t a place for you to stir up trouble. Come with me!"

A sharp pain shot through my wrist as I instinctively struggled.

"I'm here for business. Let go of me!"

My resistance only fueled his anger.

"Do you think I don’t know what you're up to? I've warned you before that love isn’t something you can buy! Are you really going to repeat the same mistake? Stop disgracing the Vasquez Family!"

He did not care that my strapless gown had been torn, leaving me on the verge of exposure. He did not care that countless cameras were fixated on me, recording every humiliating second.

"If you had caused a scene in the past, I might have let it slide. But not today."

"This moment… this award is something Alessia fought hard to achieve. I won’t let anyone ruin it. Isla, for once, be reasonable. Stop making trouble."

Looking into his bloodshot eyes, a dull ache spread through my chest.

He was my brother. And yet, in this moment, he cast aside all dignity, leaving me humiliated in front of the world.

All for Alessia Bellucci.

On the other side, Nicholas stood with his hands in his pockets, watching me like I was nothing more than an amusing spectacle.

"Why do this to yourself? No matter how pitiful you are, I’ll never fall for you."

"If you can't have my love, that doesn’t mean you should throw yourself away. Causing a scene in public, heh, do you really think any man will take you seriously after this?"

The fabric of my dress had been yanked so high it was nearly at my chest, yet my brother still refused to let go.

Instead of backing down, Nicholas’s words only seemed to fuel his aggression.

"If you don’t want to embarrass yourself any further, then get out."

Clutching my torn neckline, I rasped out in defiance.

"As a family member of the event’s organizer, I was personally invited to attend this dinner. None of you have the right to throw me out!"

After saying this, a stunned silence fell over the crowd.

"Family of the organizer? But the organizer of this ceremony is the legendary Rosendale tycoon, Victor Lexington. His cross-border trade empire spans the globe and his wealth is immeasurable. He’s a true powerhouse."

"But isn’t Mr. Lexington an orphan with no known relatives? Wait… could she be his wife?"

The red-hatted reporter’s eyes widened in excitement while my brother, who had been gripping my arm, suddenly froze.

Before he could react, Nicholas, who had been watching the spectacle unfold, abruptly stood up. He strode toward me, towering over me with a sharp, scrutinizing gaze.

His brows furrowed, his voice laced with an unexplainable anger.

"Isla, what exactly do you mean by that?"

"In the years you’ve been away from me, have you been fooling around with other men?"

His tone dripped with jealousy, coated in biting sarcasm.

In my past life, I had stepped into the entertainment industry without hesitation just for him. I struggled relentlessly just to keep up with his footsteps.

When he suffered a major financial loss on an investment, I sold the shares my parents had left me, doing everything in my power to help him.

In return, he finally accepted my affection and agreed to an engagement.

I had naively believed my sincerity had moved him. I never expected he had only used me, tricking me out of my fortune to finance a film for Alessia.

A million-dollar production tailored entirely for her. When I finally uncovered the truth, he looked me in the eye and said, without a shred of guilt.

"She has potential, she just needs an opportunity. Someone as privileged as you wouldn’t understand the struggles of a rising actress. I had to help her."