I have had a crush on my stepbrother, James, for ten years, but he has always been indifferent.

One day, he brought his girlfriend home.

I politely said, "Hello, Emily."

The next second, James yelled at me, "Like hell you do!"

*****

After my mother, Sarah's funeral, I returned to the Anderson family.

Six years had passed, and seeing James again, my heart still dimmed instantly.

When he opened the door and saw me, his expression froze.

But the next second, his eyes turned icy again, just like they did when his mother committed suicide and he looked at me.

All these years, he still hated me.

Emily sat on the sofa, she is his secretary and girlfriend.

When she saw me, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, but she still gave me a bright smile.

"Hello, Ms. King."

I politely responded, "Hello, Emily."

But the next second, the suitcase beside me was kicked over. James' delicate face was filled with anger as he yelled, "Like hell you do!"

Emily's face turned slightly pale. I lowered my head and said nothing, taking in the coldness in his gaze.

He quickly calmed down and looked at me coldly. "What? Couldn't stay in Lantis? Didn't you refuse to come back for ten years?"

I bit my lip, unsure of what to say.

At that moment, Emily stood up and walked over, skillfully wrapping her hand around James' arm. Her bright smile turned sarcastic.

"Ms. King, now that your mother has passed away, you have no more ties to the Anderson family. There's no need to stay here, right?"

I looked up at James. His expression was as unchanged as before, calm and unruffled.

Emily seemed to take that as approval, her sharp eyes glancing at me with disdain.

"Didn't you write in your diary that you love James and would do anything for him? Then you should leave quickly and make everyone happy..."

My mind buzzed.

He had read my diary and even shown it to Emily.

I have loved James since I was a child.

Until the year I turned seventeen, he went from being the boy next door to my stepbrother.

That year, he was twenty.

Anyway, there was no blood relation, so it was not a big deal.

But he said, "Olivia, I will eventually drive you out of the Anderson family."

But I never took it seriously and continued to follow him around like a shadow.

One night after self-study in high school, a male classmate who lived nearby was asked by the teacher to walk me home and was seen by James.

"Olivia, go date properly. I hope you don't get into college and disgrace your mother."

He said coldly, but I thought he was jealous.

It seemed like there was a glimmer of hope between us, so I studied hard, wanting to get into the same college as him.

"James! I will be with you!"

I thought our relationship had improved, but on the day my admission letter arrived, his mother jumped off a building and committed suicide.

It was depression.

It was then that I learned Sarah was the third party between his parents.

The cause of the depression was thus revealed.

I suddenly understood the cold and disgusted look in James' eyes. He had known about Sarah and Daniel's relationship for a long time. He genuinely hated me.

A bloodstained river separated us, and I had no right to stand with him anymore.

Since then, I have never seen the gentle gaze of James again.

He had become completely melancholic.

He continued, "Olivia, do you know how much I hate you?"

Yes, he hated me, and it was only natural and rightful.

Facing this face that wanted to tear me apart, I couldn't argue back a single word. All I could do was cry and apologize, "I'm sorry..."

I loved him.

Even after escaping to Lantis for ten years, my guilt and unrequited love remained.

Since the last time James left the Anderson family with Emily, he hadn't returned.

Sarah passed away, Daniel ended up in the ICU, and the company was in chaos without its two key pillars. Major shareholders began to spread fear, forcing Daniel to step down, plunging the company into a state of paralysis.

But the Anderson Group was the culmination of my mom and Daniel's decade-long efforts. I couldn't let others take advantage and seize it.

So I decided to start from within. The situation was dire, but perhaps unity could help us survive.

I arranged a meeting with the company's shareholders, but when I entered the private room, I was met by a group of wealthy, middle-aged men, each with a sexy woman in their arms, all grinning exaggeratedly at me.

There were shareholders of the Anderson Group, as well as business owners who had a prominent presence in Azureville and cooperate with the Anderson Group.

Among these faces, I saw only one pair of sharp eyes.

It was James.

When he saw me, his eyes ignited with a long-lost fury.

Why was he here?

"Ms. King, it's been years! You've grown into a fine young lady!"

The small-eyed middle-aged man closest to me stood up, squinting with a smile. "You really carry the charm of your mother, Sarah, from her younger days!"

I recognized his face, vaguely recalling him from the Anderson family events, though back then, Daniel was the one towering over everyone.

Others chimed in. "Truly, the student has become the teacher!"

After those brief compliments came the blatant probing. "You and James really are a united sibling front today, aren't you?"

The man's shifty eyes darted between James and me, trying to read our expressions.

After all, the tension between James and my mom was no secret in Azureville. Everyone knew the likelihood of us standing together was slim.

I glanced at James, who was already looking at me with rare gentleness.

He knew me well enough to trust that I wouldn't let the Anderson family's assets fall into the wrong hands.

But I also knew him well enough to understand he wouldn't accept my goodwill, nor could I allow him to. Though I craved his softer gaze, I couldn't take a single step towards him.

I had consulted trustworthy businessmen Sarah had known. Apart from aligning with James, the only other option was to consolidate our shareholders to weaken any third-party influence.

I had to protect the Anderson Group this way.

I lowered my gaze and replied calmly, "I came here today for myself."

A brief silence followed by endless murmurs ensued.

"I told you, there's deep-seated hatred between them..."

The man beside me chuckled and casually draped an arm over my shoulder. "Doing it for yourself is great! But let's see if your business skills match Sarah's."

Though I was mentally prepared, the stench of alcohol and food on him still made me instinctively struggle a bit.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw James stand up. When I looked over, Emily had already grabbed his sleeve.

Steadying myself, I plastered a smile on my face and said to the man beside me, "I'm new to the Anderson Group and hope to learn a lot from you all."

He smiled again. "Then have a drink with me first."

He pulled me onto the sofa and handed me a bottle of beer.

I glanced at James, who had sat back down and lit a cigarette. I couldn't see his expression.

Emily was looking at me, her eyes full of resentment.

I took it all in, grabbed the beer, and took a sip, the strong taste making me choke.

So bitter.

But the man laughed heartily, his eyes filled with a lecherous light. "That's more like it! More, more..."

Since I walked in, James hadn't said a word, sitting in the corner with a heavy aura. Emily, on the other hand, played the role of the hostess. Seeing me like this, she didn't back down. "Since Ms. King has made it clear that she's against us, let's see what we can each do."

With that, she downed her drink.

A snide voice came from beside me. "What kind of skills do you have."

Emily gave the man a seductive smile, vibrant and bold, but all I saw was her shattered pride.

The company was in a dire situation. She stood by James' side, capable and humble.

The three of us had grown up together, and unlike my hidden feelings, she openly loved James for many years. She used to call me James' shadow and saw me as a rival, even giving up her promising future to be his secretary.

She sacrificed a lot for James. They were intimate lovers and business partners.

I should feel happy that he found someone like her, but seeing his cold gaze, my heart still shattered into pieces.

The one standing by his side could never be me.

So, James, don't look back. You must always hate me.

Allowing the man beside me to pull me into his arms, I put on a fawning smile, presenting a completely different image from what James remembered. "Come, Bob, let me toast you again."

James' eyes remained icy, not even glancing at me.

After drinking countless glasses, the man's hand began to roam over my arm. I endured the disgust, trying to break free.

But I felt dizzy, and my stomach started to ache.

Suddenly, James' unsteady figure appeared in my line of sight. He yanked me out of the man's embrace. "Olivia!"

The room fell silent, whispers starting again. The man beside me, now angry, dropped his friendly disguise. "James, what do you mean by this?"

Before he could finish, James' rough handling made my stomach churn. I rushed out to the restroom and vomited until I was dizzy.