---
"I won't stop destroying your life until you're nothing but a corpse."
In a dark alleyway, Kayla stood with a few companions, engaged in an illegal transaction.
"This is the chip you asked for, dear Mr. Alex," Kayla said, handing him a small data chip with a pleasant smile.
"Good. With this, I'll stop interfering with your group. From now on, we're on good terms," Mr. Alex replied.
Kayla gave a slight smile, saying nothing.
---
At the central headquarters, inside a secret room, Kayla, Ale, and a key figure named Roy were gathered.
"Mr. Alex took the bait," Kayla reported.
"Good job, Kayla. That bastard thought Cakra was someone he could mess with," Roy said coldly.
"And what about Violet? How's her progress?" he asked.
"Smooth as always. She's playing her part perfectly," Ale replied with a crooked grin.
"And Recandra?" Roy asked.
"I did it. I made his family turn against him. I'm sure they'll make his little brother, David, the main heir of Zenith," Kayla said confidently.
"Once Zenith's ownership transfers to David, it'll be easy to take over the company. The kid's naive and easy to manipulate," Ale added.
"David's still in college in the U.S. He'll probably finish in about a year," Roy said.
"I'm guessing the family will hand Zenith over to their youngest within a year or two after he graduates. They're getting old—it's time for them to step down."
"Alright, that part of the plan can wait," Ale nodded.
"I agree. But what about Cakra's underground business?" Roy asked.
"Cakra has monopolized ten percent of the black market in Asia, thirty percent in Australia, and forty percent in Europe," Ale explained.
"And in terms of illegal arms and drug trafficking via sea routes, Cakra's already taken control," Kayla added.
---
In a student apartment overseas, David sat under the starlit sky, his phone in hand, waiting for a message from Kayla, who had always been there for him despite her busy schedule.
Ping! A message came in.
Kayla: "Feeling moody again, huh?"
David smiled and typed a reply.
David: "You psychic or something? How'd you know I'm down tonight?"
Seconds later, another message came in.
Kayla: "Dumbass. It's obvious. It's late over there, and you always get like this around now. I knew you were waiting for my message."
David chuckled. She was right—he always waited for her messages.
David: "Why hasn't Recandra reached out to me lately?"
Kayla: "Well… it's hard to explain. I didn't want to worry you."
David: "What happened to him?"
Kayla: "Let's just say… he's not the same person anymore. And we broke up a long time ago. You need to be careful around him, David. He's incredibly manipulative. He even fooled me for years."
David hesitated. Something in him doubted her words, but at the same time, he felt they could be true.
Kayla: "Don't worry. I've got your back. You're like a little brother to me."
A photo popped up in their chat. David opened it—it was a picture of Recandra sitting close with a woman, Catrine.
Kayla: "Look at him, your dear brother. If he plays with hearts so easily, what makes you think your future is safe in his hands?"
David's chest burned with emotion.
David: "What the hell… You taught me never to mess with girls, but look at you, Recandra. What a fucking hypocrite."
David: "Where did you get this picture?"
Kayla: "What's the matter, Dav? Curious to see more?"
She sent ten more photos—each showing Recandra and Catrine together, close, in different places.
David: "Thanks for showing me the truth."
David immediately searched his contacts for his brother's number. Scrolling down, he finally found it and made the call.
Meanwhile, across the world…
Recandra sat alone in the backyard of his private mansion. Since his relationship with his parents had soured, he rarely returned home. He had more than enough of his own assets to manage anyway.
His phone rang.
Seeing it was his younger brother, he answered.
"Hey, that's a surprise—"
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" David yelled, cutting him off.
"Wait, what the hell is this about?" Recandra asked, confused.
"Don't play dumb, you lying bastard! I know what you did!"
"I seriously have no idea what you're talking about, Dav. Calm down and tell me—"
"Save your bullshit! I've got proof of what you did!"
A flood of images came in. Recandra opened them. His eyes narrowed—it was the photos of him and Catrine.
"Where'd you get these? Are you really going to believe those without question?"
"I got them from Kayla, your ex—someone you betrayed! I can't believe you! You always told me to respect women, and here you are screwing around like trash!"
"Dav, listen to me. It's not what it looks like. Kayla is really good at twisting things—she knows how to make people trust her."
"Cut the crap! Kayla's been supporting me this whole time—not like you, you selfish piece of shit!"
"I know it's hard to believe, but I'm telling you—Kayla's manipulative. She even had me fooled for years."
"Oh really? Then where's your damn proof? You've got nothing but your own words!"
"I'm not lying to you—"
"Save it. I don't believe a damn word out of your mouth anymore!"
The line went dead.
Recandra stared at his phone, his fingers clenched tightly around it.
"You actually did it… You really ruined my life," he muttered, staring up at the cold, starlit sky.
He never imagined Kayla would go this far.
--