BRUSHSTROKES OF REVENGE

The moment the private room door clicked shut behind them, Ana exploded into laughter so violent she nearly folded in half. She clutched her stomach, gasping for air, tears streaming down her cheeks.

”Hahaha—Minny—oh my God—did you see Zara’s face?” she wheezed between fits of laughter. ”She looked like she wanted to dig a hole, crawl in, and pull the dirt over herself!”

Mindy set her handbag on the sofa, her lips twitching. ”I did.”

Ana straightened, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, still hiccupping with laughter. ”And Missy! Did you see that fake smile? It looked like her jaw was about to dislocate from the effort. I swear, if she held it any longer, her face would’ve applied for workers’ compensation.”

The image flashed through Mindy’s mind—Missy’s frozen grin, trembling at the edges—and she burst out laughing.

Ana pointed dramatically toward an imaginary stage. ”And our dear Refrigerator!”

Mindy blinked. ”Refrigerator?”

Ana nodded solemnly, as if announcing a national holiday. ”Layton. That man is colder than the freezer section of a supermarket. I refuse to call him by his name. From today onward, he is Refrigerator Knight.”

Mindy laughed so hard she nearly spilled her drink. ”I’ve missed you.”

Ana flipped her hair with mock arrogance. ”I know. I’m hilarious. It’s a burden, really.” She leaned closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially.

”Did you see his face when you were singing? He looked like his entire operating system crashed. Like someone unplugged him mid-update.”

Mindy shrugged, her smile calm. ”None of my business anymore.”

Ana snapped her fingers. ”Exactly! That’s the spirit!

Both women continued laughing.

Just then, the five young men who had been waiting inside the room stood up politely. All of them were dressed in tailored suits, their smiles professional and charming. They weren’t escorts—at least not officially.

They were VIP entertainment hosts employed by the Nightingale Club, trained to provide conversation, karaoke, and the illusion of undivided attention.

One of them, tall and broad-shouldered, smiled warmly. ”Miss Bose, it’s an honor to see you again.”

Ana pointed dramatically toward Mindy. ”Forget me. This gorgeous lady is tonight’s VIP.”

Immediately, the men turned toward Mindy like sunflowers tracking sunlight.

One placed a hand over his chest dramatically. ”I suddenly understand what people mean when they say beauty can steal your breath.”

Another sighed wistfully. ”I should’ve become a poet. Alas, I chose accounting.”

A third clasped his hands together. ”If I die tonight, at least I’ll die having seen perfection.”

Mindy blinked, caught between amusement and disbelief. ”You all flirt with every customer, don’t you?”

The tallest one nodded shamelessly. ”It’s part of the job description. We’re trained professionals.”

Ana clapped her hands. ”See? Professionals! I paid good money for this. Please admire my best friend properly. I expect at least three metaphors and one haiku by the end of the night.”

The room erupted into laughter.

Within minutes, the table was covered with drinks, fruit platters, grilled snacks, and desserts. Music filled the air, and someone handed Mindy a microphone. Another challenged Ana to a karaoke battle.

Ana accepted immediately. ”Prepare to lose, peasants!”

Her first note was so off-key that one of the hosts dramatically clutched his chest. ”My ears! They’re filing for divorce!”

Ana threw a napkin at him. ”You’re just jealous of my range!”

”Range?” Mindy teased. ”You went from dolphin to dying walrus in three seconds.”

The room howled with laughter.

Soon, the games began. One of the young men lost a drinking challenge and, according to the rules, had to remove his jacket and show everyone his abs.

The room exploded into teasing.

Ana whistled loudly. ”Not bad! Your gym membership wasn’t wasted. I see at least four abs. The other two are shy.”

The young man laughed helplessly. ”I suddenly regret losing.”

Mindy leaned forward curiously. ”Are those real? I’ve always wondered if people actually have six-packs or if magazines just Photoshop them.”

The man grinned. ”Feel free to verify.”

Ana gasped dramatically. ”Minny! For science!”

Mindy raised one finger, mock-serious. ”For research purposes only.”

Just as her fingertip hovered an inch away—

Outside the room, Missy was smiling.

No—smirking.

After Hannah whispered that Ana’s private room was filled with handsome young men, Missy immediately sensed an opportunity. Her eyes sparkled. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

She turned toward the group with a worried expression. ”I think I should apologize to Sister. It’s been six months. Maybe she’s still angry because of me.”

Drake frowned. ”You don’t need to.”

Missy shook her head, her voice trembling with fake sincerity. ”No. I don’t want our misunderstanding to continue. We’re family, after all.”

Layton remained silent, his expression unreadable.

Finally, Missy looked at everyone hopefully. ”Let’s all go together. I just want to make sure she’s doing well.”

Nobody refused.

Moments later, the entire group stopped outside Ana’s private room. Missy quietly pushed open the door.

What they saw froze them on the spot.

Ana sat comfortably between two handsome men, laughing so hard she nearly dropped her drink. Another young man was teaching her card tricks.

At the center of the room, Mindy was smiling. One of the hosts had just revealed his toned stomach after losing a game.

Mindy leaned forward curiously. ”So they’re actually real? I’ve always wanted to know if six-packs feel like marble.”

She reached out with one finger—

”MINDY!”

Layton’s furious voice exploded through the room like a thunderclap.

Everyone turned.

Ana blinked, then looked at the door. ”Oh. The zoo is open.”

The hosts immediately lowered their heads to hide their laughter.

Mindy slowly withdrew her hand and looked toward the entrance. ”Oh. President Knight. What a coincidence.”

Ana frowned dramatically. ”Coincidence? This looks more like a home invasion. I specifically booked a private room. Can rich people not read signs anymore?”

Layton strode into the room without answering. His cold eyes swept across every man inside. The temperature dropped several degrees.

”Get up,” he ordered, his voice sharp enough to cut glass.

Nobody moved.

Mindy calmly picked up her juice. ”Were you talking to me?”

Layton’s gaze darkened. ”Yes. We’re leaving.”

Mindy took a slow sip, savoring the moment. ”I beg your pardon?”

”We’re going home.”

Ana nearly choked on her drink. ”Home? Did somebody accidentally switch his whiskey with engine oil?”

The room burst into laughter.

Layton ignored them and stepped forward, grabbing Mindy’s wrist. ”Come.”

Before he could take another step, Mindy calmly pulled her hand away. The smile vanished from her face.

”Don’t touch me,” she said coldly. ”It’s disgusting. I don’t know whose hands you’ve been holding.”

Her eyes drifted toward Missy. The meaning was clear.

Missy’s expression stiffened.

Layton’s jaw clenched. ”Mindy.”

She folded her arms. ”What? I was just about to examine whether his abs were real. You interrupted an important scientific experiment.”

The hosts burst into laughter.

Ana leaned against the sofa, nearly crying. ”Exactly! My friend is conducting medical research! You should apologize for interrupting science!”

One host raised his hand solemnly. ”I volunteer for further examination.”

Another added, ”For the advancement of human knowledge.”

The room erupted again. Even Draven Mole lowered his head to hide his grin.

Layton’s expression darkened further.

Drake finally spoke. ”Mindy, what are you doing here with all these men?”

She looked at him as though he’d asked whether water was wet. ”I’m relaxing. I’m drinking. I’m singing. I’m laughing.” She counted each point on her fingers. ”Anything else?”

”You should come home,” Drake said firmly.

Home.

The word made Mindy laugh softly. ”Mr. Hawthorne, I’m twenty-four. I’m an adult. I can decide who I spend time with. And more importantly—” she looked directly at him—”who exactly are you to tell me where my home is?”

Drake froze.

Missy hurried forward, her voice dripping with sugar. ”Sister, you really shouldn’t—”

Mindy immediately covered her mouth dramatically. ”Oh no. I think I’m going to be sick. Could you stop pretending? I’ve already eaten. I don’t need extra artificial sweetener.”

Ana slapped the table. ”Hahahaha!”

One of the hosts laughed so hard he spilled his drink. Even Draven finally failed to suppress a smile.

Layton suddenly grabbed Mindy’s wrist again. ”This is enough. We need to talk.”

This time, Mindy forcefully shook his hand away. Her eyes were cold, her voice sharper than glass. ”President Knight, have you lost your mind? I’ve already told you—I don’t want to go anywhere with you. We’re divorced. There’s nothing left to discuss. If you want company...” She glanced toward Missy. ”...your precious sweetheart is standing right there.”

Ana immediately joined in. ”Exactly! You should stay loyal to your girlfriend. Why are you disturbing two beautiful single women enjoying karaoke? Go refrigerate somewhere else.”

Layton’s patience snapped. ”That’s enough! You’ve had your fun for six months. Now come home.”

Silence.

Then Ana slowly stood up. Her cheerful smile vanished. She looked Layton straight in the eye. ”Home? You two are divorced. Why would she go anywhere with you?”

Layton’s jaw tightened. His voice echoed through the room. ”We are not divorced.”

The room fell silent. Even the music outside seemed to stop.

Ana blinked. ”...Excuse me?”

Draven turned toward Layton.

Drake frowned.

Jagger looked completely lost.

Missy’s expression froze. Only Mike, standing quietly near the doorway, lowered his head. He was the only one who knew the truth.

Mindy stared at Layton for several long seconds before letting out a short laugh.

It wasn’t a happy laugh—it was the kind people made when they heard the most ridiculous joke imaginable.

”President Knight,” she said slowly, ”I personally signed your divorce papers. You signed them too. I even watched your assistant take them away. So... have you started hallucinating?”

A few people exchanged awkward glances.

Layton looked directly into her eyes. ”The papers were signed. But they were never submitted. I never filed them.”

Silence.

Complete silence.

Even Mindy’s smile faded. For the first time that evening, genuine surprise flickered in her eyes.

”...What?”

She hadn’t expected that answer. She had lived eight more years after this day, and during all those years, Layton had continued asking for divorce again and again.

She had simply assumed the first papers had been filed. She never questioned it.

Seeing the shock on her face, Layton felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

Good.

So she hadn’t known. For some reason, that fact loosened the tightness in his chest.

Ana, however, wasn’t buying it. She folded her arms and looked at Layton as though he’d just confessed to eating crayons. ”So let me get this straight. You asked her to sign. You signed. Your assistant took the papers. You watched the whole thing. And then... you forgot to finish the last step?”

Draven covered his mouth, pretending to cough. ”Cough...” The corner of his lips twitched.

Mike silently prayed no one would drag him into this conversation.

Layton ignored Ana’s sarcasm. His gaze never left Mindy. ”I never intended to end this marriage. I only wanted you to stop making scenes because of Missy.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Ana burst into laughter. Not polite laughter. Not a small chuckle. A full, unrestrained laugh that echoed through the room.

”Hahahaha! Oh my God!” She clutched her stomach, gasping for air. ”I’ve met idiots before, but you’re competing for first place! You wanted her to stop making scenes? What were you planning to do next—fake your own funeral to get some peace and quiet?”

Even the five male hosts struggled to hide their smiles. One muttered under his breath, ”Boss, this is better than Netflix.”

Mindy simply looked at Layton.

There was no anger.

No sadness. Only disappointment.

”So,” she said quietly, ”you wanted to scare me. You humiliated me. You believed every accusation. You watched your family mistreat me. And now I’m supposed to appreciate the fact that you forgot to submit the papers?”

She gave him a calm, almost pitying smile. ”I’m afraid your explanation isn’t nearly as romantic as you think it is, President Knight.”