Brad''s expression darkened. "Michelle, Stefan is your brother. And for the record, when your mother left thepany to me, it was just a small business. I was the one who built it into a publicly traded corporation. You threw away your own future for a man. That''s your own fault."


    "No! I won''t let you give the Snowden Group to Stefan! If you dare, my mother''s ghost will haunt you forever!" Michelle screamed.


    Her threats didn''t faze Brad in the slightest.


    He rose to his feet, looking down at her. "You''ve lost your mind. I''ll get you awyer, but you''ll have to face the consequences of what you did."


    With that, he turned and walked away.


    Michelle''s eyes burned with fury and hatred.


    "Dad! Don''t go! You can''t do this to me! Dad! I know I was wrong! Come back!" she screamed after him.


    No matter how much she yelled, Brad never looked back.


    Despair crept into her expression as her screams faded.


    For the next half-month, Brandon and Vrie didn''t contact each other.


    It was a standoff, both waiting to see who would cave first.


    At the end of the month, N and her family returned from abroad. She called Vrie, saying she had brought her a gift and told her toe pick it up when she had time.


    Vrie got the call right after work and drove straight over, not expecting to run into Brandon at the vi''s entrance.


    They hadn''t seen each other in two weeks. The moment she spotted him, her heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively halted.


    Just as she was about to greet him, Brandon walked right past her as if she were invisible.


    Watching his cold, indifferent back, Vrie pressed her lips together and took a deep breath before following him inside.


    By the time she entered the living room, Brandon was already on the couch, chatting with Damon and N.


    N spotted her and immediately called out, "Vrie,e here!


    two didn''t run into each other


    Brandon just got here as well. You


    outside?


    Vrie nced at Brandon. Seeing that he had no intention of answering, she simply nodded. "No, we didn''t."


    N sensed the tension but didn''t press. Smiling, she handed Vrie a jewelry box. "Here, I got you a present. Open it."


    Vrie lifted the lid, stunned by the dazzling array of essories inside. "These..... are for me?"


    N nodded, "Yeap! We visited several countries. Every time I saw something pretty, I bought two-one for me, one for you. Eventually it g?t hard to carry them all, so I bought this jewelry box to keep them Do you like them?"


    "I love them! Thank you, N!" Vrie eximed.


    No woman could resist beautiful essories.


    N took her hand. "I have another gift for you upstairs. It''s a private one. Come with me."


    Vrie blinked. "What kind of gift?"


    "You''ll see."


    Setting down the jewelry box, Vrie followed N to the bedroom.


    N pulled a box from her closet


    and handed it to her. "I saw this dress while I was abroad and


    immediately thought of you Try it on and see if it fits