Chapter 2
The rooftop restaurant remained frozen in silence.
No one reached for their wine.
No one spoke.
Every pair of eyes was fixed on Andrew.
The man they had believed was an ordinary office worker.
The man Vanessa had just publicly humiliated.
The helicopter pilot stood patiently, waiting for instructions.
Andrew simply nodded.
"Thank you, Captain."
"I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Yes, sir."
The pilot bowed once more before stepping back toward the private elevator.
Even after he disappeared...
No one moved.
Vanessa forced a laugh.
"This... this has to be some kind of joke."
She looked at the surrounding guests.
"Right?"
Nobody answered.
Instead, one businessman quietly pulled out his phone.
His eyes widened almost instantly.
"Oh my God..."
Another guest leaned over.
"What?"
The businessman slowly turned the screen around.
Displayed across every financial news website was the same photograph.
A younger Andrew.
Standing beside world leaders during an international economic summit.
The headline read:
"Andrew Collins, Founder and Chairman of Collins Global Holdings, Announces $18 Billion Infrastructure Investment."
A woman gasped.
"That's him."
Another whispered,
"...Impossible."
Vanessa snatched the phone from his hands.
Her fingers trembled as she read.
One article.
Then another.
Then another.
Private islands.
Luxury hotels.
Airlines.
Technology companies.
Real estate across three continents.
Everything pointed to one man.
Andrew Collins.
Net worth...
Over sixty billion dollars.
She slowly looked back at him.
"...You've been lying to me."
Andrew answered calmly.
"No."
"I simply never introduced myself with a bank statement."
Vanessa's closest friend, Chloe, suddenly remembered something.
"Wait..."
She looked at Andrew.
"Last year..."
"When we flew to Aspen..."
"The airport staff upgraded all of us without charging."
Andrew smiled politely.
"I made one phone call."
Another guest added,
"And the restaurant in Paris..."
"They closed the entire dining room for us."
Andrew nodded.
"I own the building."
Every memory suddenly made sense.
The impossible reservations.
The mysterious invitations.
The effortless access to places reserved for billionaires.
It had never been luck.
It had been Andrew.
Vanessa's confidence completely collapsed.
"You..."
"...why didn't you tell me?"
Andrew looked out across the glittering skyline.
"Because I wanted to know whether you loved me..."
"...or my money."
His voice remained gentle.
"For three years..."
"I wore ordinary suits."
"I drove an ordinary sedan."
"I never mentioned my businesses."
"I wanted one honest answer."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"And tonight..."
"I got it."
Tears filled Vanessa's eyes.
"No..."
"I didn't mean those things."
"I was angry."
"I was nervous."
"I was joking."
Andrew slowly shook his head.
"No."
"You meant every word."
"You just regret saying them to the wrong man."
The words hit harder than a slap.
Vanessa instinctively reached for his arm.
"Andrew..."
"Please."
"I love you."
Andrew calmly stepped back.
"No."
"You loved the version of me you imagined."
"If I truly were the man you described..."
"You would have left me sitting on one knee."
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Because she knew...
He was right.
Just then...
The restaurant manager hurried toward Andrew.
He bowed respectfully.
"Good evening, Mr. Collins."
"I've just received confirmation."
"The board members have arrived."
"They're waiting for tonight's acquisition meeting."
Several guests frowned.
"What acquisition?"
The manager looked surprised.
"You haven't heard?"
He smiled politely.
"Tomorrow morning, Collins Global officially acquires Morgan Luxury Group."
Vanessa's heart stopped.
Morgan Luxury Group.
Her family's company.
Her father's entire fortune.
She stared at Andrew in disbelief.
"...What did you say?"
The manager continued innocently,
"The purchase agreement was signed this afternoon."
"Control transfers at midnight."
The restaurant erupted into shocked whispers.
Vanessa's breathing became shallow.
"My family's company..."
Andrew met her eyes.
"Yes."
She took one trembling step toward him.
"You bought it?"
Andrew nodded once.
"My legal team finalized the acquisition six hours ago."
Vanessa's voice cracked.
"...Does my father know?"
"He does now."
At that exact moment...
Her phone began vibrating nonstop.
Her father's name flashed across the screen.
Again.
And again.
And again.
With trembling hands, she answered.
"Dad?"
A furious voice exploded through the speaker.
May you like
"Vanessa!"
"What have you done?"
