That evening, the grand ballroom of the Grand Sapphire Hotel sparkled like a night sky littered with stars. Its white marble floor reflected the dazzling luminescence of the massive crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling. This was the anniversary gala for Nexus Global—the most exclusive event in the city, attended only by top-tier business tycoons and the elite social circle.

Mr. Wijaya and Mrs. Ratna had managed to sneak inside after bribing the security staff with the very last of their money. They wore old designer outfits forced to look luxurious—a pitiful attempt to mask their ruin. They had only one objective: find an investor or anyone willing to lend them enough cash to settle their debts with Nexus Global.

"Remember," Mr. Wijaya whispered threateningly to his wife, "find anyone we can use. We cannot leave here empty-handed."

Mrs. Ratna nodded nervously, her eyes scanning the room like a hawk. However, every time they tried to approach someone, people immediately walked away the moment they realized who had arrived. The news of the Wijaya family's bankruptcy was already common knowledge among the elite.

Suddenly, the orchestral music came to a halt. A dead silence washed over the entire hall. The main doors swung wide open, and the master of ceremonies announced in a booming voice:

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our guest of honor tonight—the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Nexus Global, Mr. Aris!"

All eyes turned toward the entrance. Aris walked in with a calm, deliberate, and commanding stride. His black three-piece tuxedo fit him impeccably, amplifying the powerful, authoritative aura radiating from his every move. Beside him, there was no woman—only Andi, his loyal assistant, standing tall and vigilant like a shadow.

The Wijayas froze in the corner of the room. Mrs. Ratna’s mouth hung open as she watched her "worthless son-in-law"—the man she used to force into washing her feet—surrounded by billionaires bowing their heads in deep respect.

"That... that's impossible," Mr. Wijaya muttered, his legs trembling violently. "How could he..."

Aris strode toward the center of the hall. Everyone he passed bowed respectfully—not out of fear, but in solemn recognition of the man's absolute power. Aris stopped in front of the microphone, his eyes sweeping across the ballroom before pausing briefly on the disheveled couple cowering in the far corner.

His expression remained completely unreadable. A faint smirk touched his lips—a smile that made Mr. Wijaya feel as though he were standing on the edge of a sheer cliff.

"Good evening, everyone," Aris's voice filled the hall, clear and resonant. "Thank you for joining us to celebrate the growth of Nexus Global. Tonight, I am pleased to announce that our market position has grown even stronger, thanks to... our recent acquisition of several key assets."

Mr. Wijaya felt the air choke in his throat. He knew Aris was referring to Bella’s apartment.

Suddenly, Mrs. Ratna, having lost all reason out of sheer desperation, broke free from her husband's grip. She charged through the crowd straight toward Aris.

"Aris! Aris, listen to me!" Mrs. Ratna screamed.

The guests gasped in shock. Security guards moved instantly, but Aris raised a hand, signaling them to hold back. Mrs. Ratna came to a halt right in front of Aris, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her makeup starting to run.

"You... you have to help us! We are your family!" Mrs. Ratna shrieked in a humiliating, raspy tone. "Don't leave us to rot like this! Remember who gave you a roof over your head for an entire year!"

A suffocating silence fell over the hall. Billionaires and socialites whispered among themselves, looking down on the scene with utter contempt. Aris stared at Mrs. Ratna, then glanced past her toward Mr. Wijaya, who stood frozen in the distance, pale as a corpse.

"Family?" Aris asked, his tone mocking as if hearing a cruel joke. He stepped forward, leaning in until he was mere inches from Mrs. Ratna's face, allowing her to see the icy glare in his eyes. "Mrs. Ratna, for an entire year, I was nothing more than a servant in your house. You never treated me like family. You treated me like a parasite."

Aris exhaled softly, then turned around to face his distinguished guests.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this woman is my ex-mother-in-law. She is the very person who threw a glass of ice water in my face on my wedding anniversary, simply because I didn't bring money home."

A collective gasp of disgust rippled through the crowd, all directed at Mrs. Ratna. Her face flushed a deep, humiliated red as she felt her entire world collapse into ash.

"Now," Aris turned back to Mrs. Ratna, "do you still consider me family worthy of your pleas for help?"

Aris gestured casually to the security team. "Escort her out. She was not invited."

Two large security officers immediately grabbed Mrs. Ratna’s arms firmly. Mr. Wijaya, who attempted to step forward and intervene, was dragged out right along with her. The entire humiliation unfolded before hundreds of the city's most prominent figures. The Wijaya family’s ruin was no longer a quiet tragedy; it was a public spectacle.

Up on the second-floor balcony, Bella watched the entire scene unfold. She had just arrived, hoping to speak with Aris, but she was too late. She had watched her own parents be utterly humiliated in front of the city's elite by the man she once loved.

Her heart ached terribly. Not because she was defending her parents' actions, but because the Aris she once knew was completely gone—replaced by a man so merciless in his pursuit of vengeance.

As Aris looked up toward the balcony, their eyes met. Bella didn't look away this time. She stared down at him, her gaze brimming with deep pain and unanswered questions.

Aris met her gaze with a blank, emotionless face, but beneath the table, his hand holding the wine glass trembled violently. The game had reached its point of no return, and there was no turning back now.