He Called Me Disloyal, Then Lost His Empire

It just so happened that my brother had come from Emperor Bay that evening, sent by our parents to reason with me and stop me from being so stubborn. He arrived just in time to drag me away from a group of capos who clearly had ill intentions toward me. Who would have thought that simply taking me to a safe hideout to rest would be intercepted by someone with a hidden agenda? No wonder Sebastian had been acting so distant ever since that night—cold at times, yet forcing himself to appear warm and approachable. It turned out he had been bottling up his feelings all along. He had waited until I had secured the allegiance of key families and quietly leveraged my family’s influence to help him claim the leadership position he wanted for his own territory. Tonight, finally, he chose to explode. I couldn’t help but feel hurt by his lack of trust. And yet, he was also the first man I had ever truly fallen for. I didn’t want this misunderstanding to tear us apart. Even more, I didn’t want my parents to learn that my first true, consuming love had ended before it ever really began. After all, I had fled Emperor Bay to escape the marriage they had planned for me. I wanted the freedom to choose my own partner, to stand as an equal beside someone, not be trapped in a loveless alliance orchestrated for power. But I had never confided this to anyone—not even Sebastian. I feared that if he discovered I was the heiress of the Elite Circles, he would feel crushed beneath the weight of my status, insecure and overwhelmed. Since childhood, every man around me had only ever wanted me for my position. I despised those calculated displays of affection, those compliments dripping with hidden agendas. But Sebastian—when he looked at me, his eyes held nothing but stars. The memory of how perfect things had been made a bitter laugh escape me. “What are you laughing at?” Sebastian’s frown cut through me, his voice sharp with disdain. “How can you laugh at a time like this?” I lifted my head, holding his gaze without flinching. “Do you honestly think I climbed to the top by sleeping with other dons?” “Then what else have you done?” he sneered, his voice icy. “Tell me—what else could you have done that deserves any respect?” It felt as if invisible hands had squeezed my heart, tightening until every breath became a struggle. I drew in a steadying breath and spoke slowly. “The man in that image… is my brother.” “Your… brother?” Celeste’s laughter rang sharp and cruel. “Do you take us for fools? A ‘sworn brother’ your real brother? Or is that what you call every man you deal with? Must admit, that does make things… more interesting!” The laughter around me grew louder, sharp and mocking; someone even whistled mockingly. Sebastian’s eyes were ice. “Enough,” he said, voice cutting through the noise. “Stop humiliating yourself. Take your exile notice and leave. From this moment, you no longer exist to me or to this family.” I gripped the letter tightly, feeling only emptiness crawl through me. For five years, I had hidden my true identity, living as a low-profile operative in his organization, working tirelessly to help him rise to power. And now, after personally laying the path to his dominance, he was ready to cast me aside like a used tool. I could endure loss—but I would not be made a fool. The last five years of my youth might have been wasted on an ungrateful Don, but I would not break. “Sebastian… you’ll regret this,” I whispered, low and deadly. Sebastian’s reaction was laughter, sharp and mocking, as though I had just made the world’s most absurd joke. “Regret?” he barked. “The only thing I’ll regret is ever meeting a faithless heiress like you!” He extended his hand toward Celeste. The two exchanged a triumphant smile and strode together to the center of the ballroom. It was only then that I noticed—their matching ceremonial attire, a designer set of dark tailored suits and a flowing gown of deep crimson. He raised their joined hands high, his voice loud and commanding over the gathered family heads. “Tomorrow marks the most crucial day in the history of our territory—our ascension! None of this would have been possible without the effort of every capo and soldier here. Together, we shall continue to rise to greatness!” The room erupted in cheers, the walls shaking with applause and the clinking of glasses, the air electric with loyalty and ambition.

The endless praise for Sebastian and Celeste, hailed as the golden couple of the family, rang in my ears like grinding metal. Sebastian’s gaze swept over me, indifferent, as if I were nothing more than a shadow slipping through the grand hall. I felt utterly invisible, a ghost among men who had once claimed to respect me. Staring at the man I had devoted five years of my heart and loyalty to, it finally hit me why my parents had always warned me about my judgment. They were right—I had been blind, hopelessly blind. I hadn’t realized that Celeste, his ever-loyal partner-in-waiting, had been entwined with him all along, hiding in plain sight while I poured everything into his rise. Being a Frost had never made me incapable of maneuvering through the treacherous corridors of power. I had the cunning to lift him to the pinnacle of our family’s influence, and just as easily, I could tear him down from the heights he now occupied. Clutching the resignation papers in my hand, I started to leave that suffocating room of deceit, determined to reclaim some control over my own life. But as soon as I stepped forward, Mr. Webb, the family’s consigliere, materialized before me, a false smile plastered on his face. “Arwen,” he said, adjusting his glasses with a practiced air of authority, his tone a thin veneer of civility over steel. “No need to rush off just yet. Before stepping down, you’ll need to sign a declaration affirming that none of your actions while under this family’s roof continue to affect our business. You’ll also be required to sign a binding non-compete clause—preventing you from leveraging your connections to steal clients or allies once you leave.” Not long ago, I had been Sebastian’s partner, respected and feared, my ability to broker alliances earning me the deference of everyone in the room. Mr. Webb had once bowed to me, addressing me as “Mrs. Veylor” with every ounce of calculated reverence. That time had passed. Now, he looked down at me with a smug, self-satisfied grin, as if diminishing me could restore his own sense of power. I studied his pathetic display and replied, voice cold as steel. “A declaration? A non-compete? And why, exactly, would I ever sign either of them?” His smile vanished, replaced with a hard, sharp edge. “Because of your dirty little schemes. The family has already shown mercy by not pressing charges. Do not mistake our restraint for weakness.” I laughed, bitter, sharp, and unrestrained. “Dirty schemes? Evidence? Or are you referring to those conveniently misinterpreted images?” Celeste sauntered forward, heels clicking on the polished marble floor, her manicured finger jabbed toward my phone. “Isn’t the proof right there in your device? Who knows how many contacts you’ve hoarded? Step out of here, and who’s to say you won’t use them one by one to secure a new alliance?” Before I could react, Mr. Webb lunged for my phone. My fingers brushed it—but then it was gone. “Give it back!” I snapped. Celeste snatched it with a triumphant smirk, retreating just enough to mock me fully. “Look at you, so nervous. Clearly, there’s more you don’t want anyone seeing.” She turned to Sebastian, prompting him to try unlocking it. They tested every possible code—his birthday, mine, even the day we had first acknowledged each other as partners in the family—but the device stayed locked. Sebastian’s patience snapped. He ripped the phone from her hands and barked at the security men to restrain me. He tried the facial recognition feature—but multiple failures forced the system to default to the passcode. “What’s the password?” he demanded, voice low and dangerous. Since the day we had formally aligned, the passcode had always been the date he first admitted his feelings. I could almost smile at the irony—he had forgotten. Not surprising. Failing to access my phone in front of the family only deepened his humiliation. His pride crumbled, his expression darkening as a storm of rage built within him, second by second. “You keep insisting those photos were a misunderstanding—so why change your password?” he spat, irritation heavy in every word. “It’s the date you first confessed to me,” I said, calm, steady. Sebastian froze, struggling to recall that moment. His expression twisted into a chaotic swirl of confusion, anger, and something dangerously close to regret—a masterpiece of emotion undone. I wrenched free from the guards’ grip, snatching my phone back. Sebastian watched in silence as I unlocked it effortlessly. His lips parted, as if to speak—but no words came. The tension between us hung heavy, like a winter storm frozen over the family estate.

Without a second of warning, Sebastian lunged forward and tore my phone straight from my hands. His thumb flew violently across the screen, movements sharp, frantic, and fueled by rage as he scrolled with a single-minded purpose—hunting for proof of a betrayal he had already sentenced me for in his mind. Then his movements stopped. His entire body stiffened, shoulders locking as his eyes fixed on a single image. A close-up photograph filled the screen—me standing shoulder to shoulder with a man, our faces unmistakably clear beneath the cold glow of a streetlight outside a private club. My brother. For a heartbeat, the room went eerily still. Then whatever restraint Sebastian had left shattered completely. “Oh, Arwen,” he sneered, lifting the phone high as though it were a prized trophy. “Isn’t this beautiful? Look at that—caught red-handed. The proof is staring us all in the face. So tell me… what excuse are you planning to crawl out with now?” “I already told you the truth—that man is my brother!” I shouted, twisting violently as the guards tightened their grip on my arms. “Give me back my phone! This is theft. You’re slandering me—and violating my privacy!” I didn’t even finish the sentence. Sebastian’s hand lashed out. The crack echoed sharply through the hall as pain exploded across my cheek. My vision flashed white, the sting blinding and immediate. Before I could even process the impact, he lifted my phone and hurled it down with brutal force. The device smashed against the marble floor. The screen shattered instantly, fragments scattering across the tiles like splintered glass, skidding toward my feet in sharp, useless pieces. My face burned as I clutched my cheek, fury roaring through my veins. I surged forward on instinct, ready to strike back, ready to tear into him—but the family’s enforcers seized me again, locking my arms behind my back with crushing force. That reaction only fed him. Sebastian’s lips curved into a cold, vicious smile, the kind that came from absolute contempt. “Don’t play innocent with me,” he said, every word dripping with disdain. “Do you really think you climbed that high in this family without spreading your legs? And don’t insult me by pretending you did it for my sake—that’s disgusting.” I lifted my head slowly, forcing myself to meet his eyes. The disappointment hit harder than the slap, crashing over me like a tidal wave. “Sebastian,” I said hoarsely, my voice shaking despite myself, “do you really need to degrade me like this?” He let out a slow, mocking laugh. “Degrade you? You should be grateful I’m even acknowledging you. Do you honestly believe someone like you deserves dignity?” The weight in my chest became unbearable—anger, humiliation, betrayal, all twisted together until it felt like I couldn’t breathe. “Fine,” I said through clenched teeth. “If you refuse to hear the truth, then let internal affairs handle it. We’ll see who’s actually filthy here—you, with your lies, or me, with the crimes you invented.” “Internal affairs?” He stepped closer, his eyes glinting with cruel amusement. “You still think you have leverage?” His sneer deepened. “You might not care about your name, but I care very much about mine.” Then his voice dropped, sharp and final. “Thank God we were never married. If you’d become my wife, you would’ve been the biggest stain on my life.” My gaze drifted downward to the shattered remains of my phone. And something inside me finally snapped. “After everything you’ve done,” I said coldly, my voice eerily calm, “you can forget about your ascension tomorrow, Sebastian.” The hall exploded with laughter. “Have you completely lost your mind?” Celeste clutched her stomach, laughing so hard she nearly bent in half. Sebastian shook his head, smirking. “Listen to yourself. Who do you think you are? You actually believe you have the power to stop this family from rising?” His eyes glittered with mockery. “What—do you think you’re some kind of Queen of the Elite Circles? That one word from you could bring my coronation crashing down?” I lifted my head and met his gaze without flinching. “That’s exactly who I am,” I said evenly. “And the man in those photos? That’s my brother—Dorian Frost.” The laughter didn’t stop. It grew louder. Mr. Webb slammed his hand against the table, wheezing with amusement. “She’s completely lost it!” “If you’re the head of the Elite Circles,” he cackled, “then I must be Arthur Frost himself!” “Yes! Exactly!” others shouted. “If she’s the Queen of the Elite Circles, I’ll eat dirt right here!” I slowly swept my gaze across them, lips curling into a cold, disdainful smile. “Arthur Frost is my father,” I said calmly. “Not a title for ignorant men who bark the loudest without knowing who they’re biting.” Their laughter faltered—but I didn’t stop. “You don’t believe me? Of course you don’t. Men like you—who follow whoever shouts the loudest and spew filth without thinking—are used to swallowing garbage every single day.” My words landed like bullets. The room erupted into chaos. “Believe you?” someone shouted. “You’re nothing but a woman who slept her way to power!” Mockery echoed from every corner, laughter bouncing cruelly off the walls. Sebastian shook his head, his expression a blend of disgust and feigned pity. “Enough. Get out, Arwen. You’re polluting my territory. Never associate yourself with me again.” My fists clenched so tightly my nails cut into my palms. Rage surged—but I forced it down. “Fine,” I said quietly. “I’ll go.” I looked at them one last time, my voice steady, sharp as steel. “But remember this—every humiliation you poured on me tonight will be returned a hundredfold.” More laughter followed. “Payback? Seriously?” someone scoffed. Celeste clung to Sebastian’s arm, laughing breathlessly. “Arwen, have you been watching too many crime dramas? Talking about revenge like you’re some tragic heroine.” Sebastian waved his hand dismissively. “Enough theatrics. Get lost. We have a celebration to enjoy.” I didn’t answer. I turned and walked away. Behind me, insults and laughter chased my steps—but they no longer mattered. Outside the grand hall, beneath the cold city night, I bought a new phone and dialed a familiar number. “Before the markets open tomorrow,” I said calmly, “I want Sebastian destroyed.” There was a brief pause. Then a deep voice replied, steady and absolute. “Understood, Miss Frost.” I cut the call and looked up into the darkened sky, a calm, icy smile slowly curving my lips. Sebastian—you believed you had claimed victory. Unfortunate for you. The real battle was only starting. And since you chose cruelty— You’ll receive none in return.