Chapter 2

2

Cheryl Lockwood looked at Rosalyn and Kayden on the stage, visibly sweating.

"Mrs. Mercer, why take it this far? Our families have been close for generations."

"I truly adore Landon, and didn't you always love Rosalyn? How about Rosalyn becomes your goddaughter, so she can still honor and care for you in the future?"

Rosalyn rushed forward, trying to grab my mother's arm.

"Yes, Mom, I will definitely take good care of you like my own mother."

Seeing this, Kayden chimed in with an oily grin, "Mom, I can be your godson too!"

I was thoroughly disgusted.

Just as I was about to speak, my mother cut me off.

"Stay back, son. I will handle these clowns!"

"You filthy opportunists, your cheap calculations are slapping me right in the face!"

"Do you have any shame at all? The Mercer family will hold you accountable to the very end!"

"Cheryl Lockwood, is this the shameless daughter you raised? You dared to humiliate my son, and I will make sure you learn what the Mercer family is capable of!"

With that, my mother signaled the security guards to throw them all out onto the street.

Within an hour, both of my sisters arrived.

Seeing my downcast expression, my younger sister, Lindsey, was furious.

"Landon, I told you long ago that gold-digging bitch was no good! Do you finally see it now?"

"She dared to disrespect my brother and cuckold you in public? I will make sure she gets blacklisted from the entire industry!"

I shook my head quietly. "Forget it. It's over now."

"From now on, we walk separate paths. There is no need to waste energy on them."

Smack! A sudden slap landed on the back of my head.

My older sister, Isla, glared at me with fierce frustration.

"Landon Mercer, are you out of your mind? You treated her like a queen, and you are just going to let them off the hook?"

Truth be told, I was bitter.

Our families had ties going back to my grandfather's generation.

Rosalyn and I were childhood friends, promised to each other since we were kids.

After college, the Lockwood family made bad investments and teetered on the brink of bankruptcy; she came crying to me for help.

I poured the Mercer family's capital and connections into their business, single-handedly pulling them back from the abyss.

When she said she wanted to enter show business and feel the glamour of fame, I did not hesitate. I funded a talent agency under her name.

I directed every resource toward her and let her take her pick of the best scripts.

Ironically, I ended up becoming an A-list, award-winning star across music, film, and television.

As for her, she remained a talentless eye candy who refused to learn her craft.

I gave her everything, willing to carve out my own heart for her.

The Lockwood family climbed to social prominence purely by clinging to the Mercer empire.

Yet, she betrayed me and publicly humiliated me before the entire city.

I was deeply hurt, but I thought, what was the point of holding on?

Her heart was never with me, so why waste another second?

Seeing me space out, Isla smacked the back of my head again.

"You stubborn fool, are you even listening to me?"

My mother immediately pulled me into a hug and chided her.

"Isla, stop that! Can't you see how heartbroken your brother is?"

Isla rolled her eyes at me. "Spineless."

She pulled out her phone and sent a voice blast into an elite industry group chat.

"This is Director Isla Mercer. Starting today, anyone who hires talent from Lockwood Entertainment is making an enemy out of me."

"If anyone has an issue with that, feel free to leave the group right now."

Within seconds, replies flooded the chat.

"Director Mercer, don't worry, my loyalty is always with you!"

"We heard about what happened to your brother. Don't worry, your brother is our brother!"

"As of right now, every artist under Lockwood Entertainment is permanently blacklisted on my productions."

...

My older sister was a top-tier director, screenwriter, and producer.

In the entertainment industry, she was an absolute powerhouse.

In the past, I had to beg her for premium scripts just to hand them over to Rosalyn.

Without that, Rosalyn wouldn't even have a speck of fame.

Isla then turned to Lindsey. "Lindsey, I'll fund you. Poach every single talented artist from Lockwood Entertainment to your agency."

"Remember, only sign the real talents, not the useless pretty faces."

"And reach out to Maya Rhodes, the reigning queen of cinema. If I remember correctly, she has always had a crush on your brother."

Lindsey rubbed her nose with a sly grin. "Leave it to me, Isla. I'll make sure Landon gets his revenge!"