Lady Virelia Nightbane

"We will do our best to serve the eldest lady!"

At the top floor of the Ava Group headquarters, a row of senior executives knelt on the floor, each with bloated, bruised faces. Despite their outward show of humility, their hearts seethed with resentment.

Damn you, Ava Carter! they cursed silently. When we report this to Sophia and she makes her move, you won't have a single easy day in this company! You let your lapdog treat us like this? You're just cruel!

Leo stepped forward cheerfully, bowing respectfully to Ava. "Miss, these men are now completely honest."

Ava gave him a strange look and offered a sarcastic smile.

Honest? They're probably already scheming ways to sabotage me behind my back.

Still, she had expected this outcome. These people had never been loyal to her. Their allegiance was with Sophia, and keeping them around would only invite trouble.

She turned her gaze toward Greg Mason, who was still wincing from the 200 slaps he'd endured. Her voice was cold but composed. "You can take your people and get out."

"We don't need dead weight here."

Greg was stunned. He had intended to stay quiet, wait for the storm to pass, and feed inside information to Sophia. But Ava's dismissal shattered that plan.

He panicked. "Miss! You can't do this! If we leave, who'll keep the group running? From top to bottom, we've managed everything. Without us, this company will collapse into a shell!"

Ava smirked. "Don't make me laugh. The Ava Group has hundreds of employees. Do you think the absence of a few disloyal executives will matter?"

It may cause temporary disruption, she admitted inwardly, but with the knowledge I have from my past life, I know how to handle the fallout.

Greg went pale. He had climbed for decades to reach this level, betting everything on siding with Sophia.

But this young lady doesn't follow the script.

Leo stepped forward again, expression cold. "Are you all deaf or blind? Didn't you hear the young lady? She wants this place cleared."

"You leeches who serve Sophia can crawl out of here now!"

Greg's eyes widened in horror. She knows?!

She knew we were Sophia's people this whole time?

Then all our performances, all our manipulative tactics—they were clown acts in her eyes.

This woman... is terrifying.

Gone was the image of a spoiled, clueless heiress. Ava Carter was dangerous, perceptive, and deliberate.

Greg lowered his head in resignation. "Yes, Miss."

What choice did he have? Her followers weren't to be trifled with, and they were just office workers. Staying any longer would be suicide.

Still, Greg held onto one hope: once they left, the company would be paralyzed. That alone was a gift to Sophia.

Less than an hour later, all of Ava's senior management had been escorted out.

The upper ranks of the group were now vacant.

Ava ordered Greg's office cleared. Desks, chairs, personal effects—even a self-indulgent portrait of himself—all removed.

Leo chimed in with a grin. "Miss, you're incredibly wise! A single command and the rot in the company is gone!"

Ava twitched her lips. Why is this guy so good at speaking the truth in the most sarcastic way possible?

Still, she couldn't help but smile.

---

Half an hour passed.

A new office space had been arranged for Ava. She sat at a grand mahogany desk, fingers interlocked, lost in thought.

Greg Mason and his cronies were gone.

Now came the hard part: replacing them.

She couldn't use help from the Ava family—this was a test from her parents. She had to handle it independently.

That means recruiting from the outside... but that's risky.

What if Sophia plants someone among the new hires?

I can't afford another betrayal.

In her past life, that fear had been burned into her soul.

She had already instructed Zhulan to summon the remaining senior staff. Soon, she'd assess who was trustworthy and get a clear picture of the group's internal situation.

But one question still lingered.

She turned to Leo. "How did you know Greg and the others were loyal to Sophia?"

Leo smiled calmly. "I calculated it."

"Calculated it? Without contact?" Ava's eyebrows twitched.

He nodded. "Yes. When I was slapping him, I analyzed his reaction. That's when it became clear."

Ava's jaw dropped. "You... figured it out while slapping him?"

Leo beamed innocently. "Of course, Miss."

She stared at him, deeply suspicious. There was definitely something off about this man. But no matter how hard she looked, all she saw was a loyal expression.

And yet...

All she could think about was his bizarre prediction that she read romance novels in secret.

She spun around and grumbled, "Hmph! You better act more civilized next time! This is a lawful society, you hear me?"

Leo blinked. Wait, what? Did the most notorious, heartless villainess from the original story just lecture me about kindness?

He nodded sagely. Ah, I get it now. She's testing me! She's saying: don't be too blunt, do things quietly.

Also, she's telling me: even if I mess up, she'll take the heat.

"Understood, Miss," he replied with a meaningful smile.

Does he actually get it? Ava wondered, glancing sideways.

But then again, she had a reputation for being reckless. It wasn't like she could suddenly change public perception.

Forget it. Focus on survival.

---

Why had she come here so urgently after being reborn?

Why insist on taking over the Ava Group in Riverdale?

Not for money. Not for power.

But because in her past life… she had accidentally ruined the life of the God of War's family.

The Ava Group was a real estate company. When she and Sophia took over the group, it was already in shambles. Sophia, utterly incompetent in business, had tampered with the company's structure, caused project failures, and antagonized employees.

Entire real estate developments were left unfinished.

Ava hadn't known at the time. When the complaints started rolling in, she tried to fix it—only to discover she had inherited a disaster. And Sophia had made sure Ava took the fall.

The worst part? One of the victims was Tang Wenyu, the wife of the God of War.

She lost her home and savings. She and her ten-year-old daughter had no choice but to live in a doghouse beneath a bridge.

By the time Ava stabilized the company and tried to rebuild the failed housing project…

The God of War returned.

When he discovered what had happened, he was enraged.

He rallied an army of 100,000 warriors and made one declaration:

"The woman responsible must die."

Ava had been marked.

Now, she clenched her fists, trembling.

Why do I always end up offending the main characters? Do I have some kind of protagonist-magnet curse?!

But this time, she would change her fate.

She would not go through that hell again.

Once Zhulan brought in the remaining executives, she'd uncover the group's current standing.

She had plans. She had memories.

And now, she had Leo.

Ava Carter would rise.

Because this time… she was ready.

---