Against fate : rebirth of the stubborn heiress

Morning sunlight poured into the Bellani penthouse, filtering through sheer curtains and illuminating the marble floors with a soft glow.

Summer sat cross-legged on the chaise lounge in her private office, sipping on a glass of freshly pressed orange juice. Her tablet rested on her lap as her fingers danced across the screen, monitoring her growing investment portfolio.

A soft chime signaled another successful trade.

Her lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Beautiful."

Just as she refreshed her dashboard, a familiar mechanical voice echoed softly in her mind.

[Main Task: Resolve the cybersecurity breach targeting Travis. Deadline: 24 hours. Reward: 1 rare artifact draw + 15% stock increase in Bellani Pharmaceuticals.]

"Tch, of course Sham Sham won't let me relax," Summer muttered to herself. "Alright. Accepted."

No one else could hear it. No flashy notifications, no holographic pop-ups—just a subtle voice embedded deep within her consciousness.

A knock disrupted her focus. Rosa peeked in, tablet in hand. "Young Miss, Third Young Master requests your presence in the recording studio. Something about... an emergency."

Summer raised an eyebrow. "Davis? What emergency could he possibly—" Her phone buzzed.

**[Davis]: Hurry up, baby girl. You'll love this. Big surprise. Bring coffee.]

She sighed but chuckled. "Alright, let's go."

—

The elevator opened directly into the Bellani private entertainment floor. Soundproof panels, polished hardwood floors, and sleek mixing equipment filled the space.

Davis, dressed in ripped jeans, a loose designer hoodie, and gold chains, was lounging lazily on the sofa, flipping through music sheets.

"Finally!" he beamed when Summer entered. "I was about to send Liam to drag you down."

"Emergency, huh?" she deadpanned, handing him the coffee.

"Very," Davis grinned, patting the seat next to him. "You're about to be world-famous, little star."

Summer sat, crossing her legs elegantly. "Explain."

Davis pushed his phone toward her. "StarLight Media just called me. They're shooting a new variety survival show—Survive with the Stars. Celebrities paired with civilians on a remote island for ten days. But guess what? They don't have enough female celebrities willing to sign on last minute. You, my darling sister, are the perfect candidate."

Summer blinked. "Wait, wait, wait. Back up. Since when am I a variety show celebrity?"

"Since now," Davis grinned. "Think about it—public exposure, stock prices boost for the family, plus... people need to see how brilliant and adorable you are."

Summer frowned, contemplating. Her career was mainly stocks, investments, and occasional modeling gigs for Bellani Corp promotions. But this... this was a new frontier.

Davis leaned in, nudging her shoulder. "Come on. It'll be fun. You and me, sibling duo, ruling the show."

Her tablet buzzed again. This time, not from the system—an email. From StarLight Media.

> Invitation: Dear Ms. Summer Bellani, We are pleased to invite you to participate in Survive with the Stars as a special guest contestant alongside Mr. Davis Bellani...

Summer glanced at Davis. "You planned this."

He winked. "Guilty."

"Hah... Fine. But you owe me."

Before Davis could celebrate, Travis's name popped up on her phone screen. She answered. "Travis."

His voice was clipped, emotionless but with an undertone only she could detect. "The hacker's trail resurfaced. Dockyard warehouse. South district. Someone's moving the server tonight."

Summer straightened. "Time?"

"23:00 sharp. I'm sending you the coordinates."

Davis's grin faded. "Don't tell me..."

"Yeah. Work first, showbiz later," Summer murmured.

—

By nightfall, Summer changed into stealth gear—black cargo pants, snug jacket, and boots. Liam handled getaway logistics, while Travis monitored from his command center. Davis, grumbling, stayed on comms backup.

The warehouse loomed under flickering floodlights. Summer crouched behind cargo containers, scanning guards' patrol patterns.

"Thirty seconds until shift change," Travis's voice echoed through her earpiece.

"Copy."

Summer dashed, scaling the side ladder. Her movements were fluid, feline. Inside, rows of crates lined the walls. In the center, a steel server rack hummed, connected to a power unit.

Her watch flickered as Sham Sham beeped.

[Task Update: Secure physical server. Upload decryption chip. Timer: 5 minutes.]

"On it."

She slotted the chip Travis provided, fingers flying over the keyboard. Files decrypted in rapid succession.

"Bingo," Travis confirmed. "Get the backup drive."

A voice echoed from behind. "Step away from the server."

Summer pivoted, dagger in hand. A burly man approached, flanked by two others.

"Tsk." She dropped, sweeping his legs, then flipped over another guard, landing a precise jab to his neck. They collapsed like dominoes.

"You've been practicing," Travis murmured approvingly.

"Damn right."

With the backup drive secured, she fled out the side exit where Liam waited, engine revving. "Go, go, go!"

The tires screeched as the car peeled off into the night.

—

Back at Bellani Corp, Travis loaded the data. "Whoever's behind this isn't a small fish. This links to offshore accounts connected to... Starcrest Holdings."

Summer's eyes narrowed. "Starcrest... isn't that connected to the Orelli family?"

Travis nodded. "And they're involved in the underground auction next week."

Summer's heart thumped. "Then that's where we'll dig next."

Her phone buzzed. This time, not the system—but a text from StarLight Media confirming her appearance.

Summer grinned. "Looks like my schedule's full—hacking schemes, survival shows, and... underground auctions."

Liam groaned. "Can we have one normal month?"

"Normal is boring," Summer echoed with a wink.

As the siblings laughed, none of them noticed the notification blinking quietly in Summer's inbox—an anonymous invitation to the private auction aboard the infamous Midnight Siren.

A place where fate was quietly weaving her path toward a man cloaked in danger, obsession... and the beginning of a story that neither of them could escape.

The countdown to chaos had officially begun.