He Stole My Yacht For His Mistress, So I Took His Empire

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Synopsis

My fiancé's new plaything was the very same girl my brother had once obsessed over and stolen away.
To win her, the two of them went head-to-head at an auction, practically tearing the place apart.
In the end, my fiancé dropped a small fortune and walked away with the prize.
My brother sneered, taking his frustration out on me:
"You're pathetic. Can't even keep your own man in line."
I said nothing.
After all, Damian and I were just a strategic business arrangement.
We'd agreed long ago to do our own thing and stay out of each other's business.
A few days later.
I was having drinks with my best friend at a lounge.
A young man suddenly burst into the VIP booth.
He walked straight up to me and dropped to his knees:
"Please. Make them let Celeste go."
Turns out, he was Celeste's childhood sweetheart.
Celeste really was irresistible, wasn't she?
Men just couldn't stop throwing themselves at her feet.
I stared at him for a moment, and an idea sparked in my mind.
I rested my heel right on his thigh and smiled.
"Fine."
"But... it depends on how sincere you are."
I couldn't stop Julian.
He stormed toward the marina, his face dark and menacing.
"He gave away your private yacht just like that?"
"I want to see who the hell has that kind of nerve."
I followed behind him, sighing.
"It's fine. It's just a boat."
"He can take whoever he wants out to sea."
Damian had always been reckless, and I didn't feel like starting drama over something so trivial.
After all, our families' alliance was still on the table.
By the time we reached the docks, the yacht that belonged to me was already pulling away from the slip.
On the deck, Damian leaned lazily against the railing.
Beside him stood a woman.
She wore a long white dress, her hair drifting gently in the sea breeze.
I stopped in my tracks.
Julian froze too.
Damian had clearly spotted us from the start.
He didn't even try to hide. Instead, he raised a hand, signaling the crew to steer back to the dock.
The yacht glided back to the pier.
Holding the woman's hand, Damian strolled down the gangway.
Julian stared at her, rooted to the spot.
The man who had been burning with rage a second ago just stood there, motionless.
And the girl looked up, meeting his eyes from a distance.
Instantly, her pupils constricted, and she took a step back.
Silence hung heavy.
Julian finally snapped out of it, his voice low and raspy.
"Celeste?"
Damian scoffed, stepping closer to wrap his arm around her waist.
He clearly knew why Julian had come charging over.
He arched an eyebrow mockingly.
"So, still plan on taking the yacht back for your sister?"
This was the new coastal resort our families were co-developing.
Before the grand opening, both families had gathered here for a preview stay.
The resort had arranged an exclusive luxury yacht just for us.
I was the one who booked it first.
Neither Julian nor Damian had objected back then.
Yet right before we set out, Damian had ordered the crew to take it.
At the time, I thought he just had somewhere urgent to go.
Now everything made sense.
He took the boat just to take his pretty little bird out for a joyride.
Julian dropped the topic of the boat entirely. He grabbed Damian by the collar, his teeth clenched.
"You know damn well she was mine!"
Damian sneered.
"Well, she's mine now."
Julian roared, "You're engaged to my sister!"
"And so what?"
Damian's gaze flicked casually over to me.
Then he looked away, sneering:
"Are you pissed because I made your sister look bad, or because Celeste is on my arm?"
The moment the words left his mouth, they went at each other.
Every blow was vicious.
I hadn't expected Damian to parade his side chick right here at the resort, right under the noses of both our families.
Was he just so obsessed with Celeste that he couldn't bear to leave her side for a single second?
Or did he simply have zero respect for me and the Vance family?
Probably both.
Celeste met my eyes.
Her skin was porcelain, her features delicate and innocent.
She looked no different from how I remembered her back then.
She walked toward me, offering a faint smile as she whispered:
"Back when Julian treated me like that, you just stood by and watched. Now that the blade is turned on you, does it hurt?"
I blinked, caught off guard.
Out of the corner of his eye, Damian noticed Celeste getting close to me.
Landing one last punch on Julian, he pulled away and grabbed Celeste's hand.
As if terrified I was going to hurt her.
Julian's face was bruised, his expression grim.
If they kept fighting, it would blow up into a massive scandal.
I spoke up:
"That's enough, Julian."
Julian exhaled heavily, his dark eyes locked on Celeste.
"This isn't over."After we left, the tension between Julian and me was suffocating.
After a long silence, he said coolly.
"Celeste has frail health. She deserves the best accommodations. Damian wasn't wrong about that."
I paused, not bothering to reply.
A long while later, Julian let out a bitter scoff. I looked over at him.
Fatigue and redirected anger swirled in his eyes. "You really are a failure. You can't even handle your own man."
Damian cheats, and somehow it's my fault.
I almost found it funny.
Maybe this was my karma.
Years ago, I knew Julian had trapped a girl.
Our parents spent most of their time abroad, leaving just the two of us in that massive estate.
He kept her locked in his bedroom suite. He didn't even try to hide it from me, showering the villa with luxury gifts just to put a smile on her face.
She refused to touch a single one.
In the end, every single designer bag ended up in my closet.
It was obvious she despised Julian.
Unable to watch, I had tried to talk sense into him:
"You can have any woman you want. Why force someone who doesn't want you?"
Julian had always treated me well.
But that time, his expression turned icy.
Knowing I had crossed a line, I kept my mouth shut.
Later, I even thought about calling the cops and consulted a lawyer.
The lawyer had only chuckled. "He's your brother, and he's the heir to the Vance Empire."
The implication was clear.
I shouldn't be so disloyal. And even if the truth came out, Julian would walk away untouched.
The lawyer was right.
So after thinking it over, I took a quieter route.
I chose to host my birthday party at home that year.
When it was time to blow out the candles, everyone gathered around me, including Julian.
Right then, power to the entire estate was cut.
The security cameras went dark.
I had paid someone to unlock his bedroom door and made sure the back exit was left unguarded.
As for the rest, it was up to Celeste's own luck.
She didn't let me down.
She made a clean break.
Which brought us to today.
Julian pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
When he spoke, his voice was a mix of sarcasm and probing curiosity:
"Since when did you and Damian turn into this?"
I understood what he was really asking.
If Damian and I were actually in love, none of this would have happened tonight.
He wouldn't be drowning in this miserable frustration right now.
I smiled faintly and threw the question right back at him:
"Julian, since when did you and I turn into this?"
Julian froze for a beat. Without answering, he turned on his heel and walked away.
He didn't even bother to say goodnight.
He couldn't bring himself to be angry with Celeste.
And Damian was hardly someone he could easily push around.
So naturally, I was the designated punching bag for all his toxic emotions.
...
Damian and I grew up together.
As kids, he loved pulling pranks on me, teasing me until I cried, only to flash that grin and coax me back.
Whenever Julian found out, Damian would inevitably get his ass beaten by my brother.
As we grew older, everyone assumed Damian and I were destined for the altar.
Only Julian wasn't sold on it:
"Damian's too reckless. You really think he'll treat my sister right?"
Back then, Damian stopped teasing me.
He'd take me out on dates, holding my hand and flirting effortlessly:
"You're going to call me your husband sooner or later. What's the harm in practicing now?"
I'd bite my lip and glare at him:
"Keep flirting like that and I'm telling Julian."
Damian would pinch my cheek. "Always running to your brother."
I'd laugh sweetly. "Jealous? Too bad you don't have an older brother."
Damian would scoff playfully. "Just wait until Julian gets married. When I tease you then, he won't have time to back you up."
I'd pondered for a second. "Then I'll just get his wife on my side."
At that, Damian had chuckled lazily, brushing a kiss against the corner of my lips:
"I'll be waiting, babe."
Looking back now, it felt like a completely different lifetime.Both sets of parents had corporate matters to attend to, spending little time at the resort.
Julian was too busy fighting Damian over Celeste.
I barely left my suite, adopting an 'out of sight, out of mind' policy.
Until one stormy night.
The rain poured in relentless sheets.
I was getting ready for bed when the resort manager called.
His voice came through the receiver, cautious and hesitant:
"I tried calling Mr. Vance, but he didn't pick up. Miss Vance, are you available?"
"What is it?" I asked.
The manager gave an uneasy chuckle. "There's a guy out here, demanding that we release a girl named Celeste or something. But the resort is booked for a private buyout. We can't just let anyone wander in, so I was wondering..."
...
I switched the call to FaceTime.
The manager flipped the camera.
A young man stood in the torrential downpour. Drenched to the bone and battered by the wind, he held himself with an unyielding, stubborn resilience.
Through the storm and the screen, his eyes locked onto mine.
Cold, sharp, and fiercely determined.
Wait.
He looked familiar.
"Bring him up," I ordered.
"Actually," I corrected myself, "have him take a shower and change into clean clothes first. Bring him here spotless."
I didn't want a dripping stray ruining my suite.
Just as drowsiness started to pull at my eyelids, the doorbell rang.
I opened the door.
The young man stood there, our eyes meeting, revealing his strikingly sculpted features.
Now I remembered where I'd seen him before.
Celeste's phone wallpaper.
Back then, Celeste and Julian fought constantly. During one violent argument, Julian had smashed her phone onto the floor, cracking the screen.
I had sighed and picked it up.
The screen lit up, showing a photo of Celeste with a boy.
No wonder Julian had lost his mind with rage.
It was the guy standing right in front of me.
I stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in.
"Still think you can take her away? If it weren't for me, you could have frozen out there all night for nothing."
If Julian or Damian found out he was here, I doubted he'd make it out in one piece.
Let alone rescue Celeste.
He didn't flinch at my mocking words. His voice was completely flat:
"Yet you let me in."
I paused for a second. "Don't flatter yourself. I was just bored."
"Besides," I turned and leaned back against the sofa cushions, "coming to me won't..."
Before I could finish, the tall, lean young man dropped straight onto his knees before me. Lowering his eyes, he said, "Please. Make them let Celeste go."
I froze.
Surprise washed over me, mixed with a faint jolt of awe.
This was the first time anyone had ever knelt before me like this.
I studied his face carefully.
He was stunning. Breathtaking, even.
His features were sharp yet refined, the slight downturn at the corners of his eyes giving him an aloof, untouchable aura.
No wonder Celeste couldn't forget him.
I watched him for a beat, then slowly placed my heel onto his thigh, smiling faintly.
"Then that depends on your sincerity."I really hadn't expected it.
Her childhood sweetheart was willing to go this far for her.
I couldn't help but marvel.
Celeste truly had a gift for enchanting men.
I wondered what her face would look like if she saw this.
I pressed my foot down, showing zero mercy.
He stayed upright on his knees, the corners of his eyes flushing crimson, veins bulging across his clenched fists.
Yet he didn't move an inch.
He looked like he was enduring agonizing torment.
Until I got bored. Sweeping my gaze up and down his frame, I chuckled softly:
"Seems like you don't care about Celeste all that much after all."
His Adam's apple bobbed. He kept silent.
"Go clean up in the bathroom," I said dismissively. "Don't mess up my floor."
Right then, my phone buzzed.
An incoming call from Damian.
I frowned, but picked it up anyway.
"Celeste caught a chill. She's burning with a fever," Damian snapped, his tone foul.
I felt exasperated. "Then call a doctor. Why the hell are you calling me?"
Julian's voice cut in through the line:
"The storm flooded the access roads. The doctor can't get through."
Damian demanded, "You always carry an emergency kit. I'm coming over to get medicine."
I swallowed my irritation. "It's the middle of the night. What if I was already asleep?"
Damian sneered coldly. "Then I'd kick your damn door down."
Before I could lose my temper, Julian added, "We're already outside."
My face shifted.
At that exact moment, the young man walked out of the bathroom.
The very next second, heavy knocks pounded against the door.
I shoved him straight back into the bathroom, hissing a low warning:
"Stay quiet and stay hidden."
Then, I swung the door open.
Damian had a frail Celeste cradled in his arm. He barked impatiently:
"Where's the medicine?"
Taking a deep breath, I turned to dig through my suitcase.
Julian stepped inside to help me look.
Standing in the doorway, Damian glared at me, his voice icy:
"If you hadn't suggested this resort trip to our parents, she wouldn't have gotten sick in the first place."
I stared at him in disbelief.
Now this was my fault too?
I gritted my teeth. "Did I tell you to bring your little mistress here? Are you out of your mind? How dare you pin this on me?"
Julian said dismissively, "Stop bickering. Celeste isn't feeling well."
I only had a couple of basic meds with me.
They were just for emergencies, after all.
After taking the blister pack, Julian furrowed his brow:
"Next time, pack a wider variety."
Excuse me?
Damian cursed under his breath, raising his phone to dial:
"I know the road is blocked! Is there no other way? Get the doctor here now!"
Julian grabbed the meds and turned to leave.
As he passed the sofa, his steps halted. His gaze locked onto something.
I followed his eyes.
Draped across the armrest was an unmistakable men's dress shirt.
...Belonging to the guy currently hiding in my bathroom.
The very shirt he'd been wearing when he arrived soaked from the storm.
Room service had washed and dried it, delivering it right to my door.
And I had tossed it casually onto the couch.
"Whose is this?" Julian demanded.
His voice carried to the hallway.
Damian lifted his chin, glancing over.
He didn't care much at first. "It's just a shirt."
Yet in his arms, Celeste's eyes landed on the fabric and went wide with shock.
Her lips trembled, her feeble voice spiking in panic:
"Why is Tristan's shirt here?"

Chapters (4)

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

After we left, the tension between Julian and me was suffocating. After a long silence, he said coolly. "Celeste has frail health. She deserves the best accommodations. Damian wasn't wrong about that." I paused, not bothering to reply. A long while later, Julian let out a bitter scoff. I looked over at him. Fatigue and redirected anger swirled in his eyes. "You really are a failure. You can't even handle your own man." Damian cheats, and somehow it's my fault. I almost found it funny. Maybe this was my karma. Years ago, I knew Julian had trapped a girl. Our parents spent most of their time abroad, leaving just the two of us in that massive estate. He kept her locked in his bedroom suite. He didn't even try to hide it from me, showering the villa with luxury gifts just to put a smile on her face. She refused to touch a single one. In the end, every single designer bag ended up in my closet. It was obvious she despised Julian. Unable to watch, I had tried to talk sense into him: "You can have any woman you want. Why force someone who doesn't want you?" Julian had always treated me well. But that time, his expression turned icy. Knowing I had crossed a line, I kept my mouth shut. Later, I even thought about calling the cops and consulted a lawyer. The lawyer had only chuckled. "He's your brother, and he's the heir to the Vance Empire." The implication was clear. I shouldn't be so disloyal. And even if the truth came out, Julian would walk away untouched. The lawyer was right. So after thinking it over, I took a quieter route. I chose to host my birthday party at home that year. When it was time to blow out the candles, everyone gathered around me, including Julian. Right then, power to the entire estate was cut. The security cameras went dark. I had paid someone to unlock his bedroom door and made sure the back exit was left unguarded. As for the rest, it was up to Celeste's own luck. She didn't let me down. She made a clean break. Which brought us to today. Julian pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. When he spoke, his voice was a mix of sarcasm and probing curiosity: "Since when did you and Damian turn into this?" I understood what he was really asking. If Damian and I were actually in love, none of this would have happened tonight. He wouldn't be drowning in this miserable frustration right now. I smiled faintly and threw the question right back at him: "Julian, since when did you and I turn into this?" Julian froze for a beat. Without answering, he turned on his heel and walked away. He didn't even bother to say goodnight. He couldn't bring himself to be angry with Celeste. And Damian was hardly someone he could easily push around. So naturally, I was the designated punching bag for all his toxic emotions. ... Damian and I grew up together. As kids, he loved pulling pranks on me, teasing me until I cried, only to flash that grin and coax me back. Whenever Julian found out, Damian would inevitably get his ass beaten by my brother. As we grew older, everyone assumed Damian and I were destined for the altar. Only Julian wasn't sold on it: "Damian's too reckless. You really think he'll treat my sister right?" Back then, Damian stopped teasing me. He'd take me out on dates, holding my hand and flirting effortlessly: "You're going to call me your husband sooner or later. What's the harm in practicing now?" I'd bite my lip and glare at him: "Keep flirting like that and I'm telling Julian." Damian would pinch my cheek. "Always running to your brother." I'd laugh sweetly. "Jealous? Too bad you don't have an older brother." Damian would scoff playfully. "Just wait until Julian gets married. When I tease you then, he won't have time to back you up." I'd pondered for a second. "Then I'll just get his wife on my side." At that, Damian had chuckled lazily, brushing a kiss against the corner of my lips: "I'll be waiting, babe." Looking back now, it felt like a completely different lifetime.

Chapter 3

Both sets of parents had corporate matters to attend to, spending little time at the resort. Julian was too busy fighting Damian over Celeste. I barely left my suite, adopting an 'out of sight, out of mind' policy. Until one stormy night. The rain poured in relentless sheets. I was getting ready for bed when the resort manager called. His voice came through the receiver, cautious and hesitant: "I tried calling Mr. Vance, but he didn't pick up. Miss Vance, are you available?" "What is it?" I asked. The manager gave an uneasy chuckle. "There's a guy out here, demanding that we release a girl named Celeste or something. But the resort is booked for a private buyout. We can't just let anyone wander in, so I was wondering..." ... I switched the call to FaceTime. The manager flipped the camera. A young man stood in the torrential downpour. Drenched to the bone and battered by the wind, he held himself with an unyielding, stubborn resilience. Through the storm and the screen, his eyes locked onto mine. Cold, sharp, and fiercely determined. Wait. He looked familiar. "Bring him up," I ordered. "Actually," I corrected myself, "have him take a shower and change into clean clothes first. Bring him here spotless." I didn't want a dripping stray ruining my suite. Just as drowsiness started to pull at my eyelids, the doorbell rang. I opened the door. The young man stood there, our eyes meeting, revealing his strikingly sculpted features. Now I remembered where I'd seen him before. Celeste's phone wallpaper. Back then, Celeste and Julian fought constantly. During one violent argument, Julian had smashed her phone onto the floor, cracking the screen. I had sighed and picked it up. The screen lit up, showing a photo of Celeste with a boy. No wonder Julian had lost his mind with rage. It was the guy standing right in front of me. I stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in. "Still think you can take her away? If it weren't for me, you could have frozen out there all night for nothing." If Julian or Damian found out he was here, I doubted he'd make it out in one piece. Let alone rescue Celeste. He didn't flinch at my mocking words. His voice was completely flat: "Yet you let me in." I paused for a second. "Don't flatter yourself. I was just bored." "Besides," I turned and leaned back against the sofa cushions, "coming to me won't..." Before I could finish, the tall, lean young man dropped straight onto his knees before me. Lowering his eyes, he said, "Please. Make them let Celeste go." I froze. Surprise washed over me, mixed with a faint jolt of awe. This was the first time anyone had ever knelt before me like this. I studied his face carefully. He was stunning. Breathtaking, even. His features were sharp yet refined, the slight downturn at the corners of his eyes giving him an aloof, untouchable aura. No wonder Celeste couldn't forget him. I watched him for a beat, then slowly placed my heel onto his thigh, smiling faintly. "Then that depends on your sincerity."

Chapter 4

I really hadn't expected it. Her childhood sweetheart was willing to go this far for her. I couldn't help but marvel. Celeste truly had a gift for enchanting men. I wondered what her face would look like if she saw this. I pressed my foot down, showing zero mercy. He stayed upright on his knees, the corners of his eyes flushing crimson, veins bulging across his clenched fists. Yet he didn't move an inch. He looked like he was enduring agonizing torment. Until I got bored. Sweeping my gaze up and down his frame, I chuckled softly: "Seems like you don't care about Celeste all that much after all." His Adam's apple bobbed. He kept silent. "Go clean up in the bathroom," I said dismissively. "Don't mess up my floor." Right then, my phone buzzed. An incoming call from Damian. I frowned, but picked it up anyway. "Celeste caught a chill. She's burning with a fever," Damian snapped, his tone foul. I felt exasperated. "Then call a doctor. Why the hell are you calling me?" Julian's voice cut in through the line: "The storm flooded the access roads. The doctor can't get through." Damian demanded, "You always carry an emergency kit. I'm coming over to get medicine." I swallowed my irritation. "It's the middle of the night. What if I was already asleep?" Damian sneered coldly. "Then I'd kick your damn door down." Before I could lose my temper, Julian added, "We're already outside." My face shifted. At that exact moment, the young man walked out of the bathroom. The very next second, heavy knocks pounded against the door. I shoved him straight back into the bathroom, hissing a low warning: "Stay quiet and stay hidden." Then, I swung the door open. Damian had a frail Celeste cradled in his arm. He barked impatiently: "Where's the medicine?" Taking a deep breath, I turned to dig through my suitcase. Julian stepped inside to help me look. Standing in the doorway, Damian glared at me, his voice icy: "If you hadn't suggested this resort trip to our parents, she wouldn't have gotten sick in the first place." I stared at him in disbelief. Now this was my fault too? I gritted my teeth. "Did I tell you to bring your little mistress here? Are you out of your mind? How dare you pin this on me?" Julian said dismissively, "Stop bickering. Celeste isn't feeling well." I only had a couple of basic meds with me. They were just for emergencies, after all. After taking the blister pack, Julian furrowed his brow: "Next time, pack a wider variety." Excuse me? Damian cursed under his breath, raising his phone to dial: "I know the road is blocked! Is there no other way? Get the doctor here now!" Julian grabbed the meds and turned to leave. As he passed the sofa, his steps halted. His gaze locked onto something. I followed his eyes. Draped across the armrest was an unmistakable men's dress shirt. ...Belonging to the guy currently hiding in my bathroom. The very shirt he'd been wearing when he arrived soaked from the storm. Room service had washed and dried it, delivering it right to my door. And I had tossed it casually onto the couch. "Whose is this?" Julian demanded. His voice carried to the hallway. Damian lifted his chin, glancing over. He didn't care much at first. "It's just a shirt." Yet in his arms, Celeste's eyes landed on the fabric and went wide with shock. Her lips trembled, her feeble voice spiking in panic: "Why is Tristan's shirt here?"

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