Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 748

The Lohmann family villa in B City buzzed with quiet activity. Though the Lohmann Corporation's headquarters were based in L City, a family of their stature naturally owned properties everywhere—it wouldn't be unusual for them to possess dozens in a single city.

When Noah arrived in B City with his younger sister, he’d had the staff thoroughly clean the villa beforehand so it was ready for their stay.

Now, it was lunchtime.

Noah ate absently, his mind preoccupied with other matters. Across the table, his sister Caroline grew more agitated with each bite. Her frustration boiled over until she slammed her cutlery down with a loud clatter that made Noah frown. He snapped out of his thoughts and shot her a displeased look. "What's wrong with you?"

The Lohmann family weren’t old money. Their rise to the top of the wealth ladder was solely due to the empire built by Noah’s father. In essence, they were nouveaux riches—albeit immensely powerful ones. So powerful, in fact, that Noah’s father had nearly become the nation’s richest man. No one dared look down on them openly, but beneath the surface, the label still stung.

This was especially true for Noah. He detested the term "new money," and it had become a sensitive point for him. He drilled himself relentlessly in etiquette, striving to embody the grace and poise of someone born into generations of aristocracy. His sister, however, lacked that innate refinement. No matter how much she was coached, she couldn’t quite shake off the air of someone who’d recently come into wealth—a fact that constantly disappointed him.

Seeing her rude behavior now, his displeasure flared.

Caroline met her brother’s gaze, her expression stormy. "Big brother, I just can’t let this go! Who does the Stone Corporation think they are? How dare they treat me like this? If word gets back to L City that I got coffee thrown in my face, I’ll be a laughingstock!" She could already imagine the smug grins of those she’d once bullied, now reveling in her humiliation.

The thought sent a wave of irritation crashing over her.

I wish I could go back right now and teach that president of the Stone Group and his ungrateful wife a lesson!

Noah rubbed his temples, a headache brewing. "Who poured coffee on you?" he asked, exasperated. It had just been spilled on the floor, yet she was dramatizing it as a direct attack. He was at a loss for words.

Seeing her brother's dismissive expression, Caroline felt her last shred of composure snap. Her eyes welled up with tears. "I knew it! You don't care about me at all! I was humiliated like that, and you won't even stand up for me!" she cried, her voice trembling. "I should have just gone to find Second Brother instead!"

Her words struck a nerve, and Noah's face instantly darkened. The truth was, Caroline and Noah were only half-siblings. Mr. Lohmann had two more children, a boy and a girl, Caroline being the girl. Noah was the son of his father's first wife. Their marriage had frayed under the pressures of his father's fledgling business, ending in divorce. After the Lohmann Corporation began to prosper, Mr. Lohmann remarried, this time to a woman from a family slightly more powerful than the Lohmann's—a strategic alliance.

Back then, a young Noah had felt a deep-seated insecurity. He feared his father would grow to favor the younger son from this new, influential union, potentially cutting him out of the inheritance entirely.

His fears weren't entirely unfounded. Charmed by his second wife's gentle coaxing and his younger son's apparent obedience, Mr. Lohmann did indeed grow fonder of the boy. Unfortunately, that wife's life was cut short. A successful man like Mr. Lohmann was never short of mistresses, and his second wife, embittered by his infidelities and reminding him constantly of her family's role in his success, eventually drove him away with her arguments. The marriage soured. Then came the current wife—Caroline's biological mother.

The household was now a place of clear factions and underlying tension. This was precisely why Noah tolerated Caroline's petty tantrums and kept her close—he needed his stepmother's support.

So, when Caroline threatened to turn to her Second brother, Noah felt a wave of irritation. He frowned deeply, silent for a long moment before finally conceding, "Fine. What do you want to do?"

Seeing her brother yield, Caroline's mood shifted instantly. Her tears vanished, replaced by eager excitement. "I want to teach that woman a lesson!" she declared.

Noah's brow remained furrowed. "Don't go too far," he warned. He had a sense that Lambert, the president of the Stone Group, wasn't someone to be trifled with.

A smug, triumphant smile spread across Caroline's face. "Don't worry! I know my limits," she said airily. She understood the basics; she knew her brother valued a potential partnership with the Stone Group. She wouldn't sabotage that. Her plan was simpler: she'd just "happen" to visit the Stone Group more often, finding opportunities to chat and get closer to its president.