She Outshines Them All (Athena and Matthew) novel Chapter 406

Brandon looked them over, a smirk plastered on his face. 'So, Zoe ditched Andrew for a thirty-something Sebastian?'

In fairness, Sebastian might be older, divorced, and already have two kids, but he was still the Randolph heir. Marrying him would make Zoe the lady of the Randolph family, letting her keep that luxury lifestyle.

When Zoe noticed Brandon staring, she quickly looked away, pulling her arm from Sebastian's.

Deep down, she knew Sebastian was the practical choice, yet shame still crept up on her, especially with all these Donovan family around.

The idea of Athena laughing at her for settling with an older man made her stomach churn; it was like an itch she couldn't scratch, irritating and constant.

Sebastian, oblivious to her discomfort, focused on Brandon. "Cat got your tongue?" he mocked. "Didn't you use that smooth talk of yours to chase Laney down, convincing her to marry you?"

Then, he added, "After Laney finally came to her senses and dumped you, didn't you cause that scene at her birthday party? All that talk about 'every dog has its day,' saying you would get your revenge on the Randolph family?"

Sebastian loved to remind Brandon of that incident. Brandon's public humiliation of the Randolph family still stung. He had stood up to them, with neither the servility nor the hesitation they expected from someone beneath them.

The Randolph family had never forgotten that slight, and every time Sebastian saw Brandon, he wanted to grind him down.

Now, people nearby murmured among themselves, casting curious glances at Brandon.

The Randolph family was among Kitmore City's elite, controlling Randolph Group—a giant with its hands in everything from pharmaceuticals to food, even hospitals and toys. The business wasn't just wealthy; it was steady, one of the West End's top companies with room to grow.

And then there was Laney Randolph, the family's only daughter, a stunning, accomplished woman who turned heads everywhere she went. Plenty of men wanted her, but the Randolph family had strict standards, and no one had yet made the cut.

Brandon's AI company was growing, sure, but compared to the Randolph Group, it was still just getting started. Him aiming to marry someone like Laney sounded... too ambitious.

Brandon didn't rush to respond Sebastian's mockery. He calmly downed his glass of red wine, setting it back on the table with a quiet clink.

Sebastian's eyes narrowed, irritated by Brandon's calmness. He spat, "Seven years have gone by, and here I am, heir to the Randolph family, right in front of you. Go on, take a shot at me!

"Didn't you say every dog has its day? Well, looks like you've still got 23 years to wait."

The crowd chuckled, and a few people threw Brandon sidelong glances.

Brandon finally broke his silence, his voice cutting, "You seem in a hurry to get knocked down—what's the rush? Are you afraid you or your parents don't have much time left?

"I mean, here I am, not even thirty, while you're already pushing thirty-something. Your parents are nearly sixty. Face it, they will be gone before me. Maybe that's why you're desperate."

Low laughter rippled through the crowd as Sebastian's face flushed with embarrassment. "Big talk," he snapped.

"If you were so great, your so-called company wouldn't still be so small. It wouldn't even be a crumb to the Randolph Group!"

Brandon just chuckled. "In seven years, I've gone from nothing to owning a company. While in those same seven years, the Randolph Group's value, production, profits—they've all been sliding.

"Sure, my company's smaller now, but I'm climbing up from the bottom while you're slipping down from the top. One day, we'll meet—and I'll be the one looking down."

He leaned in, adding with a smirk, "So, why the rush? If anyone's feeling the pressure, it's you. Go ahead and stress yourself out over it."