It Should Have Been Like This (The Revised Version)

Chapter 101: The Unshakable Pest

Lavender's POV

I sat curled on the plush armchair in the living room, the soft hum of background music barely registering in my ears. My phone was in my hand, the screen glowing with an all-too-familiar face staring back at me. The article on Apollo was everywhere, plastered across every major news outlet.

I scrolled through it begrudgingly, my thumb moving slower than I wanted it to. Why am I even reading this? I thought bitterly, glaring at his perfectly curated image.

Apollo Dean Stine. Even his name sounded ridiculous. The man wore charm like armor, his bright silver eyes twinkling with a cheerfulness I could only describe as infuriating. They had a strange quality to them, shifting colors subtly with different lighting. People always gushed about how unique and mesmerizing they were, but to me, they were nothing short of absurd.

"Who in the world has stupid eyes like that?" I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.

I scrolled further, my eyes catching on his recent look. He'd grown out his glossy, jet-black hair since I last saw him, and though I hated to admit it, it suited him. The extra length added a certain ruggedness that only enhanced his already frustratingly good looks.

I clicked my tongue, glaring harder at the photo. "Ridiculous," I said aloud, as if convincing myself. Breathtaking? No. Absolutely ridiculous.

But my indignation only grew as I took in the rest of the image. His clothes—tight, expensive, and utterly shameless—clung to him like a second skin. I bit my nail in irritation, remembering how he always had this uncanny ability to look effortlessly polished while flaunting just enough to remind people of his gym-toned body.

Of course he'd dress like this, I thought. He's Apollo.

I tossed the phone onto the coffee table, leaning back in the chair with a sigh. Despite my annoyance, my mind refused to let go of his face. Instead, it spiraled into memories I'd long since filed away, dragging me down a mental rabbit hole I didn't want to revisit.

Apollo Dean Stine.

The only grandchild of a self-made billionaire. Unlike Rominic's family, whose wealth spanned generations, Apollo's grandfather had clawed his way up from nothing, building an empire brick by brick. His story was one for the ages—a testament to hard work, ambition, and resilience.

And yet, Apollo's life was anything but straightforward.

After the death of his parents, Apollo had become the sole heir to the Stine fortune. His childhood, however, wasn't the picture-perfect tale most people assumed. His grandmother, married at the time of her affair with Apollo's grandfather, had gone to great lengths to hide the truth about her pregnancy. She pinned the paternity on her husband, and the lie worked for years—until Apollo's mother was born.

She didn't resemble the man she grew up calling "Father." And when she married and had Apollo, there was no mistaking the truth. Apollo was the spitting image of his real grandfather, and the long-buried secret came to light.

Apollo's grandfather, childless and unmarried, welcomed them with open arms. He offered them a place in his life, his home, and his empire. But Apollo's mother had refused. She'd grown up loving and respecting the man she'd always known as her father, and she wouldn't tarnish his memory by accepting the truth. She cut ties with Apollo's grandfather, choosing to live independently.

But fate, as cruel as it could be, intervened.

A car crash claimed the lives of Apollo's parents and grandmother when he was only a boy. With no one left to care for him, Apollo's estranged grandfather became his guardian.