Chapter 10 - The Phoenix RisingA year later, the scars of my past life were nothing but distant memories.
I stood on the balcony of a private villa in Lake Como, Italy, watching the sunset paint the water in shades of gold and violet. I had just closed the biggest merger in the company's history, expanding Vanguard into global markets.
Arms wrapped around my waist from behind. Julian kissed the side of my neck, resting his chin on my shoulder.
"You did it," he murmured. "You conquered the world."
"We did it," I corrected, leaning back against him.
I thought back to that night in the ballroom. The spilled wine. The ring bouncing on the marble floor. The laughter of people who thought I was weak.
They had thought burying me in the shadows would keep me small. They didn't realize that in the dark, I was quietly planting the seeds of my own empire. Caldwell had tried to break me, but all he did was set me free.
"What are you thinking about?" Julian asked softly.
"Just taking out the trash," I smiled, turning to face him. "And looking forward to the future."
May you like
He smiled, pulling me into a deep, passionate kiss. The wind off the lake whipped my hair, but for the first time in my life, I wasn't afraid of the storm. I was the one controlling the lightning.
[THE END]
