"The Elevate Expansion launch is in four days," Samantha said, her voice as steady as the ticking clock on the wall. "Send him an invite. He won't refuse."
Jake sat opposite her in the study, his brow creased in concern. "Sam… bringing Nick and Kate into this—are you sure that's a good idea?"
Samantha's fingers curled around her wine glass. She didn't drink it—just held it, like a weapon waiting to be unsheathed.
"Jake," she said quietly, "you think I don't know what I'm doing?"
"I didn't say that—"
"Do you really expect me to sit back while they live their lives freely? While I sit here, pretending I wasn't left to die in the rain with my unborn child?" Her voice sharpened, eyes flashing with raw pain that hadn't dulled after seven years. "You don't know how that night felt, Jake. You don't know what it's like to lose yourself completely."
Her nails tapped against the glass rhythmically, filling the silence.
Jake swallowed thickly. "That's not what I meant, Sam. I just… I don't want to lose you. That girl I knew before all of this—she used to smile without needing a reason."
Samantha stood abruptly, the chair legs scraping against the marble floor.
"Jake," she said, turning on him with calm finality, "I didn't force you to help me. You chose to stand by me. But if you can't handle the heat, walk away now. I swear—God help anyone who tries to stop me."
She leaned in slightly, her aura pressing against his like a wave of quiet power. "I will set my revenge cold, Jake… and I will force it down their throats."
Jake held her gaze. "I promised to help you in your battle, Sam. I'm not walking away."
For a moment, her eyes softened. Barely.
"I'll see you at the office tomorrow," she said. "There's something I need to share with the board."
Jake gave her a short nod and stepped back. He understood when to leave her alone. As he walked out, Samantha pulled out her phone and dialed Lynn.
"Make a schedule for me tomorrow. I'll be going to the office."
"Yes, ma'am."
Samantha hung up and placed her phone on the desk, her jaw tightening as she stared into the darkened window. Her reflection stared back at her: unbreakable, unshaken, untouchable.
The clock ticked on.
— ***
The Next Afternoon
Elevate Strategic Group Headquarters – Boardroom
Every executive was already seated. The boardroom, a towering glass-and-marble monument, felt colder than usual.
Lynn stepped in quietly, tablet in hand. "The CEO will join you shortly," she said.
Shelly crossed her legs slowly, smoothing the sharp cut of her gray pencil skirt. Her voice cut through the murmuring room like ice.
"So," Shelly drawled, "we're supposed to wait again?"
Lynn glanced toward her, unsure how to respond.
Shelly leaned back with deliberate confidence, her manicured nails tapping against her coffee cup. "Tell her we're busy too," she added, voice sharper now. "She can come now instead of playing queen."
Lynn's jaw tightened, but she only nodded politely. This wasn't her battle.
"Understood, ma'am."
But just as Lynn turned toward the door—
Click.
The boardroom doors slid open with a smooth mechanical whisper.
"No need, Lynn," came Samantha's voice—low, calm, and yet somehow heavier than any storm.
Samantha walked in like a force of nature. Her heels clicked against the polished marble floor, each step announcing her presence louder than any words.
A tailored white suit hugged her form perfectly—flared pants that kissed the floor, a cinched waistcoat beneath a double-breasted blazer, and beneath it all, a silk black shirt with gold buttons. Her hair was swept into a sleek high ponytail. Diamond-studded earrings glimmered beneath the sharp lighting, and a gold chain rested against her collarbone.
She wore no smile. No greeting.
Only power.
The room fell into silence as every executive instinctively rose from their seats.
Everyone except Shelly.
Samantha's heels clicked slowly toward the head of the table. She didn't rush. Each step was deliberate—like a lioness surveying her territory.
She pulled out her chair and sat down with complete control, resting her Hermès Birkin bag beside her. Her gaze swept across the room.
Her voice broke the silence first.
"Let's begin."
But Shelly wasn't done.
"I see this is how we're treating business executives now," Shelly said coolly, flipping through the Elevate Expansion project file in front of her as if Samantha wasn't even there. "Keeping us waiting like this. Very professional."
The tension in the room thickened like smoke.
Samantha didn't react. Her fingers rested lightly against the glass table. Calm. Deadly calm.
Her gaze flicked toward Shelly with slow precision.
"Miss Shelly," Samantha said at last, her voice smooth as silk—silk laced with hidden blades. "Long time no see."
Shelly didn't flinch. But even the strongest actors couldn't hide the faint flicker in her eyes.
Samantha leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the table. The gold watch on her wrist caught the light.
"Is that how you greet your husband after abandoning him for another country?" Samantha asked, voice calm, razor-sharp. "Is that how a wife behaves?"
A few executives shifted uncomfortably. This wasn't the kind of drama they were used to—but none dared to interrupt.
Shelly's lips pressed into a thin smile. "I didn't realize we were mixing business with personal affairs now, Samantha."
Samantha's eyes didn't waver. "But this is work, right?" She sat back, adjusting her sleeve ever so slightly. "Let's save personal talk for after the meeting. Agreed?"
Shelly returned the smile—cold meeting cold. "Agreed."
But everyone in the room knew who really held the cards.
Samantha's aura wasn't just about presence—it was control. There was no need to raise her voice. Her silence spoke louder than any speech.
Her gaze shifted to Lynn. "Bring me the project files. The meeting starts soon."
"Yes, ma'am."
And just like that, Samantha Bradley reclaimed her seat at the top—not just as CEO, but as the woman no one dared to cross.
The meeting hadn't even started yet.
But the war already had.