The city had never seen anything quite like Chen Walker Holdings. Their new headquarters rose like a monument in the heart of downtown—a shimmering glass tower, all sharp corners and blinding reflections. It dwarfed every building around it, as if Sarah and Charles had built it just to remind the world that they could. On opening day, a sea of drones hovered overhead, broadcasting the event on every social feed in the city. A red carpet snaked from the curb to the doors, lined with velvet ropes and paparazzi. It was less a business debut and more a royal coronation. Sarah stood at the center of it all. Her suit was crisp, white as snow, her hair perfectly styled, her heels high enough to hurt but steady enough to make her look invincible. Cameras snapped, reporters shouted her name, and she smiled for each lens with the poise of someone who’d won and lost everything and learned

The rain had stopped, but the city still looked gray and tired. Brent sat at the kitchen table, stirring instant coffee that had gone cold. James stood by the window, phone in hand, mouth twisted in a frown. “Brent, you’re going to want to see this,” James said. Brent didn’t look up. “Let me guess. More headlines?” James nodded. “It’s everywhere. Sarah’s new company just cut their prices again. She’s poaching clients left and right.” Sophia walked in, holding a stack of papers. Her hair was up, her eyes sharp. “Three more clients just left us for her. They’re posting about it on social media. Saying we’re finished. That you’re finished.” Brent finally looked up, his face calm. “Let them talk. Let her enjoy it.” James shook his head, scrolling through his phone. “It’s not just talk, Brent. She’s undercutting us on everything. Cleaning contracts, security, logistics. She’s eve

Sarah loved the lights. She loved the cameras even more. That morning, she sat in a spotless white studio, a team of stylists fluttering around her. They powdered her cheeks, brushed her hair, fixed every little thing that could possibly look less than perfect. Sarah smiled, but her eyes were cold. The host, a woman with perfect teeth and a fake laugh, leaned in. “You look wonderful, Sarah.” Sarah did her best shy smile. “Thank you. It’s been a long road.” The cameras rolled. The red light blinked. Sarah leaned forward, hands folded, every line in her head rehearsed a hundred times. “Let’s talk about your past,” the host began. “A lot has happened. Jail, scandals, all that drama. People want to know: are you a changed woman?” Sarah dropped her eyes. “I’m not proud of everything I did. I made mistakes. Big ones. I hurt people. I was lost. But prison changes you. I had time to thin

The Chen-Walker food factory looked normal from outside. Clean walls. Big trucks. Workers in white coats. But at night, everything changed. Sarah stood in the loading dock, watching trucks roll in. Not food trucks. These were different. Darker. Quieter. "How many tonight?" she asked Charles. He checked his phone. "Six trucks. Full loads." Sarah nodded, pulling her coat tighter. The night air was cold, but that wasn't why she shivered. Inside, the factory floor was busy. Day shift workers were gone. These weren't regular employees. These people moved differently. Watched the doors. Carried guns under their jackets. "Miss Chen." A man approached, tattoos peeking from his collar. "The shipment's ready." Sarah followed him deeper into the factory. Past the normal food processing areas. Past the clean machines and bright lights. The basement was differen

The newspapers loved writing Brent Walker's rumoured fall. "FALLEN BILLIONAIRE LOSES EVERYTHING?" "BRENT WALKER: FROM HERO TO ZERO" "CHEN INDUSTRIES TAKES OVER WALKER EMPIRE" Sarah read every story. Every lie. Every trap. Because that's what they were. Traps. She sat in her office, watching Charles give another TV interview. "Brent Walker?" He laughed on screen. "Old news. The city has moved on." The reporter nodded. "Some say he's planning a comeback." "Let him try." Charles smiled his shark smile. "We own everything now. His buildings. His companies. His power." Sarah turned off the TV. Couldn't watch anymore. Their PR team worked overtime. Pushing stories. Spreading rumors. Making Brent look finished. "Public opinion is everything," Charles told them. "Make them believe he's done." And people did