The Lost Heir: Trials of an Empire Reclaimed

Chapter 029

The Lancaster Headquarters was already alive with movement and purpose. From the legal department to the financial wing, each corridor hummed with quiet energy.

Keyboards clicked in rhythmic unison, phones buzzed intermittently, and clipped conversations filled the air as staff bustled with their morning tasks.

Inside the sleek, spacious corner office on the top floor, Silas Lancaster was buried neck-deep in a maze of paperwork.

His blazer was draped over the back of his chair, sleeves rolled up, tie slightly loosened.

The early sun filtered through the massive glass windows behind him, casting a golden hue over the desk piled high with documents awaiting his attention.

He reached for another file, eyes scanning numbers and legalese, when the soft creak of the door opening reached his ears. Without lifting his gaze, he sighed.

“I really do not want to be disturbed this morning, Nancy,” he said flatly, assuming it was his PA again.

“Good morning to you too.”

The voice stopped him in his tracks. It was feminine, yes. Soft—definitely. But it wasn’t Nancy.

It held a calm melody he remembered far too well. A voice that lingered in his mind long after the night of his heir presentation.

His head snapped up, faster than he realized, and his eyes locked onto the woman now standing in the doorway—Elena Rogers.

Time stilled.

She stood poised, elegance wrapped in simplicity. A fitted cream blouse tucked into high-waisted navy slacks, and her signature charm necklace resting gently at her collarbone.

Her dark, wavy hair was pinned half-up, half-down, with loose strands framing her face.

Silas rose to his feet instinctively.

“Elena,” he breathed.

She smiled, that same soft, disarming smile from the ceremony.

The kind of smile that made one forget why they were ever stressed in the first place. She extended her hand for a handshake.

“Good morning to you too,” she repeated.

Silas took her hand, but instead of a firm shake, he gently raised it and kissed the back, just like he had that night. Déjà vu wrapped itself around them.

Their eyes met again—this time without the candle-lit distractions of the ceremony.

Silas noticed how her eyes sparkled in the morning light. He hadn’t realized they were speckled with green undertones, like dew on emerald leaves.

Her lashes fluttered slightly, like a nervous blink, but her gaze remained fixed and confident.

Elena noticed how his eyes weren’t just dark brown—they had streaks of hazel near the center.

His jaw was tighter than the night before, likely from stress, but he still held himself like a man who had just stepped into power and wasn’t afraid of it.

They stood in silence, gazes entwined, reading the unspoken words between them. Admiration, curiosity, something else flickering just beneath the surface.

A full ten seconds passed. Maybe more.

Silas finally broke the trance, blinking as he motioned toward the seats. “Please, have a seat.”

She nodded gracefully and settled into the seat across from him.

“So,” he began as he lowered himself back into his chair, “to what do I owe this special visit?”

Elena’s smile widened, brushing the edge of teasing. “Roger’s NGO had a pending contract with your company, remember? I came to finalize the whole process this morning.”

“Right,” Silas replied, exhaling. “Consider it finalized.”

They both chuckled lightly.

She retrieved a file from her bag and slid it across the table. “Let’s make it official anyway, Mr. Heir.”

“Oh, so we’re using titles now?” he smirked as he took the folder and flipped through its contents.

“Only when they make things move faster,” she teased.

The conversation flowed as smoothly as the ink from Silas’ pen. They worked through the necessary documents, initialing and signing where needed.

Between moments of paperwork, their light chatter filled the air.

“So, what’s your day been like so far?” Elena asked.

“Overwhelming,” Silas replied with a chuckle. “I thought being named heir would give me more status, not more paperwork.”

“Well, now you’re royalty with responsibilities,” she said, glancing around the grand office. “This place suits you though.”

“You think so?”

“Mm-hmm. Power has a funny way of fitting people. But I think what makes it work is how you wear it, not just how it’s given.”

He paused, her words lingering like a subtle echo.

“And you?” he asked, shifting the spotlight. “Still running Rogers Initiative like the world depends on it?”

“Of course. Kids need books, women need voices, and communities need hope. It’s exhausting but worth it.”

He watched her eyes glow with passion as she spoke—genuine, fierce, and admirable.

They finished the paperwork after a while, both rising to their feet at the same time.

“Well, everything’s set,” Elena said, slipping the file back into her bag.

“Great,” Silas replied, hands in his pockets. “Thanks for coming in personally.”

She nodded. “I figured it was worth seeing the new heir in action.”

They stood there, just a few feet apart, but the air felt charged again.

There was a beat—neither moved.

Silas looked at her lips, then her eyes. She mirrored the action.

But instead of leaning in, Elena smiled gently and stepped toward the door.

“Until next time, Mr. Lancaster,” she said, her tone teasing.

He smiled, stepping forward but not closing the distance. “Next time, I might actually clear my morning to be disturbed.”

She laughed softly, reached for the handle, and paused to glance back at him once more before walking out.

As she turned the door handle, she collided with Mat at the door.