The giant LED screens in Times Square flickered, drawing the attention of every passerby.
A breaking news headline scrolled across the screen in bold, glaring letters:
[Lin Global Empire's Heiress Returns—Identity Officially Revealed!]
And then, her face appeared.
Ella Lin.
The once-forgotten woman who had disappeared from Empire City without a trace was now standing on the world's most prominent stage—flawless, confident, untouchable.
She stood at the center of the global press conference, dressed in an elegant white power suit, her long hair cascading down like silk, and a pair of diamond-studded stilettos clicking against the marble stage as she walked forward.
The cameras flashed wildly.
Reporters trampled over each other, shouting her name.
"Miss Lin, is it true you've taken over as CEO of Lin Global Empire?"
"Were you the mysterious financial tycoon behind the MYST Group's recent hostile takeover?"
"Miss Lin, rumors say you were once deeply in love with Leon Xu. How do you respond?"
Ella smiled faintly, the kind of smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
She leaned towards the microphone, her voice calm, every word laced with lethal elegance.
"Yes, I am now the official CEO of Lin Global Empire. And as for the past… some things are best left forgotten, don't you think?"
The entire world seemed to pause in that moment.
Back in his penthouse office, Leon Xu watched the live broadcast with bloodshot eyes.
He hadn't slept for days. His empire felt like it was crumbling under his feet, and now… the woman he thought he'd crushed was standing above him, smiling down as if she had never once begged for his love.
He grabbed the remote and hurled it at the television.
Crash!
The screen shattered into pieces, much like the last fragments of his self-control.
"Ella Lin..." His voice was low, dangerous, filled with a possessiveness bordering on madness.
"You think you've won? You think you can walk away from me?"
He pulled out his phone and dialed a number with shaking hands.
"Ryan! I want her found. I don't care what it takes. I don't care if it's illegal. I don't care if it burns this city to the ground. Bring her to me!"
At the press conference, Ella's assistant leaned in and whispered, "Miss Lin, Mr. Xu's people are trying to contact you."
Ella's eyes turned colder.
"Ignore them. From now on, if he wants to see me, tell him… he'll have to kneel at my feet and beg."
The audience roared as she walked off the stage, her heels clicking like a victory march.
Behind the scenes, a private jet was already waiting.
"Where to, Miss Lin?" her assistant asked.
"Switzerland. It's time I make the final move on Empire Corporation's overseas assets," she said, her voice as smooth as ice.
She placed a gentle hand over her growing belly, her eyes softening only for a brief moment.
"And tell the world… the heiress isn't alone anymore. My child will inherit a legacy far beyond anything Leon Xu could ever give."