Genesis trembled as she took in the company.
The lobby, once pristine and polished in her childhood memories, now looked tired. The floors were scuffed, the plants in the corners wilted, and the once-golden Caldwell crest above the reception desk had been removed—replaced with a bland holding company logo she didn't recognize.
Employees rushed back and forth in a frenzy, papers in hand, phones pressed to ears. The air buzzed with urgency, disarray, and something close to panic.
But then…
She stepped forward.
And they saw her.
Everything slowed.
One by one, heads turned. Conversations halted mid-sentence. Phones lowered. Footsteps stopped.
Whispers started at the edge of the room and rippled outward like a wave.
"Wait… is that…?"
"No way."
"Genesis?"
"Genesis Caldwell?"
"What's she doing here?"
Her name spread through the space like a spark catching dry grass.
Tears burned behind her eyes before spilling down her cheeks. A cold shiver racked her body. All those years locked in that room—trapped in the attic—she never thought she'd make it back here. She hoped to. But with every passing year, and every act of cruelty, that hope had withered… until the day she was married off.
Knight, standing behind her, noticed her trembling shoulders. Her hand was clamped over her mouth like she was holding in a scream. Of course, he also noticed the crowd gathering—staring, whispering, phones already raised to snap photos.
He stepped forward, placed a steadying hand on her shoulder, and whispered, "I need you to hold it together, princess. You have to be strong for what's coming."
Genesis turned, eyes lifting to his. Pain filled them—so much pain, Knight wished he could crack open her mind and just see the storm raging inside.
Then a voice broke through the moment. "Kieran."
Knight turned. It was the lawyer.
He didn't speak—just nodded, then gently placed his hand on the small of Genesis's back and led her toward the elevator at the far end of the lobby.
People murmured and typed furiously on their phones. By the time Knight, Genesis, and the lawyer stepped into the elevator, the buzz had already spread.
Genesis pressed close to Knight, her hand clutching his chest. Her heart thudded wildly—half in fear, half in anticipation.
Dave, the lawyer, looked at her directly. His voice was calm but firm.
"We're going to the executive boardroom," he said. "The interim board is already waiting. Some may try to delay this, but the override clause has been activated."
Genesis blinked up at him, heart racing. "Override clause?" she mouthed.
Dave nodded. "You'll be signing a transfer assertion. It enforces your father's will. As his only heir, you're stepping into full ownership of Caldwell Tech—effective immediately."
Knight glanced down at her. "She's ready."
Dave continued. "Everything tied to the company comes with it—property, accounts, assets."
He paused, just long enough to let it sink in. "That includes the Caldwell Estate. And the casinos Monica opened using company funds. They'll fall under immediate audit. Most were bought with your inheritance money… or through loans taken out in your name."
Genesis's eyes widened. Her lips parted.
Dave gave a small, respectful smile. "They'll be seized. And they'll be yours. Legally. Permanently."
Her chest hitched. This time, the tears came from awe.
Knight leaned down and whispered in her ear, "You hear that, princess? You're not just taking it back… you're burning it all down."
Ding.
The elevator doors slid open.
Dave turned to her. "Just one signature, Genesis. And it's all yours."
She stepped into the floor—not as a prisoner, not as a maid, not as a pawn.
But as a queen… returning for her crown.
People were already whispering, eyes wide as they watched the trio walk past. Word had spread fast—like wildfire through dry grass.
Dave led the way, moving confidently toward the boardroom.
"What's she doing here?" someone muttered.
"Isn't it obvious? This was Caldwell Tech. Maybe she's here to take over."
"Oh my god, really? I mean… Caldwell Tech won't ever be what it used to be."
"Do you have to be so cynical?" another snapped.
Dave pushed open the boardroom door, revealing a sleek, dimly lit space. A long, black marble table stretched the length of the room. A dozen sharply dressed men and women sat around it. Half of them turned with smug smiles—until they saw her.
The smiles vanished.
"Is that..?"
"You've got to be joking."
"Where's Monica?"
Dave didn't give them time to spiral.
He strode to the head of the table and dropped a thick folder with a loud thud. "This meeting is no longer about projections or temporary leadership," he said coolly. "It's about the rightful heir reclaiming Caldwell Tech."
A silver-haired man in a tailored suit leaned back. "With all due respect, the company is stable. There's no need for a dramatic…."
THUD.
Knight slammed a second folder down beside Dave's.
"This 'stable' company is bleeding money," he said.
Genesis flinched, but didn't back down.
Knight opened the folder, flipping through glossy photos and financial reports. "Let's talk about Monica's casino empire. Funded with diverted company money. Loans taken out in Genesis Caldwell's name, when she was seventeen."
A woman in red stiffened. "That's circumstantial. Monica is family—"
"She's not a shareholder. Not on the board. Not the heir," Dave cut in sharply. "The will is clear."
He slid the original copy across the table. "Monica was never granted control. She forged her authority and kept Genesis imprisoned."
Gasps rippled through the room. Silence followed.
Dave went on, voice steady. "Under clause 18, subsection D, the board is stripped of all temporary power, effective immediately upon activation of the override clause. I filed it this morning—with the legal support of Mr. Knight Caldwell. Genesis's husband."
A younger man stammered, "But—Monica had a legal proxy—"
"She forged it," Knight said coldly, tossing down another paper. "The FBI has a copy. Good luck."
The silence was absolute now.
Dave turned to Genesis, pulled out the final set of documents, and began laying them before her.
"As per your father's will, you now own.."
"....Caldwell Tech and all its subsidiaries…"
"The Caldwell Estate in full…"
"Every account tied to the Caldwell trust…"
"And all casino properties opened using your name and money…"
He placed a black pen beside the documents.
Then he turned to the board. "You can pass the message to Monica yourselves."
Genesis's fingers hovered over the pen. Her hand trembled.
Knight leaned in close. "Do it, princess."
Her name stared back at her in bold type across the first page. Her vision blurred—not from fear, but something sharper. More powerful.
She picked up the pen.
And signed.
Every line. Every page. Her hand shook, but she never stopped.
When she finished, Dave carefully collected the documents, then faced the room like a teacher standing before a classroom full of cheating students.
"Effective immediately," he declared, "Genesis Caldwell is the sole CEO and legal owner of this company, its properties, and its assets. You answer to her, if she chooses to keep you."
Not a single word was spoken.
Knight smirked. "I hope you invested elsewhere."
Genesis took a step forward, chin high. This time, she wasn't trembling.
The room didn't look at her with confusion anymore.
They looked at her with fear.
She pulled out her notepad, wrote a single sentence, and held it up:
"Get out of my chair."
The man sitting at the head of the table scrambled away like a kicked dog.
Genesis sat down.
And just like that… the throne was hers.
Knight smiled as he watched his wife transform before his eyes,from a broken girl to a queen.
He had never been prouder.
And now, his plan was finally in motion.