"Ma'am, we have arrived," the driver said with a furrowed brow as he turned to look at Genesis.
She didn't answer. She only stared at the building. Her builing.
Her chest tightened as she thought of the last time she'd walked through those doors. Kieran had been beside her then, his hand anchoring her. Now, the seat beside her was empty. She was alone.
But she needed to be.
With a deep breath, Genesis pushed open the car door and stepped out.
Cameras flashed immediately. Reporters swarmed from the sidewalk, their voices rising in chaotic unison:
"Mrs. Caldwell, is it true you've taken over everything from the Caldwell's?"
"Will Caldwell Tech be restructuring under your leadership?"
"Do you plan to sell the casinos?"
Genesis didn't stop. She didn't answer. She walked straight through the revolving glass doors, her heels clicking against the polished floor.
The lobby fell silent the moment she appeared. Again, just like last time heads turned, whispers rippled, but this time her presence was different. She wasn't trembling. She wasn't hiding behind anyone.
Dave was waiting inside. His relief showed in the faint smile tugging his mouth as he fell in step beside her. "The board is assembled. Monica and Jimmy are here as well," he said quietly.
Genesis's jaw tightened, but she gave only a small nod.
Together, they walked to the elevator.
****
The boardroom was tense. Half the members sat stiffly, papers before them, while Monica lounged in a corner seat in her red suit, and Jimmy scrolled carelessly on his phone. Their smugness faltered the instant Genesis entered.
"Good morning," Genesis said.
Her voice.
Clear, strong, commanding.
The shock was immediate. Monica's eyes widened. Jimmy's phone slipped from his hand with a clatter against the marble.
"You.. " Monica started, but Dave cut her off smoothly. "The CEO is speaking."
Genesis stepped forward, her hand brushing over the back of her father's old chair before she sat. She glanced around the table, meeting each pair of eyes.
"This company was my father's life," she began, her tone steady though her chest thudded. "And for fifteen years, I thought I'd never have the chance to honor him. But I do now. And I intend to restore Caldwell Tech to what it was meant to be and more."
She glanced at Dave, who slid a folder in front of her. He'd prepared everything, but the words were hers.
"First," she said, "the casinos." Her gaze flicked to Monica. "Every one of them will undergo independent audits. If they cannot be proven profitable without bleeding this company's funds, they will be sold off. The money will be redirected back into Caldwell Tech."
Gasps and murmurs. Jimmy shifted uncomfortably. Monica's jaw clenched.
"Second," Genesis continued, "employee welfare. My father believed that Caldwell Tech thrived because of its people. The benefits you stripped away fifteen years ago will be reinstated effective immediately. Health coverage. Retirement contributions. Annual bonuses."
The employees around the table exchanged looks. A few straightened in their seats, hopeful.
"Third," Genesis said, her voice firm, "innovation. Caldwell Tech will stop chasing Monica's get-rich-quick ventures and return to research and development, the core that built this company. Our future isn't in gambling. It's in technology."
Dave gave a small approving nod.
Genesis leaned forward slightly. "Finally… accountability. Every executive tied to mismanagement under Monica's control will be investigated. If evidence of fraud or embezzlement is found, charges will be filed." Her eyes locked on her stepmother. "I will not let my father's company rot under thieves."
The silence that followed was suffocating. Monica's face flushed, Jimmy muttered something under his breath, but no one dared to speak against her.
Genesis took a breath, her hands resting calmly on the table. "That's all." She rose, eyes sweeping the room. "Caldwell Tech is under new management. My father's management. If you can't accept that, leave."
And just like before, not a single person argued.
She nodded. "You can all leave,"
The board members slowly filed out, murmuring amongst themselves. Some glanced at Genesis with a new kind of respect, others with unease. But no one dared challenge her.
Dave gathered his files briskly. "That concludes…"
"We need to talk to her," Jimmy cut in, his voice sharp.
Dave's eyes narrowed. "Absolutely not. The meeting is adjourned. If you have concerns, you can…"
"It's fine, Dave," Genesis said softly.
His head snapped toward her. "Genesis…"
She gave him a small, reassuring smile. "I'll handle them."
Dave hesitated, then sighed, jaw tight. "Five minutes. Call if you need me." He shot Monica and Jimmy a warning glare before stepping out, the heavy door clicking shut behind him.
The silence that followed was thick.
Genesis sat calmly at the head of the table, fingers folded neatly, gaze fixed on her so-called family. For the first time in fifteen years, there was no trembling in her hands. No fear twisting her stomach.
Jimmy sneered, slamming his palm on the table. "You can't do this, bitch! He was our father too, our company, not just yours…"
"NO!" Genesis's roar cracked through the room like thunder, raw and powerful. She surged to her feet, eyes blazing. "Don't you dare call him your father."
Jimmy froze mid-breath, shock flickering in his eyes at her defiance.
Her voice shook the walls, each word sharp as a blade. "He was my father. Mine. And you—you were nothing but leeches, feeding off what was never yours to begin with."
Jimmy's face darkened. He stepped closer, growling. "Oh, you've grown wings, huh? Just because you can talk now?" He lifted his hand, rage boiling, ready to strike her across the face.
But Genesis moved first.
She leaned back smoothly, his swing slicing through empty air. His momentum nearly toppled him. By the time he steadied, Genesis was inches from him—her face calm, her eyes cold fire.
She raised her chin, her voice low, dangerous. "Touch me…" she said, her words like a knife at his throat. "…and I'll bury you so deep in prison they won't even remember your name."
The venom in her tone stunned him into silence.
Behind him, Monica stood pale, her lips trembling. Her gaze darted between Genesis and the door, fear pooling in her eyes. She can talk. The thought spun in her mind like a curse. She can tell the world everything. Everything we did. And what if she remembers the rest…?
Genesis turned her glare on Monica next, her lips curving into a small, humorless smile. "Scared, stepmother? You should be."