Natalie Evans stood on the balcony of the penthouse suite overlooking the city, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon as dawn painted streaks of gold across the skyline. The glass of red wine in her hand remained untouched. Sleep had evaded her again, not due to nightmares—but calculations. Thoughts. Strategies.
She was no longer the woman who once cried herself to sleep over a man who never truly valued her. She was power in stilettos. The kind of woman people whispered about—some with awe, others with fear.
Behind her, the penthouse was quiet. Her daughter, Lily, still peacefully tucked in bed after Natalie had kissed her goodnight, humming the same lullaby her mother once sang to her. That single ritual reminded her of who she was doing all this for. Not revenge. Not even to prove them wrong anymore. But to secure a future where Lily would never have to shrink herself to fit into someone else’s world.
The sound of the elevator arriving broke the silence. Natalie turned, her heels cli
