Chapter: CHAPTER 79The morning after Phoenix’s private anniversary celebration, Alice woke to the sound of someone knocking on her bedroom door.She pulled the blanket over her head.“Unless the house is on fire, whatever it is can wait until nine.”“It’s eight fifteen,” Wayne replied from the other side.“Exactly. An unreasonable hour.”“I’ll inform Ethan that his mother has officially retired from motherhood.”Alice sat up immediately. “Don’t you dare.”Wayne’s laughter drifted through the door.By the time she emerged, Ethan was already in the dining room, happily destroying a pancake while Wayne read a letter beside his coffee.Alice stopped at the sight of the envelope.It was cream-coloured, thick, and embossed with a crest she didn’t recognise.“What’s that?”Wayne looked up. “An invitation.”“To what?”“My grandmother’s birthday celebration.”Alice pulled out a chair and sat down. “Your grandmother has a birthday?”He stared at her.She reached for a piece of pancake. “What? You’ve never mention
Last Updated: 2026-10-19
Chapter: CHAPTER 78Alice stared at the invitation on her desk. Phoenix was about to celebrate its first anniversary.Twelve months ago, the company had been little more than a foundation Wayne had prepared for her. Now it had a growing team, products people used, and a gaming division whose latest release had attracted unexpected attention.There were still problems—slipping deadlines, untimely bugs, and developers spending astonishing amounts on equipment they insisted was essential.But Phoenix was alive.More importantly, it was hers.A knock interrupted her thoughts.Miriam entered with a folder and a suspicious smile.“Before you ask, no, I haven’t approved the anniversary budget yet,” Alice said.“You haven’t even seen it.”“I know your expression.”Miriam set the folder on her desk. “The team submitted proposals for the celebration. They want something memorable.”Alice opened it. The first called for a large venue, elaborate decorations, a catered dinner, and live entertainment. The second was o
Last Updated: 2026-10-18
Chapter: CHAPTER 77Alice had barely settled into her office when her assistant appeared at the door with a tablet tucked beneath her arm.“Your ten o’clock meeting has been moved to eleven, and the product team wants your approval on the revised interface. Also, someone has sent you a rather interesting gift.”Alice looked up from her laptop. “What kind of gift?”She placed a small, elegantly wrapped box on her desk.“No card, no name. The delivery man said it was sent to the CEO of Phoenix.”Alice stared at it for a moment before pushing it gently toward Miriam. “Did security check it?”“Yes. It’s harmless. I watched them open the outer packaging, but they left the box itself untouched.”“Then let’s see what mystery someone thinks I need today.”Miriam lifted the lid.Inside lay a miniature wooden phoenix, its wings spread as if it were about to take flight. The craftsmanship was beautiful, and the smooth surface had been polished until it shone. Beneath it sat a folded note.Alice unfolded the paper.
Last Updated: 2026-10-17
Chapter: CHAPTER 76Alice had always known that running a company would be difficult, but she had not expected one of her greatest challenges to be convincing people to stop trying to discover who she was.When Phoenix had been small, anonymity had been easy to maintain. The company relied on selected representatives, written proposals, and a reputation built through its work rather than its founder’s identity. Alice preferred it that way. She wanted Phoenix judged by its products, employees, and value—not by her name or face.Success, however, made privacy more difficult.Three days after Phoenix declined a business publication’s interview request, a technology company invited Phoenix to discuss a promising collaboration: a digital platform combining communication, entertainment, scheduling, and payments in one application. The project could expand Phoenix’s reach, strengthen its technology division, and create new positions. Alice knew opportunities like this were rare.Unfortunately, the company had i
Last Updated: 2026-10-16
Chapter: CHAPTER 75Charles had barely slept in three days.Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the hospital report lying on his desk. The words had become an unwelcome presence in his mind, following him into meetings and interrupting conversations. He had read the documents so many times that he could remember the dates without looking at them, yet he still couldn’t convince himself that Alice was dead.There were too many unanswered questions.On Thursday morning, he summoned his investigator to the office and demanded an update.“We’ve confirmed that the hospital treated a patient under the name Gianna Wesley,” the man reported. “However, the identity documents used for the admission appear to have been arranged specifically for that purpose. We haven’t found a reliable connection between the name and Alice’s official records.”“Who paid for her treatment?”“The payments came through several channels. We’re tracing them, but whoever arranged them was careful.”Charles leaned forward. “And the death
Last Updated: 2026-10-15
Chapter: CHAPTER 74The first article about Phoenix appeared on a Wednesday morning.Alice discovered it while eating breakfast, with Ethan sitting beside her in his high chair and attempting to convince her that a piece of toast belonged on the floor rather than on his plate.“Mama,” he announced proudly, holding the toast over the edge.“That belongs in your mouth, young man.”He looked at her, considered her argument, and dropped it anyway.Alice sighed, rescued the toast, and reached for her phone. A message from her assistant was waiting.Miss Alice, the business article has been published. They didn’t interview you, but they’ve written about Phoenix’s recent growth. You should take a look.Curious, Alice opened the link.The article discussed Phoenix’s expanding technology division, its growing collection of mobile games, and the increasing interest other companies had shown in its products. It described Phoenix as a promising young company with an unusually private leadership team. There was no ph
Last Updated: 2026-10-15
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