CHAPTER 17- GRADUATION.

**TWO WEEKS LATER**

Graduation had come and gone: the dress, the flying cap, the photographs, parents and teachers crying.

Faith stood between her parents, happy to be able to graduate in this life. In her first life, she had been expelled. She had never experienced the joy of graduating.

Her parents held each of her hands for a photograph; her mother was crying hard—not because she didn’t love her daughter, but out of pure joy at seeing her only daughter defend herself before the board members and still graduate with honors. They were tears of happiness.

Her father pretended to be strong. Faith smiled genuinely.

There were also tears in her eyes. Warren found her that afternoon at the graduation and they took photos together.

All the classes took pictures. Faith’s parents were invited onto the stage and gave a beautiful speech, with Faith standing between them, thanking God for giving them such a wonderful daughter.

After all the joy and happiness, two weeks had passed.

---

In a quiet corner of the restaurant, Uncle Marcus sat in a secluded spot to avoid prying eyes. He kept glancing toward the entrance as if waiting for someone, and then Cassius walked in.

Cassius slid into the seat across from him. Marcus ordered a glass of wine for him.

“Aren’t you Faith’s uncle? Why did you call me here?”

“Thank you for accepting my invitation.”

Cassius looked at him. *What does he really want?* he thought.

“I’m going to need your help with something,” Marcus murmured.

“Get to the point,” Cassius snapped. He hated when people beat around the bush.

“I’d like to remind you who she really is.”

Cassius’s jaw tightened.

“She’s so smart, and I still don’t understand how she managed to outmaneuver me at the board meeting a few weeks ago, even when I presented solid evidence.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

Marcus leaned forward and took a sip of his wine.

“Everything. She humiliated you, got you punished at school, nearly got you expelled, chose Warren over you, and you’re just sitting there, silent, doing nothing.”

Cassius said nothing.

“We both know what we want and how to get it, but we keep losing to her,” Marcus continued. “But if we work together…”

He didn’t finish the sentence.

Cassius stared at him. “What exactly are you trying to say? What are you proposing?”

Marcus set his glass down carefully.

“Here’s the deal: help me get her completely out of the company.”

“And you think it’ll be easy for me to remove her just like that? Have you forgotten that the board already chose her? She’s the heir to the company. It won’t be as simple as you think.”

“Her father is getting old and will retire soon. Some board members are old-school. You’d just need to apply for a job there, act as a spy, and gather all the information.”

“That’s impossible,” said Cassius.

“Don’t you want to bring her down? If you don’t act fast, I’m afraid the next time you won’t be able to.”

“And what do I gain if the mission succeeds?”

“Now you’re talking like a man,” Marcus smiled mockingly.

“You’ll get fifty percent of the company and the assets.”

“You’re not going to turn down that kind of money, are you?”

Cassius stared at the table.

In his mind, he was already calculating: how he would become rich, how the money would fall into his hands.

“And what about her parents?”

“We’ll take care of them,” Marcus said, “one way or another.”

Silence stretched between them. Marcus only smiled like someone who had just won the lottery.

Cassius looked away. Something had changed in his eyes.

“Fifty-five percent,” Cassius said, “and I want it in writing.”

Marcus’s smile widened even more.

“Of course.”

They didn’t shake hands, because this was not a legitimate deal.

Men like them didn’t shake hands.

---

Victoria was sitting in a nearby restaurant.

She had sent Cassius a message asking to meet.

This place was private and Lydia wouldn’t know about it.

After finishing with Marcus, Cassius went to meet Victoria.

“What exactly is your goal? Why do you keep disturbing my peace?”

“Do you think yelling is the solution?”

“Huh?”

“Let’s have something to drink together.”

“Marcus is not who you think he is.”

“What does that have to do with you? Are you really stalking me or what? Because I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“I’m doing this for your own good. Think about why Marcus approached *you* specifically, out of everyone.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“You’re too stupid and useless for my taste. You’d fall into a trap for money.”

“What trap? I don’t understand.”

“You don’t understand because you’re an idiot.”

“Enough with the insults. Tell me what you know.”

“Marcus, or whatever his real name is, is trying to use you. Didn’t you notice that smile of his?”

Cassius said nothing.

“That smile means he’s plotting something bad.”

“Enough. I haven’t settled the score with you yet for framing your sister.”

Victoria smiled. “You’re not in any position to ask me that. I know why I did it.”

“I’m asking you for the last time: why did you approach me?”

Victoria stood up. “Figure it out yourself.”

---

Faith was sitting in her office.

“Any good news?”

“Of course. I’ll send you the audio. Marcus and Cassius are more dangerous than we thought.”

“No problem.” And she hung up.

A message came into her phone.

She listened to everything.

Marcus’s smooth voice.

Cassius negotiating the price.

Marcus agreeing to everything.

The recording ended.

She remained silent for a few moments.

She leaned back in her chair and smiled.

It wasn’t a soft or genuine smile—it was *that* other smile.

“They just signed their own downfall,” she murmured.

“Both of them.”

Her phone vibrated. It was Warren.

“Are you still at the office?”

“Did you get the evidence?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Faith looked at the recording on her screen. Everything was secured.

“Every word, not a single sigh missing.”

“Good, but don’t rush.”

“Do I look like I’m rushing? I’m going to destroy them slowly, without them even realizing it.”

“That’s my princess.”

“Don’t start. I’m not your princess.”

“As if you didn’t love it when I call you that.”

Faith blushed.

“Just stop.”

“Have you eaten?”

Faith stared at the message.

*This man.*

This irritating, patient, impossible man.

Marcus and Cassius were trying to eliminate her, and all Warren did was bother her by asking if she had eaten.

“The nerve,” she muttered, locking her phone screen without replying.

But she was smiling for no reason at all.

“You won’t kill me, Warren.”