The Billionaire Who Returned

​POV: Vaela Voss

​The doors of the new company headquarters slid open smoothly as I walked into the main lobby, my heels clicking loudly against the polished floor while my assistant, Maya, hurried behind me with a tablet full of schedules and meeting requests. Seven years ago, I was crawling out of a burning car with a broken body and a secret pregnancy, saved only because a retired pack doctor found me before the royal guards could, and now I was back in the kingdom as the sole owner of the largest security empire in the world.

​"The royal council representatives are already waiting upstairs in the main boardroom, Ms. Voss," Maya said, trying to keep up with my fast pace as we headed toward the private elevator line, "and they look incredibly desperate because the police haven't found a single lead since the murder took place three days ago."

​"They should be desperate, Maya, the killer used the exact same rare poison and signature knife cuts that they used to frame me seven years ago," I said, stepping into the elevator and smoothing down my sharp black blazer, "and since their own investigators are useless, they have no choice but to pay my company to fix their mess."

​"Are you sure you want to handle this meeting personally?" Maya asked, looking at me with genuine concern as the elevator started to ascend, "We know the Alpha King's family will be involved in the final oversight of the investigation."

​"I am exactly where I need to be, Maya, and I didn't spend seven years building this global business just to hide in the background when the people who destroyed my life finally need my help," I replied, giving her a reassuring nod as the doors opened directly into the top-floor conference suite.

​Before I walked into the room, I stepped into the small side office where my six-year-old daughter, Nyra, was sitting at a small table, colored markers scattered everywhere as she happily drew pictures of wolves and castles under the watchful eye of her nanny.

​"Mama, you're back!" Nyra cheered, lifting her head and flashing a wide smile that showed off the deep, distinct dimples in her cheeks, a daily reminder of the father she had never met.

​"I have a quick business meeting next door, sweetie, so I want you to finish your drawing and stay right here with Clara until I come get you, okay?" I said, leaning down to press a warm kiss against her forehead while she gave me a tight hug around my neck.

​"I promise I'll be good, Mama, but can we get ice cream after you finish talking to the boring people?" she asked, her golden-brown eyes wide with hope as she picked up a blue marker.

​"We can get whatever you want, my love," I whispered, smiling as I stood up and straightened my clothes before walking out, closing the door softly behind me to keep her safe from the world outside.

​I pushed open the boardroom doors and walked straight to the head of the table, where four elderly council members were sitting next to Jaxon, the Alpha King's right-hand man, who looked up at me with an expression that was a mix of intense curiosity and confusion.

​"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Ms. Voss," one of the councilmen said, sliding a thick folder across the table toward my seat, "The murder of Lord Caelen has thrown the entire nobility into panic, and your company is the only agency with the advanced tech required to track the killer."

"My f*e is double what your local police budget handles, gentlemen, and I require total access to all royal archives, including the sealed cases from seven years ago," I said, sitting down and opening the file without looking at them, my voice completely cold and professional.

​"The sealed cases are state secrets, we cannot simply hand over those files to an outside contractor," the councilman protested, his face turning slightly red as he slammed his hand against the table, but I just closed the folder and started to stand back up.

​"Then you can find someone else to solve your murder, because my team doesn't work in the dark," I said smoothly, but before I could take a single step toward the exit, the doors swung open. 

​Caedric walked straight into the room, his jacket slightly wrinkled and his golden hair messy from what looked like days of sleepless nights, but the moment his eyes locked onto my face, he stopped perfectly dead in his tracks, his entire body freezing as his breath hitched audibly.

​"Vaelith?" he whispered, his voice trembling so violently that the folder in Jaxon's hand dropped right onto the table, while Caedric took two slow, unsteady steps toward me as if he was looking at a ghost.

​"My name is Vaela Voss, Your Highness, and we were just discussing whether your council is willing to meet my terms for the investigation," I said, keeping my face completely blank and my voice deadpan, though my heart was racing at his sudden proximity.

​"It's impossible... you died , I saw the records, I saw the ring," he murmured, his golden eyes scanning every single inch of my face, searching for the girl he lost while the council members watched the interaction in total, uncomfortable silence.

​"Many things seem impossible until they happen, Alpha King, now if you want to sign the contract, we can begin, otherwise my team has other clients to attend to," I said, sitting back down and gesturing to the papers on the table, forcing him to pull out a chair and sit down opposite me while he continued to stare at me with total shock.

​We spent the next hour going over the basic details of the crime scene, and though I kept my focus strictly on the case, I could feel Caedric’s intense gaze burning into me the entire time, his jaw clenched as he tried to reconcile the powerful woman sitting in front of him with the vulnerable wife he had failed to save.

​"We will agree to your terms, Ms. Voss, the files will be delivered to your office by midnight," Caedric finally said, his voice deep and rough as he signed the bottom of the contract, his fingers lingering near mine for a fraction of a second before I pulled the paper away.

​"Excellent, then this meeting is adjourned, and my team will see you at the crime scene tomorrow morning," I announced, rising from my seat to signal that the discussion was completely over.

​Just as the council members stood up and began collecting their coats, the side door of the boardroom clicked open, and Nyra came sprinting into the room, her shoes squeaking loudly against the floor as she ignored Clara's shouts from the hallway.

​"Mama! Look what I drew for you!" Nyra shouted, running straight past Jaxon and throwing her small arms tightly around my legs, lifting a bright piece of paper up toward my face with total excitement.

​I instinctively scooped her up into my arms, my maternal instincts completely overriding my professional mask, but as I turned around to carry her back to the office, Caedric stepped directly into our path, his eyes dropping from my face down to the little girl in my arms.

​Nyra turned her head to look at the tall stranger, completely unafraid as she gave him a bright, wide smile that revealed the exact, deep dimples on both sides of her face, and Caedric’s entire face went completely white as he stared at the child.