Chapter 3.

The night train pulled away from Capital Station. Inside the noisy economy carriage, Elena sat leaning against the fogged window. Her arms wrapped protectively around her stomach, holding onto the only reason she had survived.

“Forgive me,” she whispered softly. “We have to start over.”

Beyond the glass, her eyes fixed on the glowing Vane Corp logo standing arrogantly atop the tallest building in Capital City. Elena slowly closed her eyes, making a silent promise to herself that one day, she would be the one to extinguish that glory.

Five years later.

In City-B, a harsh port city, the name Elena Victoria was no longer unfamiliar. She was the founder of Aethel Corp, a pharmaceutical company that now dominated the domestic market. The woman who had once been cast out without a single penny had returned as someone cold, powerful, and deeply respected.

Tonight, the grand ballroom of a five-star hotel in downtown Capital City was filled with business elites. Aethel Corp was holding a major expansion event, and Elena stood behind the glass doors of the VIP room. Her black satin gown hugged her figure perfectly, radiating mature elegance. The weak Elena no longer existed.

“Mommy,” a small voice called as tiny fingers tugged at the edge of her gown.

The coldness in Elena’s eyes instantly melted. She crouched in front of Leo, her four-year-old son. Every time she looked at him, her chest tightened; Leo had inherited Charlie’s sharp jawline and deep black eyes.

“Yes, sweetheart?” Elena adjusted the tiny bow tie around her son’s neck.

“There are so many people outside,” Leo said, pointing toward the ballroom doors. “They’re waiting for my Queen.”

Elena smiled faintly and kissed Leo’s forehead. “Wait here with Auntie for a while, okay? Mommy has something to take care of.”

Elena stood up, took a deep breath, then stepped outside. The moment the ballroom doors opened, hundreds of eyes turned toward her at once. The entire room suddenly fell silent.

At the corner bar, a man abruptly froze. The champagne glass in his hand nearly slipped from his grasp.

These past five years had not been easy for Charlie. His marriage to Sarah had been filled with pressure and endless demands. But tonight, the greatest shock of his life stood right in front of him.

Charlie pushed through the crowd, his breathing uneven. “Elena...?” he whispered in disbelief.

Elena sensed his presence. She did not avoid him. Instead, she stopped right in the middle of the ballroom, waiting for Charlie to approach. When only two steps remained between them, Charlie halted. He stared at Elena, searching for the remnants of the pitiful woman he had once driven out into the pouring rain.

There was nothing left.

The woman standing before him now radiated a suffocating dominance.

“You’re... alive?” Charlie’s voice cracked violently. “How is this possible—”

“Long time no see, Mr. Vane,” Elena interrupted calmly. Her voice was composed and formal, completely devoid of any trace of the past.

“Elena, I’m sorry. We need to talk.” Charlie reached for her wrist, guilt suddenly crashing heavily against his chest.

With a graceful yet powerful movement, Elena brushed his hand away before he could touch her skin. Her gaze sharpened like a blade.

“Mind your manners,” Elena said in a low voice. “I’m here as the CEO of Aethel Corp, the major shareholder of your subsidiary company. Not as a servant from your household.”

Charlie staggered back a step in shock.

“Shareholder...?”

“Charlie! What’s going on—” Sarah appeared in her luxurious red gown. But her words stopped the moment she saw the woman standing before her husband. Sarah’s face instantly turned pale. “E-Elena?! You...”

Elena was not angry. She merely looked at her younger sister indifferently, as though she were staring at something utterly insignificant.

Suddenly, the VIP room door behind Elena opened slightly. Little Leo peeked his head out.

“Mommy, are you done yet?”

The voice made Charlie and Sarah turn at the same time. The moment Charlie saw the little boy whose face looked strikingly similar to his own, his heart seemed to stop beating.

“That child...?” Charlie stammered, staring at Leo before shifting his horrified gaze back to Elena.

Elena immediately stepped backward, blocking Charlie’s view of her son. A faint smile filled with triumph curved on her lips.

“Excuse me,” Elena said coldly. “My time is far too valuable for a useless past.”

Elena turned around, took Leo’s hand, and walked away, leaving Charlie standing frozen in the middle of the ballroom, struck by a reality that was beginning to shatter his sanity.