Chapter 6

Eight Years Later

Evelyn’s POV

The massive iron gates of the estate slid open silently. A line of four black armored SUVs sat idling on the gravel driveway, their engines humming like restless beasts.

I stepped out of the front doors, the midday sun catching the diamonds on my wrist. I adjusted my oversized black sunglasses, my silk trench coat billowing in the breeze. Behind me, a small army of uniformed maids and valets hurried to load the last of the designer trunks into the lead vehicle. My head of security, Lucas, stood by the car door, his hand resting near his holster as he scanned the perimeter.

"Mommy, I’m sleepy," a small, sweet voice chirped.

I looked down and smiled, my heart softening instantly. My daughter, Ivy, stood there looking like a literal princess in her custom-made pink lace dress. She was rubbing her eyes, letting out a tiny yawn.

"I know, my angel," I said, taking her small hand in mine.

"I don't like long trips," Ivy pouted, her lower lip trembling slightly. "Why can’t we just stay here? I like my bedroom here."

I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "We’re going to stay in our new home for a while. Don't worry, you’ll love it. It’s a beautiful penthouse in New York with a view of the park. It’s just as comfortable as this house, I promise."

Ivy tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "New York? Where the movie stars live. Will I get to see movie stars, Mommy?"

"Maybe," I laughed, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "Who knows. Maybe you’ll even get to see a movie being filmed. Lots of movies are filmed right on the streets in New York City."

Her face broke out into a wide smile as the possibilities spun in her mind. "Okay, then. Let’s go!" she cheered, her apprehension vanishing as she skipped into the back of the limo.

As I sat down across from her, I caught a glimpse of her face in the light. My breath hitched for a split second. Ivy had his eyes. Those deep, piercing eyes that belonged to Ryan Harrington. Every time she looked at me, it was a reminder of the man who had destroyed me.

But the sharp pain in my heart wasn't there anymore. My heart, which had once bled for him, had now turned to ice and iron. Looking at Ivy’s eyes now no longer made me cry; they only made me feel a strange, calm sense of victory. Ivy was my greatest treasure, my miracle child who had survived Daphne’s poison and the cold nights on the street.

Thirty minutes later, we arrived at the hangar. My personal flight crew stood in a perfect line, bowing their heads and smiling as we boarded the ultra-luxury Gulfstream jet.

Once we were airborne, Ivy settled into a wide reclining seat to watch cartoons, a maid standing by to bring her whatever she needed. I moved to the office at the back of the plane and opened my laptop. The screen glowed with the logo of my empire, Ivy-Gen Global. 

I was no longer the broken girl who had been kicked into an alleyway. I was powerful, successful, and strong. Over the last eight years, I had built an empire out of the scraps of my life. I was a billionaire now, a titan in the medical device industry. My company controlled the supply chains of hospitals across three continents. I had the power to save lives, and the power to ruin them.

I pulled up the file that had triggered this entire trip. A week ago, my assistant had brought me the news: the largest medical device company in North America, Apex Med, was up for acquisition.

And the only other bidder? The Harrington Group.

That was the moment I had decided to return to New York City.

I looked out the window at the puffy white clouds below. For eight years, I had stayed away from the city. I knew Ryan wasn’t the one who had poured the poison down my throat; that had been Daphne’s sick work. But he had been the one who turned his back. He had been the one who believed a lie because it was easier than loving me. He had been the one who had chosen Daphne over me. The Harrington family’s coldness had nearly killed me and my child.

In their eyes, I’d been a "placeholder" that was easily discarded.

"Ma'am?" my assistant, Sarah, whispered as she entered the cabin. "We’ve just received word. Ryan Harrington has called for an emergency board meeting to finalize his bid. He thinks he’s already won."

I traced a finger over the name Harrington on my screen.

"Let him think that," I said, my voice as cold as the high-altitude air outside. "Let him spend every last cent he has. We’ll wait until the very last second to outbid him. I want him to feel as much hope as possible before I take it all away."

I closed the laptop. The hunt had finally begun. I wasn't just coming back for a company. I was coming back to show the Harringtons exactly what kind of "placeholder" they had thrown into the trash.