Todos os capítulos de I’m Back, Mr. CEO : Capítulo 31 - Capítulo 40

I had one hour.One hour to pack my things from the Moore mansion before Adrian returned with Ethan from their afternoon at the park. One hour to erase myself from the house that had never been a home.Clara drove me there in silence. What was there to say? I’d lost everything. Signed it all away. My son would grow up calling another woman mama while I became a stranger who visited twice a week under supervision.The mansion loomed ahead, grand and cold. How many times had I walked through those doors thinking I belonged here? Thinking I was building a life?All lies.Mrs. Harmon opened the door, her expression carefully neutral. “Mrs. Moore. I heard about the court decision. I’m so sorry.”Was she? Or was she relieved that her reports had helped take my son from me?“I’m just here to get my things.”“Of course. I’ll give you privacy.”She disappeared, and I stood in the foyer alone. The house was quiet. Empty. Like it had been waiting for this moment. Waiting for me to finally leave.

So I quickly texted Lucas**Me:** *I appreciate the offer, Lucas. Really. But I can’t accept it.*The three dots appeared, then disappeared. Then appeared again.**Lucas:** *Can I ask why?***Me:** *Because if I stay in New York, I’ll always be Adrian Moore’s ex-wife. The woman who lost custody. The failure. I need to leave. Start completely over somewhere no one knows my story.***Lucas:** *Where will you go?***Me:** *I don’t know yet. But far from here. Far from them.***Lucas:** *I understand. The offer stands if you change your mind. Good luck, Serena.***Me:** *Thank you. For everything.*I set down the phone and looked at Clara, who’d been watching silently.“You’re leaving New York?”“I have to. I can’t stay here. Can’t walk down streets where I might run into them. Can’t see the Moore building every day. Can’t exist in a city where everyone knows I lost my son.”“Where will you go?”“Europe, maybe. Paris. I always wanted to study fashion in Paris but Adrian said it was imprac

Monday arrived too quickly and too slowly at the same time.I’d barely slept, running through every possible scenario. What if Genevieve had changed her mind? What if this was some elaborate joke? What if I showed up and she didn’t even remember inviting me?Clara had helped me pick an outfit. Simple black pants, a white blouse, my only pair of decent shoes. Professional but not trying too hard.“You look perfect,” she said, straightening my collar for the third time. “Now go. And don’t come back until you have a job.”The atelier was in a beautiful old building near Saint-Sulpice, the kind with massive wooden doors and a courtyard hidden from the street. I checked the address on the card three times before pressing the buzzer.“Oui?” A woman’s voice, crackling through the intercom.“I’m here to see Madame Moreau. My name is Serena Moore. She asked me to come at two.”A long pause. Then the door buzzed open.Inside, the building was even more beautiful. Spiral staircase. Original mold

“Initial investment of two million euros. That covers startup costs: atelier space, equipment, initial fabric orders, staffing, marketing. In exchange, I take thirty percent equity in your company.”Two million euros. Thirty percent equity.“That’s a lot of money.”“It’s standard for this level of investment. And it’s not charity. I expect returns. But I also believe you can deliver them.” He slid a document toward me. “This outlines everything. Take it to a lawyer. Have them review it. I want you to be comfortable with every aspect.”“Why me? You could invest in any designer—”“Because I’ve been doing this for twenty years and I know talent when I see it. You have something special. Not just technical skill, but vision. You see fashion as art, not just commerce. That’s rare. Valuable.” He leaned back. “Plus, Genevieve speaks very highly of you. She’s never wrong about people.”“What happens if I fail? If the line doesn’t sell?”“Then we reassess. Scale back. Try again. Or fold and mo

I opened the email.*Serena,**Per your instructions, I’ve been monitoring the custody situation in New York. Adrian Moore and Vivian Cross are still together, but not married yet. They had another child together two years ago—a daughter named Sophia. Ethan, now eight, attends an elite private school in Manhattan. By all accounts, he’s a happy, well-adjusted child.**There has been no mention of you in any school records or family documentation. Legally, you still have rights to visitation, but given your extended absence from the country and failure to maintain the court-ordered visits, any attempt to re-establish custody would be difficult.**However, if you wish to pursue this upon your return, I can coordinate with New York counsel.**Regards,**Isabelle*Another child. Adrian and Vivian had another child.Ethan had a little sister. A family. A life that had nothing to do with me.The phone slipped from my hands.Clara found me an hour later, still sitting in the dark, staring at