3
Everyone at the table froze.
The color drained from Landon’s face. “Renee, what are you talking about?”
Mom set down her fork, her expression a blank mask. “I’m talking about the fact that this company was built by my parents. It has
nothing to do with you or your family. Not a single cent.”
1505
Chapter 1
15/05
With that, she picked me up and walked out, leaving a room full of stunned, sputtering vipers in her wake. It was glorious.
Back in the bedroom, Mom pulled a thick photo album from the closet. Inside were pictures of my grandparents in their youth, and
of a younger Mom, her face radiant with happiness.
I knew the story. My mother was the sole heiress to a fortune, a princess who had the world at her feet. But a single car crash had
changed everything. My grandfather died, my grandmother was left in a vegetative state, and my mother’s world collapsed.
Mom, don’t be sad. That car crash wasn’t an accident. That bastard Landon arranged it!
He did it to wipe out your family and seize the inheritance! You’ve spent all these years as a housewife, taking care of this house
and his six little monsters.
He controls the company now. It’s going to be so hard for us to fight back.
I watched her tears fall, spotting the glossy pages of the album, and my tiny heart ached for her.
Mom closed the album and wiped her eyes.
The next day, she was a different person. Dressed in a sharp, tailored power suit, she held me as she addressed Landon at the bre
akfast table. “I’ve grown tired of staying home. I’m going back to the office.”
He nearly choked on his coffee. “Back to the office? You haven’t been involved in years. What could you possibly do there?”
“That company is my parents‘ legacy. I have every right to check in on it.”
Landon’s face shifted through a series of emotions. He wanted to stop her but had no grounds to. “Renee, I’m running things just
fine. You should stay home and take care of the baby.”
Mom smiled, a cold, cutting thing. “Do I need your permission to return to my own company?”
He was speechless.
The old hag sneered from the sidelines. “A woman’s place is in the home, raising children. Parading around in an office… it’s shame-
less.”
Mom didn’t even bother to look at her.
At the office, her arrival caused a stir.
“Mrs. Sterling… What are you doing here?” Landon’s secretary, a pretty young woman, rushed out to greet her.
Well, well, if it isn’t the mistress’s niece. Planted here as Landon’s “secretary,” but she’s really just his spy.
I bet the company’s books are a complete mess. God knows how much they’ve embezzled.
Mom gave the girl a cool, dismissive glance and swept past her toward the chairman’s office. Along the way, several older employ- ees saw her and rushed over, their faces alight with excitement.
“Miss Renee! You’re finally back!”
That’s Mr. Wallace, the CFO. One of Grandfather’s most loyal men. Landon stripped him of all his real power.
And that’s Mr. Lee from Marketing, another ally. He’s been pushed to the sidelines.
The one in the floral shirt is one of Landon’s lapdogs. The HR manager. He’s probably filled the company with their cronies.
Mom smiled warmly, exchanging pleasantries with the loyal old guard.
In the boardroom, Landon shot a subtle look to his key people. They launched into a glowing report, painting a picture of incredible
Success.
Chapter 1
“That can’t be right,” Mom’s voice cut through the drone, sharp as glass. She tapped a finger on the table. “If performance has been
this strong for the past few quarters, why is the profit margin for Q3 so low?”
“Well… uh… Ms. Sterling… that is…”
The men stammered, unable to form a coherent answer.
Mom turned her gaze to Landon. “You’d better have a very good explanation for this.”
His face was a thundercloud, his hand gripping his pen so tightly his knuckles were white.
She didn’t wait for an answer. She simply turned and walked out.
Back home, the first thing Mom did was pull up the last five years of the company’s financial records. She held me in her lap, flippi-
ng through page after page.
Why is Mom suddenly so invested in the company? This is totally different from how things went last time.
I let out a big yawn, my baby eyelids finally giving way to sleep.
When I woke up, Mom was staring at me, her eyes shining with a brilliant, knowing light.
Whoa, what’s with that look? Could it be… she can hear my thoughts?
Mom gave me a playful wink.
A joyous explosion went off in my mind.
Holy crap! She really can hear me! This is amazing! Mother–daughter power duo, united against the forces of evil!
Watch out, you bastards. We’re coming for you, and we’re going to take you down.
