Adrian had always been the one in control.
The meetings. The media. The money.
He moved pieces like a master chess player.
But now?
The queen had stepped off his board—and started building her own.
---
One Month Later – Midtown CoLab Office Space
Nancy adjusted the sign on the glass door.
Carter & Co. – Strategic Communications | Crisis PR | Brand Rebuilds
She'd done it.
With money she earned through side projects and leftover college grants, Nancy had registered her own firm. A start-up, small but sharp. She wasn't just rebuilding her own life…
She was building an empire.
Mia walked in with two coffees and a huge grin. "Girl. You're officially a CEO now."
Nancy laughed. "Not Blackwood-level yet, but give me time."
Mia winked. "Difference is—he inherited power. You created yours."
Nancy looked at the clean space, the first client pitch set for tomorrow, the brand-new laptop she'd bought with her own card.
Power didn't always come in diamonds and titles.
Sometimes it came in grit. And resilience.
And she was glowing in it.
---
Meanwhile – Blackwood Tower
Adrian stared at his phone again.
Her name sat untouched. The last text unread.
He'd seen the headlines. "Young PR Prodigy Launches Independent Firm: Carter & Co." Her picture was everywhere—confident, radiant, unstoppable.
His board mentioned her name in awe during a meeting.
That stung. Because now…
She was a threat.
Not to his heart.
To his business.
And yet, a part of him was proud. So damn proud.
The woman he once tried to control had turned into the woman he could never touch without permission again.
---
That Weekend – Industry Networking Event
Nancy walked into the luxury hotel ballroom like she owned it.
And in a way, she did.
She was no longer just Mrs. Blackwood.
She was Nancy Carter, rising star.
Adrian was already there. He saw her enter—and felt his breath catch. The woman in the blood-red suit wasn't his wife anymore.
She was his competition.
Their eyes met.
She approached him slowly, a wine glass in hand, lips curved in a knowing smile.
"Mr. Blackwood," she said, cool and professional.
He returned the smile. "Ms. Carter."
"You look surprised," she added. "Didn't think I'd rise this fast?"
He leaned in slightly. "No, I always knew you would. I just hoped I'd be the one standing beside you when you did."
Nancy paused.
Then she smiled—calm, sharp. "You still might be… if you can keep up."
And just like that—she walked away.
Leaving Adrian with the ache of losing something more valuable than any deal he'd ever closed:
A woman who didn't need him…
But who once chose him.