Nancy stood before the full Blackwood boardroom—this time not as a contract wife or a defensive bride, but as a contender.
The table was long, and the silence thick. At its head sat Grandmother Blackwood, expression unreadable. Harold's seat was empty. He had yet to face the consequences of the evidence piling up against him.
"I called this emergency meeting," Grandmother began, voice sharp but calm, "to address the changes within our leadership and the future of Blackwood Enterprises."
Murmurs rose, quieted just as fast with one glance from her.
She turned to Nancy. "Speak."
Nancy didn't flinch. "You all know what's been exposed. Contracts. Manipulations. Leaks. But I'm not here to defend my existence in this company. I'm here to offer a vision."
She paused, letting her words settle. "A company that's feared is powerful. But a company that's respected is unstoppable."
She placed a folder in front of each board member. "Inside are proposals for restructuring, accountability audits, and leadership mentorship that doesn't favor nepotism. If Blackwood wants to survive the next decade, it needs to evolve."
A man across the table cleared his throat. "And you believe you're the one to lead that evolution?"
Nancy looked him straight in the eye. "No. But I believe Adrian and I can—together. We're not here to carry the weight of secrets. We're here to build something worthy of the Blackwood name."
---
Back at the Penthouse – That Evening
Adrian opened a bottle of champagne. "You had them eating from your palm."
Nancy grinned. "I had them listening. That's enough for now."
He poured two glasses. "To power moves."
She raised hers. "To earned seats."
They clinked.
Then Adrian's phone buzzed.
Unknown Number: "Harold's trying to flee the country."
He stared at the message. "He's running."
Nancy set her glass down. "Let him. If we chase, we stoop."
Adrian exhaled. "He'll be caught. Eventually."
She smirked. "And when he is, the world will know he lost to a college girl and her contract husband."
---
Elsewhere – A Hidden Office in the City
Camille watched the news reports—her name now publicly linked to the scandal. Her modeling contracts were being suspended. Partnerships pulled.
She held her phone, but no one was calling.
She was no longer feared. Just forgotten.
She laughed bitterly. "She won."
Then she whispered to herself, "But it's not over yet."
---
Days Later – University Award Ceremony
Nancy stood behind the podium, the spotlight much softer than the boardroom.
Her professor, Dr. Verma, handed her a plaque.
"For bravery, for clarity, and for rewriting the role women play in power," she said.
Nancy accepted the award, voice thick. "I never asked to be a symbol. But I chose not to be silent. And that's what matters."
She looked at the crowd—students, staff, media.
"If someone like me—working two jobs, helping her parents, afraid of boardrooms and diamonds—can do this, so can anyone. Especially women who've been told they don't belong."
---
Later That Night – Balcony View
Adrian and Nancy curled under a blanket, city lights flickering below.
"You're a queen now," he whispered.
She looked up. "Not of this empire. Not yet."
He raised a brow. "Then what are you the queen of?"
She leaned into him. "The queen of every girl who thought she had to trade herself to survive. The queen of gambits that didn't end in sacrifice."
He smiled. "That's more power than a throne."