Chapter 18: Eyes on Kael
Chapter 18: Eyes on Kael
Eight o’clock in the morning. Pale golden light filtered through the glass windows of Brown Corporation, illuminating the vast lobby like a modern palace. Each step I took echoed on the polished stone floor, the heels of my shoes striking with a steady rhythm, like the drumbeats announcing the return of a queen. The air around me was charged, the scent of coffee from the bar mingling with the chill of the air conditioning, creating a sensation both exhilarating and oppressive. My eyes behind dark sunglasses reflected the cold light, and today’s outfit, tailored perfectly to hug my body, made every unconscious gaze linger. Yet my heart focused on only one person: Kael.
He stood near the staircase, his familiar posture making my chest tighten. Three years had passed since we last met, yet Kael remained the same—elegant, composed, his gaze sharp as steel, a fleeting, cold smile sending a strange flutter through my heart. I closed my eyes for a moment, recalling his laughter, the sparkling nights of Paris, the way his hand squeezed mine gently as we walked along the Seine, the promises that had shattered. Love may have died, but revenge had never cooled. I reminded myself: “Do not falter. Revenge is the only goal.”
I strode straight to the reception desk. My voice rang out, calm yet decisive:
“Hello, I’m here to secure the press conference for Brown Corporation.”
The receptionist nodded, smiling politely:
“Please have a seat in the lobby. The press conference will begin in half an hour.”
I gave a slight nod, but the sensation of a gaze following me made my chest tighten. I realized Kael was watching. He raised an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of suspicion flashing before he quickly masked it. His lips curved in a cold, subtle smile that made me startle. Hastily, I asked:
“Where is the restroom?”
She pointed. I slipped away silently, entering the restroom to adjust my appearance—preparing my mind, avoiding the reality that was both threatening and alluring. In the mirror, my eyes were steel-cold, lips slightly pursed, fingers smoothing my hair, inspecting every seam of the fitted dress. I reminded myself: “Be strong. This is my game, not his.” My pulse raced, Kael’s image engraved in my mind, mingled with anxiety over what was about to unfold in the next few minutes.
Half an hour later, I returned to the lobby. The press conference had begun, and Kael was the center of attention. Reporters swarmed like sharks, cameras slowly panning from the corners of the room to my face, flashes popping incessantly, the click of cameras echoing like the heartbeat of the entire space. I felt my pulse quicken, hands trembling slightly as I held the microphone. Yet with each step, each breath, I maintained control.
A reporter raised a microphone, his voice sharp:
“How do you feel knowing both of your subsidiaries have collapsed in just three years?”
Kael opened his mouth, his voice deep, but before he could finish, I stepped forward, my voice slicing through like a blade:
“Brown Corporation’s subsidiary hasn’t collapsed—it has merely transferred ownership to me.”
The room froze. Cameras panned slowly, flashes erupted, papers rustled. I stood at the center, my posture commanding, my gaze challenging everyone: I had returned, and I feared no one.
Kael frowned, stepping closer, but reporters blocked his way. The camera zoomed in on his hand gripping the microphone, his muscles tense from pressure. His eyes flashed through emotions: anger, confusion, surprise, and a fleeting memory of the past. He wanted to step forward, to speak, but the press’s swarm held him back. I saw his lips twitch, but no sound came out, just rapid breaths and one hand clenching the edge of the table—a sign of tension he did not realize he was displaying.
Questions bombarded me, microphones raised:
“Who are you? Why are you appearing now? Where have you been for the past three years? And this company—how will you run it?”
I inhaled deeply, recalling Kael’s gaze when we parted—cold, yet occasionally revealing a softness. Memories cut through my chest like a knife. I smiled, responding:
“Kael was my fiancé three years ago. Now I’ve taken over his subsidiary—so what’s wrong with that?”
Silence filled the press room. All eyes turned to Kael. His eyes widened, lips slightly parted, fingers gripping the chair. Cameras focused tightly on his face—anger, disbelief, and shock written across it. My first victory, silent but certain.
I felt my heartbeat thrum, breaths shallow, Kael’s cologne wafting through the air. The air conditioning brushed lightly, cameras clicked, flashes popped endlessly, as if the entire world were watching. Yet I did not step back.
Another reporter interrupted:
“What do you think Kael’s reaction will be? Will he accept this?”
I smirked faintly, my tone cold:
“Kael doesn’t need to accept it. He is merely witnessing the inevitable: power now belongs to me.”
The ceiling lights reflected off my hair and sunglasses, casting a powerful, icy aura. I inhaled deeply and stepped onto the podium—the stage that once belonged to someone else was now mine.
Kael remained there, his gaze cold yet yearning, the corner of his lips curving into a subtle, dangerous smile, challenging me to pay the price for the past three years he ignored. I remembered the times he held my hand, the hidden messages in his eyes, and now, I faced him—no longer the fragile girl I once was.
Flashes erupted, camera clicks like drumbeats urging me forward, and I could hear my own heartbeat thrumming powerfully. I inhaled deeply, feeling authority surge through every vein. Kael’s hands tightened, breaths rapid, his eyes flickering a mixture of anger, astonishment, and unspeakable regret.
As I prepared to speak to the gathered press, my phone vibrated lightly. A message from Kristine appeared:
“One slip, and you won’t stay standing. Be careful.”
I smiled faintly, reminding myself: the real game was just beginning. Kael would soon realize no one could control him anymore. This time, every step I took, every gaze I met, was mine.
Before I could speak, another reporter raised a microphone, voice trembling:
“Can you reveal your next plan? Will you change how the company is run, or simply take over… what Kael left behind?”
I paused, scanning Kael. He frowned, lips slightly curved, remaining silent, hands trembling slightly from tension he tried to conceal. I drew a deep breath, my voice low but sharp:
“Three years is not for standing still. Everything will now be done my way.”
The camera zoomed in on my face, flashes blinking. Kael took a step back, yet his eyes never left mine. Anger and curiosity intertwined, and in that moment, I knew he understood: this world, this stage, now belonged to me.
And I, Elysa, the queen returned, stepped further into the lights—where fear once resided, now reigned power; where memories lingered, now lay strategy; where pain had been, now lay a chessboard I commanded.