Chapter 3: The Beginning Of a new Future
Cherry took a deep breath and walked towards the door ,"here goes nothing" she said quietly, under her breath before gripping the doorknob with steady fingers.
She could already feel the excruciating weight of the past pressing down on her, but she reminded herself once more —this wasn't the same life she had lived before. She now had knowledge. She had power. And she was not about to waste it.
She turned the knob slowly, opening the door to face the man she had once so deeply loved very blindly.
Alexander stood in the hallway, looking just as she remembered him from this time—young and confident, with a boyish charm that would one day harden into something colder. He was neatly dressed in a grey two piece suit and a fine pair of brown dress shoes .
His dark eyes scanned her face, and he gave her an easy smile.
"Hey, you were supposed to be up an hour ago. We're going to be late."
"Late?". Her mind scrambled to recall what she had been doing at this exact time ten years ago. Then it hit her.
This was the day of " The Young Innovators Summit."
The realization sent a thrill through her . She remembered the event well enough —she had gone as a promising young analyst, presenting a small project she had worked on. At the time, she had been really proud of it personally, but she had lacked the confidence and business acumen to push it forward so even when she had the opportunity, she would just allow it pass by without making any effort to promote herself apart from Alexander . She had allowed herself to be overshadowed by people , who had ideas she thought were far better than hers and people like Alexander with bigger ambitions but not this time.
She smiled lightly at him, careful to keep her expression neutral. "Right. Give me five minutes."
Alexander smirked. "You always take at least fifteen, I'll be in the car , don't keep me waiting."
She watched as he turned and walked away, disappearing down the hallway. Cherry exhaled slowly, stepping back into her room and closing the door behind her. She needed to think.
This was a pivotal moment. If she played her cards right, this could be the foundation of the empire she had always wanted.
She moved quickly, dressing in a sleek black dress that exuded confidence and intelligence, adding a simple yet elegant watch—no flashy jewelry, nothing that would make her seem too vain. She needed people to take her seriously. As she applied light makeup, she stared at her reflection in the mirror.
"You're not just Cherry anymore," she whispered to her reflection. "You're a woman who knows the future. Use it."
With that she made her way out of the building to meet Alexander waiting by his car in the parking lot.
---
The summit was held in an upscale hotel, filled with ambitious young minds eager to make their mark in the business world. Cherry walked in with calculated grace, scanning the room, identifying key figures she had once overlooked.
She spotted Elena DuPont, a sharp-witted investor who, in a few years, would go on to fund some of the most successful startups in the country . Back then, Cherry had been too intimidated to even introduce herself to Elena. But now? Now, she walked straight to her.
"Elena DuPont?" she asked, extending a confident hand.
The woman, dressed in a tailored navy suit, raised a brow but shook Cherry's hand. "Yes?"
"My name is Cherry Golden . I know you're going to revolutionize the investment world, and I'd love the chance to tell you about an idea that could change everything."
Elena studied her for a moment before a slow smirk formed on her lips. "I like your confidence. I'll give you five minutes."
Cherry nodded. Thank you ,that's all I need.
She spoke with precision, outlining a business model who would later succeed, she'd carefully put it together months ago and would later give to Alexander —
A tech-driven finance platform that combined AI analytics with personalized investment strategies. At the time, this concept had been in its infancy, but she knew where it was headed.
Elena listened, intrigued. "That's... interesting. But do you have the numbers to back this up?"
Cherry smiled. "Not yet. But I will. And when I do, you'll be the first person I call."
Elena laughed. "You remind me of myself at your age. Fine. You have my attention. Let's see if you can keep it up."
As Cherry exchanged contact information with Elena, she felt a thrill of satisfaction within her. Step one, complete.
---
Meanwhile, Alexander had been watching her. He had always been the center of attention, but today, Cherry was different. She wasn't just clinging to his arm and hanging onto his every word like she used to. She wasn't waiting for him to introduce her to people. She was making her own moves.
When he finally approached her, there was a flicker of something in his expression—curiosity, maybe even admiration.
"What was that about?" he asked, nodding toward Elena.
Cherry smiled, keeping her tone light. "Just making connections."
He tilted his head. "Since when do you care about networking babe ? I thought you were just here to support me."
Cherry almost laughed. Support him? That was the role she had played before, cheering him on, standing in his shadow but not anymore.
"I have plans of my own," she said simply.
Alexander studied her for a moment, but before he could respond, some lady called his name. As he turned away, Cherry didn't care , she felt a rush of triumph.
She was rewriting her life and she had only just begun.
Cherry navigated the summit with newfound confidence, her mind sharp with the advantage of knowing the future. She wasn't just here to watch things unfold—she was here to shape them.
She had made her first impression on Elena DuPont, but that wasn't enough. She needed more. She needed an actual plan.
She spotted a small, quiet corner of the venue and pulled out her phone. The date on the screen reaffirmed it: September 10, 2015. Ten years ago. It felt surreal, but there was no time to dwell on that now.
Cherry quickly searched for major business trends that had just begun to emerge in this year. Fintech. Digital payment solutions. AI-driven finance analytics. These would be the future. She already knew which companies would dominate the market in the next few years, and this time, she wouldn't just be an observer—she would be a competitor.
But first, she needed capital.
Her mind raced. "What assets do I have right now?" She questioned within herself.
Her parents were still alive, still running their small business. She had taken their love for granted the first time around, not wanting to "burden" them with her big dreams. But what if she had let them believe in her earlier?
Then there was her scholarship fund. She had received a small but significant amount of money for academic excellence. Instead of spending it on little luxuries like she had done before, she could invest it in something bigger.
And then—there was Alexander.
She turned slightly, watching him from across the room. He was talking to a group of young entrepreneurs, flashing that confident smile.
Cherry knew how things would go with him. He would be charming. He would be ambitious. He would act like he wanted to build an empire with her—but in the end, he would only build one for himself, leaving her behind when it was convenient.
Although that didn't mean he was useless to her right now.If she played her cards right, she could use his connections. After all, at this point, he still adored her.
A dangerous idea formed in her mind. "What if I stay close—but this time, I don't lose myself in him? What if I take what I need first?"
For now, she would play along.
----
The panel discussion started, and Cherry took a seat near the front, absorbing every word, she studied the speakers—learning how they spoke, what ideas got the audience engaged, and most importantly, which investors looked the most interested.
One speaker caught her attention: Daniel Sterling, a rising figure in the finance sector who would, in just a few years, become a billionaire with his investments in AI-driven banking.
Back then, she had admired him from a distance. Today, she wouldn't make that mistake.When the session ended, she moved quickly, catching him just before he left the stage.
"Mr. Sterling," she said, offering her hand. "Cherry Golden. Brilliant discussion today."
He glanced at her, then at her hand, before shaking it briefly. "Thank you, Miss… Golden, was it?"
"Yes. I'm an analyst looking into AI-powered financial models. I have an idea that could change the way investment portfolios are managed."
Daniel frowned slightly, intrigued. "AI-powered? That's… ambitious."
"It's also inevitable," Cherry said smoothly. "In five years, most major firms will be integrating AI into their decision-making models. The question isn't if—it's who will get there first."
Daniel studied her for a moment. Then, to her surprise, he smiled. "That's an interesting take. And you think you'll be the one to do it?"
"I know I will," she said confidently. "I just need the right partner to get started."
Daniel chuckled. "I like your confidence, Cherry. Here." He handed her his card. "Send me a proposal. Let's see if you can back up that attitude with numbers."
As he walked away, Cherry felt a rush of victory.
Two investors in one day.
This was what power felt like.
---
By the time the summit ended, Cherry had mapped out the next six months of her life. She had contacts, knowledge, and a strategy.
Now, she had to deal with Alexander.
He found her near the exit, his arms crossed. "You're different today."
She smirked. "Am I?"
"You've been running around making business connections like some kind of Wall Street shark. That's not really your style."
She tilted her head. "Maybe you never really knew my style."
Alexander frowned, caught off guard by her boldness.
In the past, she had always been the one who admired him. But this time, he was the one unsure of where he stood.
Cherry stepped closer, lowering her voice. "I'm still your girlfriend, Alex. But I have plans of my own now. I'm not just here to support you anymore, I must support myself as well."
She saw something shift in his eyes—curiosity, maybe even a flicker of insecurity. He wasn't used to her being the ambitious one.
Good.
She wasn't here to be his sidekick ,she was here to win and this time, nothing would stop her.
---
That night, Cherry sat at her desk, her old childhood bedroom feeling like both a prison and a launching pad for something greater.
She pulled out a notebook and began writing:
1. Secure early investment – Parents, scholarship fund, small grants
2. Develop AI-driven financial model – Start simple, refine later
3. Network aggressively – Use every contact to gain credibility
4. Stay ahead of Alexander – Learn from him, but never depend on him
5. Never lose focus. Never let emotions win.
She tapped her pen against the page.
In her past life, she had spent too much time being reactive—waiting for things to happen, waiting for love, waiting for recognition.
This time, she would be proactive.
She opened her laptop and began drafting an email to Daniel Sterling.
Her future empire started tonight.