The news exploded across headlines:
"Lockwood Heiress Reclaims Throne"
"CEO Legacy Ripped from Shadowy Past"
"Adoption Scandal Rocks Billionaire Dynasty"
But none of it fazed Clara.
She sat in her new office—Marcus's old one—now hers. The walls were freshly painted, the desk reorganized, the scent of jasmine and leather drifting through the air. Her parents walked in, pride shining in their eyes.
"You did it," Vivienne said softly. "You really did it."
Clara smiled, but it was a smile forged in fire.
"I'm just getting started."
---
Outside the glass windows, the city sprawled out beneath her like a chessboard. And for the first time in her life, she was holding the queen.
---