The Proposal

Lara stood at the front of the boardroom, her pulse steady despite the weight of a dozen eyes on her. But only one gaze mattered.

His.

Ethan's.

He sat with his fingers steepled under his chin, unreadable as always, watching her not just as a businesswoman — but as a threat to his carefully controlled world.

She took a slow breath and clicked to the first slide of her presentation.

"This expansion plan will place Lu Corporation two years ahead of its competitors in Southeast Asia. I've identified untapped logistics routes, underutilized suppliers, and key market behaviors we've ignored for too long."

A few murmurs of agreement rippled through the board. The data was undeniable. Her research was meticulous.

But Lara wasn't here to win their approval.

Lara continued, flipping to the next slide, her voice as sharp as the click of the remote.

"Lu Corporation is bleeding through inefficiencies no one has dared to question. Fear, comfort, ego — it's all slowing you down."

She turned to face the room fully.

"But I'm not here to play safe. I'm here to win."

The room held its breath.

Some board members were visibly impressed. Others looked nervous. Ethan, however, remained frozen — an iceberg behind dark eyes.

He slowly rose from his chair, buttoning his coat, every movement deliberate.

"You walk in after years of silence, throw accusations, and expect us to welcome your ideas without suspicion?"

She took a step toward him.

"No. I expect you to listen. And I expect you to realize that just because I disappeared… doesn't mean I forgot."

Their gazes clashed, years of pain and pride sparking between them.

Ethan's voice dropped to a whisper only she could hear.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Lara."

She whispered back without missing a beat.

"I learned it from the best. Remember?"

Then she stepped back and addressed the room again, calm and commanding.

"My proposal is in your hands. I'll leave you to discuss."

She gathered her files and turned to go — not waiting for permission, not looking back.

But just as she reached the door, Ethan spoke.

"Lara."

She paused, spine straight.

"This isn't over."

She smiled without turning around.

"It never was."

She was here to shake the ground beneath Ethan's empire — brick by brick.

Ethan leaned forward at last, voice smooth like polished steel.

"You seem to know a lot for someone who's been... away."

Lara didn't flinch. "That's the thing about being cast aside. It gives you time to watch. To learn. And sometimes, to return smarter than when you left."

The boardroom went silent.

Some of the men exchanged glances. A few cleared their throats, unsure whether this was a business meeting or the beginning of a war.

Ethan's jaw tensed. "Are you accusing me of something, Mrs. Zhang?"

The way he said her name — cold, deliberate — sliced through her.

But she smiled.

"Not yet."

Lara walked out of the boardroom with her chin high, but the second she turned the corner, her breath caught in her throat. Her hands trembled slightly — not from fear, but from fury. From everything she had held in for too long.

Facing Ethan wasn't just business.

It was war.

It was grief.

It was revenge with a beautiful face and a broken heart.

She leaned against the hallway wall, trying to steady herself. Her reflection in the glass across from her didn't lie — she looked composed, powerful. But beneath the surface, old wounds pulsed, threatening to bleed again.

He doesn't get to win this time.

Suddenly, a voice cut through her thoughts.

"You were incredible in there."

She turned to find Mr. Chen walking toward her, a proud gleam in his eye.

"I wasn't sure you'd hold your ground."

"I didn't just hold it," she said quietly. "I claimed it."

He handed her a small envelope. "Then you'll need this."

"What is it?"

"Something Ethan doesn't want anyone to see. From his private server. It connects to someone named Yu Holdings in Singapore."

Lara's heart skipped. Yu Holdings. The name meant nothing on the surface — but to her, it echoed like thunder from the past.

Her fingers closed around the envelope, her voice tight.

"Where did you get this?"

Chen shrugged. "You're not the only one with ghosts, Lara."

She exhaled slowly, staring at the envelope like it contained a loaded gun.

If she opened it, there would be no turning back.

And she didn't want to.

Because now?

It wasn't just personal.

It was war.