Lydia


    The past few days had been nothing but work and more work. Meetings, emails, reports-it was all-consuming. Yet, despite being back in New York, no one in mypany had ever actually seen me. I had kept myself hidden.


    The only people who had contact with me were through email. Even the CEO of mypany’s branch here in New York was the only one who had ever heard my voice. And that was only because we had an audio call once.


    But no matter how busy I was, I never missed dinner with my kids. That was always the highlight of my day.


    Working from home was just as exhausting as working in the office. It was both stressful and consuming. After a long day of work, I drove to a ce I hadn’t seen in years.


    The old orphanage I grew up in.


    The building hadn’t changed much. The bricks were still a dull grey; the front yard still had patches of dry grass. The old iron gates were the same, old and worn out.


    Memories came flooding back. I had spent most of my childhood here. But there were no happy memories.


    The nuns were strict. Cold. I couldn’t me them-taking care of so many kids couldn’t have been easy. And I had been a handful. I knew that.


    I exhaled, shaking my head. I wasn’t here for nostalgia; I had just been driving by and decided to see if the building was still holding up. Now, I’m going to make sure no other orphaned kid feels like I did.


    Pulling out my phone, I scrolled to my assistant’s contact. Just as I was about to call her and arrange an anonymous donation, I saw the time.


    9:48 p.m.


    Shit. My heart jumped as I realized I was prettyte.


    I quickly ordered food to be delivered to my condo and started my car. The drive home was a blur as I panicked worried that mom would ce a video call through pretty soon. I promised the twins, and I do not want to fail them. Ever.


    Then, without thinking, I took a turn. And found myself parked near a house I once called home.


    Mason’s mansion.


    I could see lights inside. I could tell there wasughter, too. They were happy. My jaw tightened, fingers clenching against the steering wheel.


    He had moved on. His life was perfect. After everything I sacrificed to be the perfect wife and tend to all his needs, he moved on from me so fast, even after plotting my death.


    The anger burned through me. I wanted to get out. I wanted to march up there, tear everything apart. But just then, my rm rang, 9:55pm. I finally snapped out of it and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.


    I put the car in drive and sped home.


    I barely managed to set the table before my phone rang. I quickly wiped the anger from my face, taking a deep breath 1/4


    before answering the video call. “Mommy!” Liam grinned upon seeing me.


    Mnie gave me a small smile. “Hi, Mommy.” I smiled back, ignoring the lingering frustration from earlier. “Hey, my love. Did you have a good day?”


    Liam nodded eagerly. “I won another race today!”


    “That’s amazing,” I said, pretending to eat as I listened to him.


    But then I noticed Mnie was weak and barely spoke, only nodding when Liam talked.


    “Mnie, baby, what’s wrong?” I asked. Before she could answer, Mom appeared on screen.


    “She wasn’t feeling well today,” Mom exined. “She had chest pains at school. They called me, so I took her to the hospital.”


    “What?” My voice came out sharper than I intended. “And you’re just telling me now?”


    “She’s okay now,” Mom reassured. “But the doctors think her heart problems might still be serious.”


    “Oh my God, Mnie baby, don’t worry, Mom, I’ll be on the first flight home—”


    “No.” Gloria cut me off. “I’ll bring them to you. I already have the flights booked and we’ll be in New York by 4:00 pm your time. I know how important theunch is for you and I don’t want anythingpromising it.”


    I didn’t care about theunch. I just cared about my daughter. I looked at the screen. Mnie’s face was pale, her eyes droopy as she stared at me groggily. She smiled weakly. “Mommy, don’t be sad. I just miss you.”


    My throat tightened. “I miss you too, baby,” I whispered. Mnie’s smile grew. “I can’t wait to hug you.”


    “Soon, sweetheart. Very soon.” As the call ended, I sat there, gripping my phone for a bit too long.


    I could barely sleep all night as I worried non-stop about Mnie. Before I knew it, it was six and I had to go about my morning routines. After a quick shower, I threw onfortable clothes-an oversized sweater and leggings. No need to dress up since I was working from home.


    Myptop was already open on the dining table, and emails were flooding in. I sipped on ck coffee as I skimmed through them. A few investors were asking for updates. Mia had sent a reminder: Call in five minutes.


    I sighed, cracking my neck.


    Right on time.


    The meeting dragged on longer than I wanted. Investors were excited about the uingunch, throwing out questions. and suggestions. I answered each one calmly, keeping my tone professional.


    When the call finally ended, I muted my mic and leaned back in my chair. My phone buzzed immediately.


    Mia.


    “Boss,” she greeted.


    “Mia.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I need you to arrange the anonymous funding for the old Catholic orphanage. Make sure it’s enough to renovate, hire more staff, and improve living conditions.”


    “Already on it,” she replied smoothly.


    “Good.” I took another sip of coffee. “And about theunch, make sure the follow-ups from today’s call are handled.”


    “Understood.”


    “And the Woods?” Mia hummed, flipping through some files on her end, “Mason has been booking private suites, staying overnight at different locations. He’s also been purchasing women’s products….”


    I scoffed, swirling my coffee. “Fucker has a secret girlfriend.”


    “My thoughts exactly.”


    “What about Victoria?”


    “Nothing suspicious. She’s clean. She sent her daughter out of the country to study.”


    Zoe.


    For a moment, I thought about her.


    She must’ve been traumatized after everything that happened. But then again, she was a Woods. She’d grow up just as selfish and ignorant as the rest of them.


    I shook the thought away. “Anything else?”


    “Yeah. I guess this was expected.”


    “What?”


    “Mr Woods has been trying to find out about the mysterious CEO of Kavas corporation.”


    A shortugh escaped my lips. “Let him try. He won’t find a damn thing.”


    “Didn’t think so,” Mia said. “That’s all for now.”


    “Thanks,” I muttered before cutting the call.


    I ced my phone down and exhaled.


    It was now three o’clock, which meant that my mother and the twins should be arriving in an hour. I immediately rushed to get dressed so I could go meet them at the airport.


    When I arrived I found the airport seemed to be less crowded since it was a weekday. I pulled my coat tighter around me and adjusted my sunsses, heading straight to the receiving hall.


    I checked the time on my phone, 30 minutes left. 30 minutes before my mother and my babiesnded.


    I sighed, rolling my shoulders as I found a seat near therge ss windows, I crossed my legs, setting my bag beside me before pulling out my phone.


    I tapped open the news app, already knowing what I’d see.


    KAVAS CORPORATION: THE MYSTERIOUS CEO TAKING OVER THE BUSINESS WORLD.


    I smirked.


    Article after article, all specting who the anonymous CEO of Kavas Corporation was. They all knew it was a woman. They all knew she lived in Canada. But they didn’t know it was me.


    THE RAPID RISE OF KAVAS THREATENS WOODS’S ENTERPRISES. SOURCES SAY THAT WOOD’S STOCKS HAVE STARTED DROPPING DUE TO KAVAS SECURING MULTIPLE HIGH-PROFILE DEALS…


    I scrolled further, amused. Could the CEO be a former Woods insider? An ex-partner? A scorned business rival?


    I chuckled under my breath. Keep guessing. I was about to read another when something made my breath hitch.


    A familiar figure.


    I looked up, and my whole world stilled.


    Mason Woods.


    For the first time in five years, I saw him. He was standing just a few feet away, tall, powerful, lookingpletely unchanged. A navy blue suit, crisp white shirt, dark hair styled back. The same aura of control, the same presence that had once made my heart race-now it only fueled my rage.


    My grip on my phone tightened, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him.


    I was frozen, staring at the man I’ve hated more than anything and anyone in my life for the past 5 years. Then, before I could blink, she appeared.


    A girl.


    She walked up to him, and then, right in front of me, she threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek. Something snapped inside me.


    My shock burned into anger, a hot, sharp rage that made the lump in my throat too hard to contain. I tore my eyes away from them, inhaling deeply.


    I gritted my teeth and carefully stood up, grabbing my bag. I needed to leave. Find another spot, somewhere he wouldn’t see <ol><li></li></ol>


    I turned swiftly, ready to disappear into the crowd.


    But then-


    A voice from my past.


    “Lydia? Is that you?”


    I froze mid-step. My heart mmed against my ribs. I turned, and my breath caught in my throat.