The morning sun poured through the tall windows of the grand dining room, casting golden light on the polis hihed oak table set with fine china and crystal glasses. The scent of freshly baked bread and brewed coffee filled the air, but beneath the surface, the atmosphere was far from warm.
Cordelia sat beside Matilda as her stepmom was seated directly opposite her and her dad sat at the head of the table eating a piece of bread ,he looked elegant in a black tuxedo with his black hair which had streaks of grey gelled back.
"I'm moving out" Cordelia spoke as she cleaned her mouth with the napkin beside her plate. She didn't want to eat in a room full of people she loathed.
"Lia!!" Matilda shrieked as she now grabbed her hands.
The smile Lady Cecily, her stepmom had on her face her slipped off for a split second and came back on .
"That's surprising dear, are you sure about that darling, you don't have to leave, don't you think you should rethink it honey," she said as she turned to face her husband who had not reacted to the news at all.
"Did you know she was planning on moving out?? Are you okay with this?" she asked softly.
'She has always spoken softly like this,ever since she met her ,and it felt awfully familiar, now she got it…she was trying to imitate her mom, her mom has always been soft spoken for as long as she remembered. The mannerism always felt so familiar,the dressing pattern,it was there…it was clear as a handwriting written on the wall' she thought as disgust welled up inside her.
Wiping his mouth clean with the napkin that was beside him, he said.
"Yes I was already aware and I gave my consent" her dad ,Mr. Benson said .
"Okay honey, I'll help you pack up your stuff then" she replied softly.
"There's no need for that,I already called people to do that, I won't be coming back ,I'm moving out today, I'm heading to the office now" She said as she pushed the chair away and stood up .
"But Lia we were supposed to go shopping with Philip today and why didn't you tell me you were moving out" Matilda whined now holding her hand.
Cordelia could feel her veins popping up on head.
'This girl actually sounded so fake and annoying' she thought.
"Well that won't be happening anytime sister" she drawled, shaking her hands off her as she made her way to the door.
"Cordelia be careful on your way out" her dad's voice boomed through the room
....
The city skyline stretches beyond the tall windows, casting a pale gold light into the sleek, modern room. Around a long obsidian table sit a dozen executives, their expressions a mix of anticipation and nerves.
At the head of the table, Cordelia stands undeniably in command. She was the CEO of Auren Corporation. She has carved out for herself a shrewd and innovative business magnet. Her conglomerate, a behemoth of industry, spanned multiple sectors - real estate, technology and more. She pulled the strings from behind.
Her honey brown hair was swept into a clean, elegant twist that somehow makes her look even more intimidating. A few soft tendrils had escaped, brushing her cheek, as she spoke. Her voice low, measured and confident
She wore a perfectly tailored black suit, the jacket cinched at the waist, the white silk blouse beneath catching the light when she moved. The cut of her attire is sharp enough to draw blood.
"Everyone listen clearly, here is what we are to do".
She stood circling to the head of the digital display, as her heels struck the marble floor with deliberate poise. What was on the display was a high stake bid, a multi billion dollar bid that would thrust them into the limelight of the industry if they secured it. There were already several companies with their eyes on that bid. She had to get the bid for her company and to get his attention,this was the only way.
" We need to get this, okay guys."
She tilted her chin, those crimson lips curling into the faintest suggestion of a smile that never reaches her eyes.
"Tell the legal team to prepare the counterterms. Design, I want mockups by Friday. And marketing starts whispering. I want the industry talking before we even sign the contract."
Silence. Then a flurry of nods and scribbling pens.
And when she finally sits again, folding one leg over the other, she glances at her watch like she's already ten steps ahead.
Cordelia sighs softly.
"Meeting adjourned. Make it count."
One by one, the room clears buzzing, electric leaving her alone with the skyline.
Her mind went back to the discussion she had with her dad previously .
Cordelia stood across from her father's massive mahogany desk, arms crossed, spine straight, expression unreadable.
" I'm moving out. Tomorrow."
Her dad looked at her, as a flicker of surprise ran through his eyes. He said,
" Why?."
" Well I've been thinking about it for a long while now, and I think it's high time I move out."
" Are you sure that's what you really want to do." He asked once more.
" Yes Dad" she drawled as she proceeded to sit down on a chair across his desk.
" Well then, have it your way."
" I have a request I'd hope you'd honour," she spoke.
He looked at her, gesturing with his hands for her to speak.
" I want to break off my engagement with Philip," she revealed.
Mr. Benson's eyes widened as he blinked repeatedly.
" You want to break off your engagement with Philip," he repeated.
" Correct," she affirmed.
" That is not happening Cordelia, where is all this coming from? Is this some kind of rebellion, what...what is this," he asked, looking exasperated.
" Dad listen, this isn't some kind of rebellion okay, I've thought it through, Philip is good but what I have is best." She said
" What are you talking about,'' he asked.
" I'll marry another person in place of Philip," she declared.
" Cordelia!!" His voice rang out.
" Dad, listen to me, I have someone who is way better than Philip and he'll be of great help to us, he's better than him in terms of money and power and that's exactly what this family needs and I love him too," she said softly.
His eyes flickered as he thought about what she said. He was a businessman who weighed his available choices and profits, so he was moved by what she said.
" Well who is this person you speak of," he asked.
" I can't tell you who he is right now but I need you to trust me on this one Dad,I just need time, please," she said as looked at him.
Then he nodded slowly at her.
" I'll handle the annulling of engagement, go do your thing," he spoke as he ran his hand through his hair.
" Okay Dad," she drawled as she stood up and made her way to the door.
...
Rain lashes the windshield in thin silver streaks, the rhythmic thump of the wipers the only sound accompanying Cordelia as she drove through the winding roads that lead to B District. Her fingers are tight on the steering wheel, knuckles white, her gaze fixed ahead but her mind was drifting, spiraling inward.
The streetlights blur past her window like ghosts. The silence in the car was thick.
Her throat itched.
It always started with the throat. Then the heaviness in her limbs, the headaches, the dizziness she felt. The strange ache in her bones that no doctor could explain.
Cordelia exhaled shakily, her eyes narrowing.
It wasn't the stress. It was never stress. It was her.
Lady Cecily, her step mom.
Her stepmother's face flickered into her mind's eye, always serene, always gentle, always gracious and always watching. Like a serpent wrapped in lace.
Cordelia's lips pressed into a thin line. The puzzle had clicked together in fragments, each memory a shard of glass.
The herbal teas Lady Cecily insisted would "soothe her nerves."
The delicate almond pastries, always warm, always delivered with a note in her flowing script.
The silk sachets meant to "help her sleep."
Cordelia was always grateful, accepted them. She thanked her.
So she had sent them the tea leaves and sweets, and the sachets, all of them. Quietly, discreetly to someone no one would know.
The digital GPS softly chimed as she crossed into B District. The streets here are wide, manicured, dotted with security cameras and the soft glow of old-money elegance. Every villa is hidden behind tall iron gates and manicured hedges.
Cordelia didn't slow down.
The guard at the front of Linkin Estate waves her through without question. Her black Jaguar glides through the curves of the road.
She pulled into the driveway of her villa a sleek, modern home tucked at the end of the lane, wrapped in stone and glass, its windows still lit like beacons in the dark.
She parked and cut the engine.
And just sat there for a moment.
The rain hits against the roof. Her hand rested on the door handle, but she didn't move.
Her chest rises and falls slowly, controlled, measured.
Cordelia finally opens the car door, heels clicking softly against the wet pavement as she steps out and heads toward the villa.
.....
As Cordelia stepped out of the bathroom and with a towel on her hair and a bathrobe on as she made her way to her study, she had a lot on her plate.
She stepped into the study, the door clicking shut behind her. The room was cloaked in quiet warmth, dark wood panels, the faint scent of old books and polished leather. Soft lamplight pooled across the desk, casting gentle shadows along the spines of neatly arranged books.
As she made her way across the room, the flicker of the fireplace threw a slow dance of gold against the far wall. She reached the high-backed leather chair behind the desk and sank into it.
She had it figured out. She was going to marry that man, but first she was going to steal his project bid,then marry him, Norman Black. He was currently one of the influencial and powerful figures, she had gotten a little bit of information about him in her past life. Her ex fiance wasn't exactly the quiet type and spilled a lot of information and secrets about his family. Although Norman is the uncle of Philip, she didn't mind and he was perfect for her revenge plan.
'It took me a while of careful consideration to come up with this seemingly grand plan. Marry the uncle of Philip, her ex fiance.'
He was a mysterious force and the best person to help her carry out her plans smoothly. She was quite sure her step mother could not just get her hands on the poison so easily, there was someone behind her.
She needed a backup and Norman was the best backup, he is the patriarch of the Blacks and welded enough power to cover for her .
Before her rebirth, the project bid she was currently trying to get was won by him, but this time it was going to be her and she knew exactly what she needed to do.
Three months later.
The whispers of the breaking off of her engagement were beginning to get loud, her dad went to formally break off the engagement a while ago and she had found people to spread the news very subtly.
'But that isn't of any importance now, I have a project bid to snatch' she thought, as she gazed at the mirror in front of her,
' Not bad, this look is quite alright,' she thought.
She just had her makeup done and the girl was currently doing a little touch up on her hair behind her.
"And… done," the girl exclaimed, she was the makeup artist.
"Miss I must say your skin is so soft and your face looks like it's without pores, I would really like to get another opportunity to feel my brush touch your beautiful face."
The makeup artist whose name was Sussex gushed enthusiastically, she looked like a little fan girl as she swayed her hands from one direction to another, then touched her forehead dramatically with a sigh.
Cordelia didn't give any response, her mind was quite occupied,she had been busy all morning , she had been preparing for the bid presentation that was scheduled for this afternoon , a high stake showdown where everyone would unveil their proposals for the billion dollar infrastructure contract.
Her phone rang and as she picked a voice came through.
" It has been done boss."
"Good to know Seventeen" she cooed, as she stood up and on her way to the door ,she needed to be on her way to the venue.
Surrounding the entrance of the venue were reporters, this bid involved the government so it was expected that reporters would be there.
Lots of businessmen could be seen making their way to the venue, tons of luxury cars could be seen.
The low growl of the engine announced his arrival before the car even appeared. Heads instinctively turned as the Koenigsegg Regera sleek, obsidian black, pulled up to the curb outside the bid venue.
Then the door lifted upward in a smooth, mechanical arc, a single leg stepped out long, encased in tailored black slacks that spoke of the expensive taste and classiness of the man. Then the second followed, and he stood up, the door to the car closing behind him.
He stood tall, broad shouldered and lean, clad in a sharply cut black tuxedo. Over it, he wore a matte black windbreaker.
His hair was a tousled, deliberate mess, a modern wolf cut, dark strands falling over his forehead . And then there was his face, strong jaw, high cheekbones, lips curved into a smirk that was all edge and no warmth. The smile was there, yes, but it didn't reach his eyes.
He looked like he'd walked out of a Renaissance painting timeless, striking, unreal in his perfection. But there was something darker beneath the polish, something that suggested beauty was just the surface of the storm.
He took a slow step forward, and then another, the soft sound of his shoes against the pavement .
As he walked towards the venue people started whispering;
" That person is the CEO of the Black Corporation,the patriarch of the Blacks family, Black Norman".
As he walked he seemed to be towering over others, he stood out among the others.As he walked towards the entrance another, someone was walking up to him, it was a handsome fellow. When he got close to Norman .
" Boss, it was the elder Miss of McCoy's who did it," the handsome fellow spoke.
" Mmm," that was all he said as a momentary flash of something unreadable crossed his face as they both walked into the venue.
Then another car came into sight.
The luxury black car pulled up to the grand venue with the smooth efficiency of a well rehearsed entrance.
The door clicked open.
The first thing to emerge was a long leg. The sharp heel of a Christian Louboutin stiletto kissed the pavement with purpose, the iconic red sole a flash of defiance against the gray concrete. Then the other leg followed, graceful and deliberate until Cordelia rose from the car.
She wore a perfectly tailored slate gray suit, the blazer cinched at the waist, the trousers flowing with effortless precision. Beneath the jacket, a crisp white blouse added contrast, untouched by a single wrinkle.
Her honey-brown hair cascaded in polished waves down her back.
Her eyes swept through the entrance with a look of indifference.As Cordelia closed the car door with a soft, final click, heads turned. She adjusted her blazer with a subtle tug.
No one knew which company she was from as they had never seen that face before, but as their gaze turned to the person beside her,they realized who she was, the person beside her was the executive assistant of the CEO of Auren Corporation.
Some of the reporters heard a faint,
" Boss," from the person next to her who was the executive assistant of Auren Corporation. Then it dawned on them who the unknown person was.This was the CEO of Auren Corporation, there were rumours going around that she was going to be present during the bid but no one knew ,she was actually going to be present today.
She looked alluring and exuded confidence and authority.
As they both walked into the venue Cordelia heard the hushed whispers.
" I thought she would never show her face, who knew ."
" Some say she was disfigured and chose to never show her face."
" Some say the reason why she never showed her face was because she didn't want the attention and the scrutiny that came with being a Mccoy."
When they got inside the venue, they are greeted by the event staff and are given the necessary materials and directs them to an elevator which leads to where the project bid took place.
As she stepped into the spacious well lit conference room Cordelia saw a project hanging from the ceiling, someone was already and the podium speaking.
' Shit it already started ' she told herself.
As she made her way to the seat assigned to her with her assistant. As she sat down, she was informed that she was to go next.
" Harry, let's run through the document one more time, okay," she told her executive assistant.
" Okay boss," he affirmed.
Some minutes later she was called to the podium.
" Next up is Auren Corporation
As she made her way to the podium with Harry, she felt this piercing gaze on her, yes everyone was looking at her at the moment, after all she was the unknown face behind Auren Corporation, the faceless miss of the Mccoys, but this particular gaze she felt was sharp and piercing.
" It's him," her inner voice whispered to her as she locked eyes with the one who gazed at her with such intensity then she looked away.
Cordelia takes her stand at the podium, adjusts the mic and begins her presentation with Harry assisting her. As she confidently spoke about her project plan, highlighting the time line and other things, the other bidders and the panel began to exchange skeptical glances.
" Why is her proposal so identical to Sir Norman," someone asked.
" Is this a case of plagiarism ?," another asked again.
But as she continued her presentation, they could see that her proposal was slightly better than his , it sounded more refined and covered a loophole no one was aware of.
After she was done with her presentation, Cordelia began to field questions from the panel.
As she answered the question thrown at her,the panelists looked quite impressed with her answers.
Norman's expression remained neutral but his eyes betrayed a hint of surprise and curiosity. He was intrigued by her.
" Miss Cordelia is it?," He whispered to himself as he gazed at her.
After she was done with the question and answer session. She stepped away from the podium and made her way back to her seat, she was the last person to present so what remained was the final stage, who won the bid.
After a brief break the panel chairperson stood up with a smile on his face. He cleared his throat and began to speak.
" Ladies and gentlemen, after careful evaluation and deliberation,we are pleased to announce the winner of the billion dollar project bid."
The room held its breath as the chairperson paused for a second.
" The winner is… The Auren Corporation led by, he checks his note, " Ah yes CEO Cordelia."
The room erupts in applause as Cordelia stands up with a smile on her face as she takes a deep breath composing herself.
" I expected this ," she told herself trying to keep calm as she walked towards the panel chairperson. They shook hands, and he handed her a folder containing the project details.
" Congratulations Ms Cordelia. You've demonstrated exceptional expertise and innovation in your proposal. We are quite confident you and your team will deliver a good project."
Cordelia smiled politely as she extricated herself from the congratulatory crowd, she currently had so many business cards in her purse.
" He's nowhere in sight," she thought as she scanned the room for Norman.
Just a second later her phone buzzed in her purse, as she took it out , a message from an unknown number flashed on the screen.
" Meet me in Room 434,- N."
A well dressed woman approached her as if on cue.
" Ms Cordelia, Mr Norman is waiting for you in a private room, would you like to follow me?"
Cordelia nodded at her , her expression neutral.
" Yes please."
Then she turned to Harry.
" You can head home from here , I'll drive myself back."
The woman led her out of the conference room and onto the elevator.After they got out of the elevator, they walked down a quiet hallway. Then they stopped at a door marked " Room 434." The woman knocked softly on the door and then opened the door, gesturing for her to enter.
" Please Ms Cordelia, Mr Norman is waiting for you inside."
Cordelia stepped into the room, her eyes scanning the space. He was already seated on a plush armchair, a calm expression on his face. The door closed behind her and she was alone with him.
" Have a seat Miss Cordelia," he said.
Then she sat down, her movement fluid and confident.
" Congratulations on winning the bid, Ms Cordelia ," he said, his voice neutral.
" I must admit, I was quite astonished. Your proposal was… impressive."
" Well that isn't why you're here Ms Cordelia," he drawled.
" I received the interesting document you sent to me… I didn't know you had access to my medical records," he voiced, smiling at her.
Cordelia smiled back at him, her eyes locking onto his.
" Let's just say I have my ways Mr Norman. You must be wondering why I sent it to you."
He nodded, his eyes never leaving hers.
" I'm quite curious on how you plan on using this information."
She leaned forward, taking on a conspiratorial tone.
" Let's just say I believe we can…help each other. You see, I have something that could alleviate your condition. And in return I need your protection and resources."
His eyes narrowed. " What exactly do you propose?"
Her smile grew wider.
" Oh I think you know exactly what I'm capable of Mr Norman. And believe me, you need me more than you think you do."
" What exactly do you want from me Ms Cordelia ?" He asked, his voice direct.
Her smile never wavered.
" Marry me," she announced, her voice calm and confident