Chapter 22
The next morning, Katherine walked into her office early, before the rest of her team arrived. The sun filtered through the tall windows, golden and soft, casting long shadows across the sleek desk where her name was etched in silver—Katherine Clarke, CEO.
She took a deep breath, letting the stillness settle over her like a comforting hug.
This was her world now.
Built not out of spite, but strength. Not because she wanted to prove someone wrong—but because she finally believed in herself.
She sat down and opened her inbox.
Dozens of messages.
Investors. Journalists. Clients.
And one email she hadn’t expected.
Subject line: From Eloise.
Her fingers hovered for a second before she clicked.
Katherine,
You probably have no reason to believe anything I say. And I accept that. But I need to tell you the truth—what I should’ve said years ago.
That night… I arranged it. I thought I was protecting my brother. I thought you were just a distraction. I never imagined it would go so far.
Julian didn’t know what I’d done until after. And even then, he couldn’t bring himself to face it. But it destroyed you. And I watched you break, and I did nothing.
I’m sorry.
I don’t expect forgiveness. But I wanted you to know I’ve resigned. From Nash Group. From pretending I was innocent.
You deserved better than all of us.
—Eloise
Katherine read the message twice, her hands still.
No anger rose inside her.
No bitter satisfaction either.
Just peace.
Because truth had finally come. Not because she demanded it, but because her absence made it impossible to ignore.
She closed the email and moved on.
Meanwhile, Julian sat in a different kind of silence.
The boardroom was quiet, the seats half-empty. One director had stepped down, two others were under investigation for corporate manipulation. Nash Group wasn’t collapsing—but it was shedding layers.
And maybe that was a good thing.
Julian stood at the head of the table, no longer the man who once ruled with cool detachment.
He looked around at the faces that remained.
“We start fresh,” he said firmly. “Clean hands. Clear goals. And this time, we lead with integrity.”
He didn’t mention Katherine.
But in his mind, she was there.
Not beside him.
But above him.
A standard he should’ve lived up to long ago.
As the meeting dispersed, Julian returned to his office and pulled open the top drawer of his desk. Inside was a photo—creased at the corners, quietly worn with time.
It was of Katherine, smiling on that beach day he never wanted to go on.
He didn’t put it away.
He just let it sit there, a quiet reminder of everything he lost.
And everything she found.