Christabel went back to work.
Not the empire.
Not the cities.
Her company.
The one she built before Damien.
The one she'd been neglecting for years.
And she was ready to reclaim it.
---
The morning began before dawn.
Christabel stood in front of her closet, staring at her clothes.
Not the casual clothes she wore around the penthouse. Not the elegant dresses she wore to events.
Business clothes.
Powerful clothes.
The kind of clothes she used to wear when she was just Christabel Vance, CEO, builder, force of nature.
Damien watched from the doorway.
"You're nervous."
"I'm not nervous."
"You're pacing."
"I'm thinking."
"Same thing."
"Different intention."
---
She chose a black pantsuit.
Simple. Elegant. Deadly.
The kind of suit that said I'm in charge without saying a word.
Damien walked to her.
Took her hands.
"You're going to be great."
"I'm going to be fine."
"You're going to be magnificent."
"Same thing."
"Different intention."
---
The drive to the office was quiet.
The city was waking up.
The buildings were familiar.
But everything felt different.
She was different.
Sarah was waiting in the lobby.
"You're early."
"I couldn't sleep."
"Neither could I."
They walked to the elevator.
The doors closed.
Sarah looked at her.
"Are you ready?"
"I've been ready."
"For what?"
"To come home."
---
The office was the same.
The desk was the same.
The view was the same.
But Christabel was not the same.
She sat behind the desk.
Looked out at the city.
"This is mine," she said.
"It's always been yours."
"I forgot."
"You're remembering."
---
The first meeting was with the board.
Twelve men. Three women.
All of them looking at her like she was a stranger.
"Thank you for coming," she said.
No one spoke.
"I know I've been absent. I know I've been distracted. I know I've been... different."
Still no one spoke.
"But I'm back now. And I'm not going anywhere."
---
One of the men leaned forward.
"Where have you been?"
Christabel looked at him.
"Life."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I have."
The room was silent.
Then one of the women smiled.
"Welcome back, Christabel."
"Thank you."
---
The second meeting was with the staff.
Not the executives. The people who actually did the work.
The ones who had kept the company running while she was gone.
"I'm sorry," she said.
They stared at her.
"I'm sorry I wasn't here. I'm sorry I left you. I'm sorry I wasn't the leader you deserved."
No one spoke.
"But I'm here now. And I'm going to do better."
---
A young woman raised her hand.
"Are you okay?"
Christabel was quiet for a moment.
"I'm getting there."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I have."
The young woman nodded.
"Then we'll be here. While you get there."
---
That afternoon, Christabel called Damien.
"How is it?"
"Hard."
"Do you want to come home?"
"No."
"Then what do you want?"
"To stay."
---
She stayed until dark.
The office emptied.
The city lit up.
She stood at the window.
Looking out at the skyline.
Sarah appeared in the doorway.
"You're still here."
"I'm still here."
"You don't have to prove anything."
"I'm not proving anything. I'm remembering."
"Remembering what?"
"Who I am."
---
Sarah walked to her.
Stood beside her.
"You're my sister."
"I know."
"You're a mother."
"I know."
"You're a wife."
"I know."
"You're a CEO."
"I know."
"You're a builder."
"I know."
"You're a fighter."
Christabel looked at her.
"I know."
---
That night, Christabel came home late.
Lena was asleep.
Damien was waiting.
"How was it?"
"Hard."
"Did it help?"
"I don't know."
She walked to the nursery.
Stood over the crib.
Lena was sleeping. Her tiny chest rose and fell.
"Good night, little one," Christabel whispered.
Lena didn't stir.
"Mommy went back to work today. Mommy's trying to remember who she is."
She touched Lena's cheek.
"I hope you'll be proud of me."
---
Damien appeared in the doorway.
"She's asleep."
"She's perfect."
"She's ours."
He walked to her.
Took her hand.
"Come to bed."
"I'm not tired."
"Then come watch the stars."
---
They sat on the balcony.
The city was dark.
The stars were bright.
"I'm proud of you," Damien said.
"For what?"
"For going back. For trying. For not giving up."
"I wanted to give up."
"But you didn't."
"I almost did."
"But you didn't."
---
She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"We're going to be okay."
"We're going to be more than okay."
"How do you know?"
"Because we're still here. Because we're still together. Because we're still fighting."
"And when we stop fighting?"
He kissed her forehead.
"We won't."
First Line of Chapter 151 (Teaser):
"The one hundred fifth week, an old enemy resurfaced. Not Cross. Not Adrian. Someone worse. Someone who knew Christabel before Damien. Someone who wanted to destroy everything she'd built."