“Don’t waste your time trying to save that dress, Sophie,” he said cruelly, “that’s exactly what you are as well – trash.”
“Why would you burn my dress!? I can’t go to the event with you now!” I began crying.
Daniel glared at me with hate.
“That’s why I burned it! So you couldn’t go! Just look at you – you smell like onions, your hands are wrecked, and you look like a servant. I’m a vice president! Tonight, I’ll be surrounded by rich people and powerful families. You’re a disgrace.””It’s time to go because you no longer belong by my side.”
“You have no idea how much I sacrificed to help you create your life! I was there for you when you were broke!” I yelled at him.
He laughed smugly.
“I pay the bills, right? So, that takes care of all debts,” he said.
He then straightened out his lavish watch and said frostily:
“Stay home. I’ve invited someone else, Victoria, which is one of the daughters of the board members. She’s worth standing next to me. And if you show up, security will remove you.”
He left without another word.
I knelt on the grass with ashes of my dress settling.
The queen rises.
The tears stopped flowing almost immediately.
As the smoke wafted up into the night sky, I lost my self-pity.
Something powerful came to take its place.
He believed that he was above me and that no one would be able to touch him.
What he didn’t realize is that Crown Dominion was my family’s business.
I am Sophie Crown.
I am the only daughter and secret president of the company Daniel works for.
I chose to be normal. To sacrifice my privilege and hide my identity to see if someone would really love me if I had no money or status.
I was there for him.
I supported him.
I was completely behind him.
And then I found out that he was full of ambition and poison.
I stood up slowly.
I wiped my tears away.
I took out my phone and called a secured private number.
“Mr. Bennett,” answered my head assistant.
“Madam President, is everything in place for your evening appearance?” he says right away.
“Yes,” I said coldly.“Get the image consultants here now. Get the $50 million diamond collection from the vault. Get the Paris couture gown. I’m going to walk into that ballroom tonight like royalty… and I’m bringing destruction with me.”
When the door opened, the ballroom went silent.
As soon as the door opened to the ballroom, the orchestra stopped playing.
The entire room seemed to freeze.
I stepped carefully into the ballroom, surrounded by a swirl of golden light. Diamonds glimmering on my neck and shoulders. My midnight blue gown swept the marble floor behind me as I walked. Each step was a demonstration of the authority to which no one had ever associated me.
I could see immediately that Daniel was at the back of the ballroom, holding a glass of champagne and had his arm around Victoria’s waist.
When he realised who I was, he dropped the glass and his facial colour turned white.
Daniel’s lips quivered.
He couldn’t believe that “trash” he left sobbing next to the grill a mere few hours ago, was now standing amongst some of the most powerful people in the country.
“Sophie? H-how?” he stammered as I got closer to him.
As Daniel stepped towards me to stop me from bursting into flames, my security immediately pushed him back.
I walked up to the stage and calmly took the mic from the host. With that, Victoria’s father, along with the Board of Directors, stood to respect my presence.Good evening,” I said in a low and icy voice, attempting to calm myself down before addressing everyone in attendance at this event. This evening is not simply a celebration of all Crown Dominion has achieved, but also represents our desire to rid ourselves of people like you who abuse other people, because they think that their position gives them power and makes them untouchable.
I then turned my attention directly towards Daniel, who was clearly sweating profusely under the immense pressure of hundreds of eyes staring at him.
“Mr. Daniel Carter,” I said in a clear and direct voice, “you thought this night represented your rise to being Vice President of this company; however, you forgot about one important detail concerning our company. In our company, I am the one who chooses those who rise, and also those who fall.”
At that moment, the ballroom became completely silent.
“As of right now, your promotion has been revoked. You will no longer be employed by Crown Dominion and your termination is effective immediately. Also, I have filed for divorce today. Due to the emotional abuse, humiliation and your attempts to gain financially from marital assets that I can and will document as I work through this matter on behalf of my children and myself personally, I will see to it that you receive absolutely nothing from your divorce.”
With that, I gave a single nod.
Immediately, my legal team and my head of corporate security stepped up.
“Please escort him from the building,” I ordered, while maintaining my calm tone. “He is no longer an employee of Crown Dominion. As of today, he will be permanently banned from all properties and all affiliates of Crown Dominion.”
At that point, Daniel dropped to his knees.
All of the arrogance that had been present on his face moments earlier was gone.
“Sophie, please! I’m begging you! I didn’t know!” he screamed desperately, while reaching for me.
At that point, it was over.
The same people who were staring at me with contempt earlier that evening were now staring at Daniel in pure panic.
Victoria quietly walked away in utter humiliation, and her father would not even look at her any longer. Guests in attendance, who had spent most of the evening trying to impress Daniel, were now whispering to one another and staring at him as if he were a man whose life had just come to an end.
Daniel was crying.
In the middle of the ballroom.
In front of corporate executives, politicians, cameras and all of the other powerful people whose approval he had spent years trying to gain.
Daniel was being pulled from the ballroom by security and with the last piece of dignity Daniel had left, I never looked back.
Because the fire he used to destroy my dress
became the fire that destroyed Daniel’s future.
I did not just emerge from the ashes on this night.
I reclaimed my rightful crown.
And I left him where he had planned to leave me:
alone, humiliated, and broken…
with absolutely nothing.
