Chapter 10 - The Horizon
Later that evening, long after the last guest had departed and the ballroom had grown quiet, Seraphina found herself standing once again on the fortieth-floor balcony outside her private office.
The night air was crisp and cool, carrying the distant, muffled hum of city traffic far below. The sprawling expanse of the skyline glittered like a sea of diamonds stretching out into the dark horizon.
She rested her hands on the cold glass railing, looking down at her right palm. The scrape had healed into a faint, silvery line—a permanent scar, but one that no longer hurt to touch.
The empire was safe. Her mother’s legacy was restored, cleansed of the rot that had threatened to consume it from the inside out. The people who had tried to steal her life, her name, and her fortune were either behind bars or fading into irrelevance where they belonged.
Footsteps sounded softly behind her on the polished oak floor of the office.
"The final financial reports for the European division just came through," Maximilian said, stepping out onto the balcony and handing her a slim leather folder. "Everything is in the black. We’re officially projected to exceed our annual targets by fourteen percent."
Seraphina took the folder, but she didn't open it. She turned to face him, the gentle night breeze catching the dark silk of her gown.
"Put it on my desk, Max," she said softly.
Maximilian nodded, sliding the folder back into his jacket pocket. He leaned against the railing beside her, looking out at the city lights.
"What are your orders for tomorrow, Madam Chairwoman?" he asked, a hint of dry amusement in his voice.
May you like
Seraphina looked out toward the eastern horizon, where the first faint purple streaks of dawn were beginning to bleed through the dark edge of the night.
"Tomorrow," Seraphina said, a quiet, confident smile touching the corners of her lips, "we actually start building."
