Chapter 24 The Light Returns
Chapter 24 The Light Returns
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Elder C burst into laughter through his tears, tugging down on his blazer to hide his growing belly. “Haha! Our Stella’s always had a sharp eye!”
Elder A hugged Stella tightly. “Come here. let me take a good look at you. You’ve gotten so skinny, sweet girl!”
As she spoke, her own tears started to fall.
It had been eleven years.
The girl they’d once thought dead was now standing in front of them, alive and well–how could anyone hold back tears?
These four elders had been the first group of executives to follow Stella’s father, James. They had watched the Marshall children grow up.
And they’d always loved the eldest daughter dearly.
James used to bring Stella to the office sometimes when she was little, and the four of them would practically fight over who could hold her next.
She was an adorable little thing–rosy cheeks, sweet talk, and sharp as a tack. It made all of them dream about having daughters of their own.
Of course, it hadn’t always been just these four.
Over time, people came and went. Everyone had their own path.
When James died unexpectedly, it triggered the biggest wave of departures yet. Only a handful stayed, and most of those were people aligned with Second Uncle Felix.
The company had been passed down from the previous generation. James had always been seen as the one to lead it–he was the president.
Felix the younger brother, had always been lazy and unimpressive. But as the company flourished under James’s leadership. Felix grew increasingly bitter.
He couldn’t accept that his older brother held all the power while he remained a mere VP.
So he began to gather allies and plot for the top seat. But while James was alive, Felix didn’t dare make a move–he never had the chance.
James’s sudden death was the closest Felix had ever come to seizing control.
But then Stella showed up.
She couldn’t bear to see the company her father had built destroyed by her scheming uncle,
At just fourteen years old, she called a meeting with all the board members. Most caine out of curiosity, expecting a child to make a fool of herself./
Instead, she radiated authority, backing up her words with clear data exposing Felix’s past missteps and financial blunders that had cost the company dearly.
She laid out his personal scandals, showing just how untrustworthy he really was.
In short: Felix wasn’t fit to lead.
Her analysis was sharp, her words precise, and
everyone
e in the room was stunned.
She ended by saying, “I hope you all take this seriously. Choose someone capable to be CEO, I may be young now, but I’ll prove I’m worth listening to. I’m good enough.”
Then she showed them all the awards she’d won since childhood, her spotless academic record, always top of her class.
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Chapter 24 The Light Returns
To the older board members, it may have seemed a little juvenile.
But there was no denying–she was exceptional.
And in the business world, many followed leaders not for status, but for their charisma and potential.
Stella’s brilliance and determination touched many in that room. Several board members stood up on the spot to declare their support.
Others followed.
Felix was left seething–clenching his teeth in helpless rage.
He couldn’t beat his brother, and now he couldn’t even beat his brother’s teenage daughter.
Stella never let them down. She went on to attend Ashford’s top school and stayed at the top of her class year after year.
Only occasionally did someone come within a point or two of her scores.
Then, in her final year, she became the top science student in all of Ashford City.
Everyone in the company was thrilled and proud–like they were watching their own daughter grow up.
But then the tragedy hit.
A car accident
Just like what had happened to her parents. Sudden, Cruel. Unbelievable.
Her death shattered morale. The CEO chosen after her couldn’t hold off Felix’s scheming.
Felix finally took over–and as expected, the company crumbled under him, teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Most people left..
Only these four elders remained. They couldn’t bring themselves to abandon the company entirely.
Felix, despite being a major shareholder, didn’t want to deal with the mess. He dumped the wreckage onto Ethan.
Ethan was immensely capable. He brought the company back from the dead. Felix ended up in prison.
Those were good years. The elders felt their faith had been justified.
But recently, Ethan’s behavior had been disappointing.
They’d started to lose hope. The Marshall family was nearly gone–the third child had gone into showbiz, and the fourth had disappeared entirely.
They were ready to walk away too.
Then–after eleven years–Stella returned.
And in that same boardroom, she displayed the same fierce energy she had as a child.
In this moment, they felt like the sun had come up again.
Like they could give another five hundred years to the company without breaking a sweat.
