After Divorce, She Became a Tycoon

Chapter 4: "Business and Revenge"

Sophia sat at the head of the long conference table, her hands resting confidently on the smooth oak surface. The boardroom was filled with high-ranking executives from her company, Lin Enterprises, as well as a few key members from their latest acquisition. She exuded an air of authority, and every eye in the room was fixed on her, waiting for her to speak.

"We've secured the final approval," Sophia announced, her voice calm but firm. "The acquisition is complete. Now, we move forward with integrating the new systems and workforce into our existing infrastructure. Liam, you'll oversee the transition. I want weekly updates."

Liam Graham, her half-brother and closest ally, nodded from his seat beside her. "Understood, Sophia. We'll make sure the transition is seamless."

Sophia glanced around the room, satisfied with the response. She had worked tirelessly to get to this point, and she wasn’t about to let anything or anyone get in her way now. Especially not Nathan Hayes.

She had spent the last year carefully building her company, acquiring smaller businesses, and expanding her influence in the corporate world. Now, she was ready for the next phase of her plan: going head-to-head with Hayes Corporation. And this time, she wouldn’t be the one left behind.

Nathan might have been the king of Avalon City once, but Sophia was determined to dethrone him.

After the meeting, Sophia returned to her sleek office, a panoramic view of the city stretching out before her. The glass walls made the space feel open and powerful, a fitting metaphor for the control she now wielded over her own destiny. She had built this life, brick by brick, after everything had been taken from her. And she wasn’t about to let anyone tear it down.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft chime of her phone. She glanced at the screen—Nathan Hayes.

For a moment, she considered ignoring the call. But something within her stirred, a mixture of curiosity and defiance. She answered.

"Nathan," she greeted him coolly.

"Sophia," his voice was as smooth as ever, but there was an underlying tension. "We need to talk."

"About what?" Sophia leaned back in her chair, her tone indifferent. "If it's about the partnership deal, everything is proceeding as planned."

"It’s not about the deal," Nathan said. There was a pause on the other end, and Sophia could almost hear him grappling with his words. "It's about us."

Sophia’s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly suppressed the emotions that threatened to surface. She had built walls around herself, walls that she couldn’t afford to let crumble now.

"There is no ‘us,’ Nathan," she replied, her voice steady. "Not anymore."

"You can say that all you want, but we both know it’s not that simple," Nathan’s voice grew more insistent. "I need to see you, Sophia. Can we meet?"

Sophia hesitated. Part of her wanted to refuse him outright, to cut him out of her life completely. But another part of her, the part that still remembered the pain of their past, felt compelled to confront him. Perhaps it was time to lay everything to rest, once and for all.

"Fine," she said after a long pause. "Tomorrow. Noon. My office."

Nathan agreed, and the line went dead. Sophia stared at her phone, a knot of unease forming in her stomach. This wasn’t just about business anymore. It hadn’t been for a long time.

The next day, Nathan arrived at Lin Enterprises, his presence commanding as always. Sophia watched him approach through the glass walls of her office, his tall figure cutting an imposing silhouette against the backdrop of the city. He stepped inside, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

"Sophia," he said as he closed the door behind him, his voice low and serious. "We need to talk about what happened between us."

Sophia stood from her desk, crossing her arms over her chest. She refused to let him see how much his presence still affected her.

"What is there to talk about, Nathan?" she asked, her tone sharp. "We’re divorced. That chapter is closed."

"Is it?" Nathan’s gaze softened, and for the first time, Sophia saw a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. "Because I can’t seem to forget about you, no matter how hard I try."

Sophia’s heart thudded in her chest, but she kept her expression neutral. She had heard enough sweet words from him in the past, only to be met with coldness and betrayal. She wouldn’t let herself be fooled again.

"You made your choice, Nathan," she said firmly. "You chose Emily. You chose your company. You chose everything over me. And I moved on."

Nathan stepped closer, his eyes searching hers. "Have you?"

"Yes," Sophia answered without hesitation, though the lie tasted bitter on her tongue. "I’ve built a new life, a better life, without you."

Nathan’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, Sophia thought he might argue. But then he nodded, accepting her words with a heavy sigh.

"I see," he said quietly. "Then I suppose I should congratulate you on your success."

Sophia didn’t respond. She wasn’t sure what she had expected from this conversation, but it wasn’t this. The man standing before her was different from the Nathan she had known—the Nathan who had once been so confident, so certain of his choices. This Nathan seemed... lost.

"I have a meeting to get to," Sophia said after a long pause, breaking the silence. "If there’s nothing else..."

Nathan nodded, his eyes lingering on her for a moment longer before he turned to leave. But just as he reached the door, he stopped, glancing back at her with a look of regret.

"For what it’s worth, Sophia," he said softly, "I’m sorry."

Sophia’s breath caught in her throat. She had waited so long to hear those words, but now that they were spoken, they felt hollow. Too little, too late.

Without another word, Nathan left, and Sophia was alone once more. She sank back into her chair, her mind swirling with emotions she had thought she’d buried long ago.

But as she stared out at the city below, she reminded herself of one thing: She was stronger now. She had built a new life, and she wouldn’t let Nathan, or anyone else, take that away from her.