Melinda’s POV
Monday morning came sharp and cold.
Not outside — inside.
Inside me.
The kind of cold that wasn’t fear, or anger, or grief.
It was focus.
Clean.
Clear.
The world had already decided I was finished. My name stripped from the website. My title erased from the door. The press called me “former CEO,” like the crown had been lifted from my head and passed to someone more “stable.”
But the thing about crowns?
I never wanted one.
I built the kingdom.
And I was taking it back.
“Are you sure you want to do this today?” Carrie asked, standing outside the boardroom door, whispering like the walls might still have ears.
“They’re expecting silence,” I said, adjusting my blouse. No armor. No designer armor. Just strength.
Carrie nodded, but her face still carried worry. “Jam
