He never imagined the billion-dollar empire keeping his company alive had always belonged to me.

PART 4
Grant stopped only a few feet away from me.
For the first time in years, he looked genuinely afraid.
“Seraphina,” he said quietly, “what is this?”
I held the funding agreement between two fingers.
“It’s the contract your company has depended on for five years.”
He shook his head.
“Bellamy Holdings…”
“…is my family’s company.”
The words settled over him one at a time.
“No,” he whispered.
“That’s impossible.”
“It isn’t.”
“My grandfather built Bellamy Holdings.”
“My parents expanded it.”
“When they passed away, the board asked me to remain anonymous until I was ready to lead publicly.”
Mavis pushed through the crowd.
“What ridiculous story are you telling?”
The chairman answered before I could.
“Mrs. Holloway, Ms. Bellamy has chaired Bellamy Holdings for the past five years.”
“Every investment your son’s company received required her personal approval.”
Mavis’s mouth opened, but nothing came out.
Grant stared at me.
“You… you financed my company?”
“I saved it.”
“The first time your expansion failed.”
“The second time your investors pulled out.”
“The third time the banks refused another loan.”

“I approved every rescue package.”
His shoulders slumped.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted a husband who loved me.”
“Not my last name.”
Delaney slowly stepped away from him.
“You told me you built everything yourself.”
Grant couldn’t answer.
One by one, the executives around us began putting the pieces together.
The watch on his wrist.
The stories in business magazines.
The speeches where he called himself self-made.
None of them were entirely true.
The lead banker cleared his throat.
“Given recent developments, Bellamy Holdings has decided not to renew Holloway Meridian’s current credit facility until a full governance review is completed.”
Grant looked at me desperately.
“If you withdraw now, the company…”
“…will have to survive on its own.”
“Exactly as you claimed it always did.”
His voice cracked.
“I made mistakes.”
“I know.”
“I can fix this.”
I smiled sadly.
“You had seven years.”
“You used them to hide me, belittle me, and replace me.”
“You don’t need another chance.”
“You need to face the consequences of the choices you’ve already made.”
A server approached carrying a silver tray.
On it sat a single glass of sparkling water.
I accepted it.
The same drink Brielle had been holding when she laughed at me in the mansion.
I raised the glass toward Grant.
“Enjoy your evening.”
Then I turned and walked into the ballroom beside the people who had known my true identity all along.
Behind me, Grant remained standing beneath the grand staircase, still wearing the anniversary watch I had once given him.
For the first time, everyone in the room knew exactly who had really built the future he had nearly destroyed.