From Ashes, A Queen Rises

ime, I didn't flinch from it. My father had already secured Ava from the nanny Julius had left her with. S

see her. My first stop w

l & Wh

esigned myself. The receptionist, a young woman I

roll! You

. The one with the corner view of the skyline. My name was s

rd Kenzie's light,

, her feet propped up on my rare oak table. She was showing a desig

ripping with fake sympathy. "You're o

my office

Leo, had the decency to look ashamed. "Fl

said, my voice even.

er. Kenzie offended the chief planner from the city council. A man we have been trying t

He was a pig! He wouldn't

alf of lower Manhattan," I said flatly. "A fact you m

and I was just here to salvage my lifeboat. The fact that K

dignation. "How dare you speak to me l

d of her raised voice. He immediately went to

lorence, why are yo

wailed, burying her face in his chest. "The staff won't li

lled eyes. "Maybe... maybe I should just go. Th

me, his eyes hard as stone. "Florence, this is unacceptable.

stared

l smirk on his face, "you're suspended for a month.

us. The humiliation was thick, palpabl

sly quiet. "This firm is half mine.

about to lose

hing. "Fine. You want the compan

ck. This wasn't

ha

ake," I said. "But I want a premium. Le

t value. The company was already bleeding f

"Julius, do it! Then s

ng this out of jealousy, aren't you? You can

Julius, she's running it into the ground. And you? You're n

ed in a mask of

in here. Draw up the papers. One hundre

your disrespect." He looked at Kenzie. "Kenzie, darli

security guards who had materi

their grips like iron. The

his voice a soft, evil

weak nature showing through. But then she looked at Julius, at

me across the face. The sound cr

ped back. My

lumsy, weak, but Julius was guiding he

blank and professional. The whole office watched. My former colleagues, the

ld feel was a deep, glacial coldness spreading through me. I looked at Julius's

thought. I have to burn t

be nothing, so I can remember what it fe