Chapter 9

Sienna stood outside Fortuna's towering skyscraper, gazing up at the building with a mix of pain and determination. Her grandfather had left her the controlling shares. At just 20, she had taken over and built it into an empire within three years. She had supported William as CEO while staying in the background as general manager, believing they would be family one day. Yet, in just ten days, everything had changed. She clenched her fists and headed straight for the top-floor boardroom. When she walked in, she froze at the sight before her—Natalie was perched on the conference table with William kissing her neck passionately. Despite the intimate position, Natalie's eyes gleamed with mockery as she noticed Sienna's entrance. In a sugary voice, she purred, "Will, isn't this Sienna's favorite table?" Sienna's heart had long grown numb since the day of the kidnapping, but this scene still cut her deeply. This was not just any table—it had belonged to her grandfather and was the very desk where she had poured her dreams into designs. She had envisioned William sitting at its head, with her beside him, both partners in life and business. Now, it felt tainted—used for mockery and betrayal. Without hesitation, Sienna grabbed a glass of water and threw it at them. Natalie shrieked, her hair dripping. "Sienna?" William turned sharply at the sound of her name, his handsome face freezing with a mix of surprise and guilt. His gaze shifted to Natalie, who dramatically curled into his chest, making sure her bandaged hand was visible. "What happened to your hand?" William demanded, frowning at Natalie. "When my parents and I picked up Sienna yesterday, she got angry and stabbed me..." Natalie whimpered, glancing at Sienna. "What?" William's expression darkened as he saw the wound. He immediately turned to Sienna, his tone laced with accusation. "Sienna, they were trying to bring you home, and you hurt her? How could you?" Sienna wanted to laugh at the absurdity—they could kidnap her, but her cutting Natalie's hand was unforgivable. Natalie snuggled closer to William, feeling triumphant. She knew William had a weakness for vulnerable women, which was why Sienna's strength had driven him away and into her bed. "Will, don't blame Sienna..." Natalie sniffled in fake sympathy. She wanted to get back at Sienna for hurting her and Julia. "Oh? She says not to blame me. Maybe it doesn't hurt enough." Sienna sneered, grabbing Natalie's hand and pressing a pen into the wound. Natalie let out a piercing scream, sounding more like a startled animal than a person. "Sienna!" William barked angrily, stepping forward with a stormy expression. Unfazed, Sienna raised her injured hand, which had yet to heal after being crushed. Her voice was sharp, cutting through the room like a blade. "An eye for an eye. When will you repay me for trying to take my life?" William was caught off guard by her sternness, and a trace of guilt flashed through his mind. If she had willingly given up the company, he would not have resorted to violence. Natalie cried out pitifully, "Will, Sienna still blames us. She'll never forgive us." In truth, she was reminding William that Sienna was here for revenge. Natalie's words snapped William back to his cold, calculated self. He straightened, his expression hardening again. He said icily, "You're not the general manager of Fortuna anymore, Sienna. Why are you even here?" Natalie leaned against him, showing off her new "General Manager" nameplate. Sienna's eyes turned to ice as she remembered William's empty promise that she would always be his general manager. With a bitter smile, she threw open the boardroom doors to reveal all the shareholders waiting outside. They were clearly hesitant to interrupt the scene and had likely overheard everything. Sienna stepped back into the room, walking to the seat that had always been hers—the chair at the head of the table. Standing tall, she exuded a quiet yet commanding presence. She gestured toward the seats with a calm yet authoritative tone. "Everyone, take your seats." Her poise, polished by years of running a successful empire, left many shareholders momentarily stunned. But her power was no longer official, and some hesitated, glancing toward William for guidance. William glared at Sienna, annoyed by her commanding presence, which had always overshadowed him. Beside him, Natalie played her role perfectly, her voice soft and coaxing. "Don't get upset, Will. She's always been like this." Sienna ignored them both, her lips curving into a faint, mocking smile as she addressed the shareholders. "As the legal owner of Fortuna, I hear there's a vote today to transfer the company to William and Natalie. Well, I'm standing right here, alive and well, and that forged will is null and void." William's eyes lingered on her proud posture for a moment before he pressed his lips into a thin line. He had expected resistance but seeing her like this unsettled him. Nonetheless, he quickly masked it. Natalie immediately stepped forward, clutching a folder with a pitiful expression. "Sienna, it's great to see you're okay, but… you've been unwell for a long time. "Mr. Sanders had no choice but to ask you to step back for your own recovery. Severe anxiety and emotional trauma make it impossible for you to run the company effectively. Here's the medical proof." Sienna turned around, her icy glare making Natalie flinch momentarily. Gaining confidence from William's silence, Natalie handed Sienna the records. "See for yourself." Sienna stared at the documents in disbelief, then looked at William. These were records from when she had suffered brief anxiety while helping him secure contracts. It was something only William had known about and had twisted this into evidence of mental illness. She stared at him, disbelief giving way to icy realization. He had shared her vulnerability with the Rhodeses, turning it into evidence to oust her. The betrayal cut deeper than she thought possible, and a bitter laugh escaped her lips. One of the shareholders gasped after glancing at the document. "It's stamped by a hospital. This looks legitimate!" "It's fake! Can't you all see I'm perfectly sound of mind?" Sienna's authoritative tone momentarily silenced the room. After glancing at Natalie, a minor shareholder spoke up. "Sienna, you've withheld our dividends and mismanaged the company. Everyone knows Fortuna's success came from Mr. Sanders and Natalie's designs!" "That's right! The company survived these years because of Mr. Sanders' contracts and Natalie's bestselling jewelry. Even if you weren't ill, you're not qualified to run this company," another added. Sienna laughed bitterly. She had always taken the blame while giving William credit for her contracts. She had even given her designs to Natalie because William claimed he wanted Natalie to become the company's star designer, promising Sienna more time as his future wife. However, his words were all lies. One of the shareholders raised a hand and called out, "All in favor of Sienna stepping down, raise your hand!" At first, only a few hands went up, but the others followed suit, one after another, like falling dominoes. Natalie shot Sienna a triumphant glance, her expression dripping with poisonous glee. Sienna's face turned pale as she scanned the room. She could see it now—this coup had been planned long ago. The Rhodes family held all the power now, and the smear campaign against her had left the shareholders unwilling to take her side. They feared the fallout of supporting her. William rose from his seat and addressed the room with finality. "The vote has passed. The legal transfer of ownership is complete." Turning to Natalie, he added, "I'm appointing Natalie as the new general manager. From now on, please follow her lead." Natalie puffed up with pride, her expression smug as she approached Sienna. Feigning kindness, she extended a hand. "Sienna, take care of yourself. With time, you can always return to the company." Sienna jerked her hand away in disgust. "Don't touch me—you make me sick." As Natalie's face darkened with anger, a group of people entered the boardroom.