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Chapter 11
Days slipped into weeks, then months.
Once I entered university, my world expanded. I absorbed everything–knowledge, resources, connections–like a sponge. By sophomore year, I had assembled my own research team. Each member was talented, driven, and just as ambitious as I was.
Mrs. Smith noticed my progress. As both recognition and a test, she entrusted me with a small
subsidiary under the Smith Corporation.
It was a challenge I welcomed.
Our very first project made headlines, propelling the subsidiary into the spotlight. Within months, we were outpacing divisions twice our size.
And then came the breakthroughs. My team’s research produced results that pushed the company
higher, forcing
Ven the parent corporation to take notice.
By the time I graduated, no one called me “that adopted girl” anymore.
I was Sophia Smith, the rising star of business.
Adrian returned that year too, completing his degree abroad and officially joining Smith Corporation headquarters. Many expected a power struggle between the siblings, one legitimate heir and one adopted daughter.
But they were wrong.
I had no interest in competing with Adrian. On the contrary, I threw my full support behind him.
Together, with Mrs. Smith’s backing, Adrian quickly established his authority in the corporation.
Meanwhile, the board announced a restructuring. The subsidiary I had built would separate entirely from the Smith Corporation. It would operate independently, under my leadership.
That night, the rooftop of my new headquarters lit up with fireworks that painted the sky for hours.
From that rooftop, Adrian stood beside me, smiling faintly. “Remember this, Sophia. The Smiths will always have Crescent’s back.”
I tilted my head playfully. “Careful. Someday Crescent might be the one propping up the Smiths.”
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His laugh was warm, indulgent. “If it’s you, then I don’t mind at all.”
My chest tightened, heat flooding me at his words.
Mrs. Smith had once raised an eyebrow and asked, “Only one subsidiary? Don’t you want more? Even half the Smith empire could be yours.”
But I had shaken my head.
“I don’t want half of something that was never mine. I want a company that belongs to me entirely. To Sophia Smith.”
Two lifetimes had taught me one truth: only what I built with my own hands could never be taken
away.
*
