On my eighteenth birthday, I was kicked out of the Davies mansion. The true heiress, Tiffany, smugly watched me, her arm linked with the parents who once showered me with affection. Mrs. Davies scoffed, “Stella, the DNA results are in. You’re Maria, the nanny’s, daughter. Tiffany’s back now, so get lost. You make me sick.” I stood at the villa gates, soaked to the bone. Tiffany ripped off my jacket, a cruel smile playing on her lips as her fingernail dragged across my cheek. “Fake is fake, always will be. I’d rather shred this jacket and use it as bedding for a stray dog than let you wear it.” Right after I was thrown out, Maria, the nanny, casually took off her apron, got into a luxury car, and drove up to me. “Sweetie, don’t you dare be sad! The business empire I built? It’s all yours now!” The surrounding guests burst into laughter, but I turned my head to a corner. There, crouched low, was a middle-aged woman in a filthy apron, her hair matted with grease. That was my biological mother, Maria, the Davies’ lowest-ranking housekeeper. She’d worked for the Davies family for twenty years, notorious for her greed, crude manners, and constant scheming. At this very moment, she was clinging desperately to Mr. Davies’ leg, weeping hysterically, snot and tears streaming down her face. “Sir! Ma’am! You can kick this good-for-nothing out, but why fire me too?!” “I haven’t even gotten this month’s pay! And what about the five bucks overtime from last month, for washing her undies?!” “You can’t be this heartless! Twenty years, even if I didn’t contribute, I put in the hard work!” Mr. Davies shoved her away with a disgusted kick. “Get lost! Take your bastard with you! Or I’ll unleash the dogs!” Maria was sent sprawling, tumbling twice on the ground like a greasy bowling ball. Watching this, my heart felt utterly dead. This was my biological mother. During my twenty years as Miss Davies, she never once gave me a kind look. Whenever no one was watching, she’d viciously pinch my arm. She chopped off my beloved long hair and forced me into boyish shorts. I wanted to learn piano, but she’d secretly scatter thumbtacks on the keys, forcing me instead into grueling financial calculations. I dreamt of dancing, but she’d beat my legs with a feather duster, pushing me to learn combat from a retired security guard. I always thought she was jealous of my good fortune, trying to ruin me. Now that I was tossed out, all she cared about was a few measly bucks of overtime pay. A tidal wave of shame washed over me. I walked over and forcefully pulled Maria up from her pathetic display on the ground. “Stop begging! Can’t you leave me some dignity?!” Maria wiped the snot from her face, then slapped me across the cheek. “Dignity?! What good is dignity?! Can it buy food?! That’s three hundred bucks! Enough for how many loaves of bread?!” I covered my face, tears mingling with the rain streaming down. Tiffany stood on the steps, a triumphant smirk plastered across her face. “Oh, what a show! Like dogs fighting over scraps, tearing each other to pieces.” “Maria, take your useless daughter and get out! Don’t you dare dirty our property!” The security guards roughly shoved us, tossing us out of the ornate iron gates like garbage. The heavy gate slammed shut. It sealed off the glittering party lights, and with it, twenty years of my life. I collapsed into the muddy puddle by the roadside, sobbing uncontrollably. I hated the Davies family’s cold cruelty, but I hated Maria’s humiliation even more. My future felt pitch black, like my life was utterly over. Maria was still pounding on the iron gate, cursing incessantly. “Mr. Davies, you bastard!” I yelled at her, “Stop cursing! Haven’t you embarrassed us enough?!” Maria stopped. She turned, looking at me. The rain was still falling, but I noticed her eyes had changed. It was a gaze I’d never seen before—deep, icy, and full of mocking amusement. Slowly, deliberately, she straightened her perpetually hunched back. Her meek, submissive demeanor vanished in an instant. She reached out, tore off her filthy apron, and casually tossed it into a nearby trash can. Then, she ran a hand through her rain-matted hair, a scornful smile playing on her lips. “Alright, stop bawling. There’s a three-hundred-billion-dollar empire waiting for you to inherit. What’s there to cry about?”
I froze, even forgetting how to cry. Rainwater dripped from my chin. I wondered if I’d misheard, or if grief had conjured some auditory hallucination. “What did you say?” I asked foolishly. Maria shot a disgusted glance at the brightly lit mansion, then spat. “I said, this wretched Davies place? Too small, too stingy. I was sick of it ages ago.” From the inner pocket of her shabby cotton jacket, she pulled out a sleek walkie-talkie. Her movements were practiced, her tone cold. “Jenkins, bring the cars around.” I hadn’t even registered who Jenkins was. Eight black Maybachs materialized from the rain-swept darkness, gliding silently like specters before us. In the center was an extended Rolls-Royce Phantom, its pure silver Spirit of Ecstasy gleaming with an icy cold light in the rainy night. The car doors opened. A dozen burly men in black suits and white gloves poured out, moving with chilling precision. They lined up in two perfect rows in the mud, bowing at a sharp ninety degrees. Their voices, loud and resonant, sliced through the rainy night. “Miss Stella! Please, enter the vehicle!” The sheer display of power made me stumble back, nearly tripping into a mud puddle. A hand steadied me. It was Maria. Her hand, though rough, was now firm and full of an undeniable power. The brawling shrew who’d thrown herself on the ground for three hundred bucks? Gone. In her place stood a queen, her aura so commanding it was impossible to meet her gaze. An elderly, silver-haired butler approached, holding a black umbrella, respectfully offering Maria a trench coat. Maria slipped on the trench coat, her presence absolutely dominating the scene. She looked at me, wide-eyed and dumbfounded, and flashed a brilliant white smile. “Sweetie, let me properly reintroduce myself.” “I am Maria, founder of Stellar Capital, and, as the rumors go… the richest person in the world.” My mind exploded with a deafening roar. Stellar Capital? The enigmatic conglomerate that controlled half the world’s shipping and wielded unparalleled power in global finance? I stammered, “You… you were a nanny, right? Just now, you were begging for five bucks overtime…” Maria rolled her eyes, pulling me into the Rolls-Royce. Inside, it was warm as spring, the leather seats exuding a subtle, luxurious scent. The butler offered warm towels and ginger tea. Maria crossed her legs, took a wine glass, and swirled the ruby liquid within. “That was my persona, got it?” “If I didn’t play the part perfectly, how could I have infiltrated the Davies family’s den of vipers for two decades?” “As for those five bucks…” She let out a cold laugh, taking a sip of wine. “Mr. Davies owes me that. Forget five bucks; even a single cent, he’d have to cough up.” I held the ginger tea, feeling like I was dreaming. “Mom… what exactly is going on?” Maria glanced at me, her gaze finally softening slightly. From her limited-edition Hermes bag, she pulled out a black card and tossed it into my lap. “There’s twenty billion in here. Consider it pocket money from your mom. Go buy yourself something nice, calm your nerves.” Twenty billion? Pocket money? The three-hundred-dollar pay stub was still swirling in my mind. “The Davies kicking you out? That’s the biggest mistake they’ll ever make.” “They thought you were some unwanted bastard.” “Little did they know, their precious Tiffany? She’s not even fit to tie your shoes.” Maria reached out, gently touching the scratches Tiffany had left on my face. A flash of pure murder flickered in her eyes. “Does it hurt?” I instinctively nodded, then shook my head. “Mom, why were you a nanny at the Davies’? And why… why were you so incredibly mean to me?” This was the knot in my heart, the biggest question. If she was so rich, why did she let me suffer for twenty years? Why cut my hair? Why force me to learn things I hated? Maria sighed, looking out at the rainy night. “Sweetie, I was saving your life.” “Mr. Davies is a monster. He’s the one who killed your father, Arthur, all those years ago.” “If I hadn’t played the fool, if I hadn’t forged you into an unbreakable warrior, we’d both be dead in that basement right now.” “As for everything I forced you to learn…” She turned, her gaze burning into mine. “Starting tomorrow, you’ll realize every single thing I pushed you to learn? They were all weapons, sharpened just for you to take over this empire.”
The motorcade swept into Stellar Tower’s private underground vault. A private elevator whisked us straight to the top-floor penthouse, overlooking the city lights. I stood at the huge picture window. Beneath my feet lay a Persian rug, and in my hand, I still clutched that twenty-billion-dollar black card. The reality of it all was utterly dizzying. Maria had already changed into a sleek, casual outfit. She tossed a file onto my lap. “This is Stellar Group’s share transfer agreement. Just sign it, and tomorrow, you’re the Chairwoman.” I was so startled my hand shook. “Mom, I don’t know how to run a company! I’m only a sophomore!” Maria lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag. “Who said you couldn’t?” “Third grade, all those ‘boring numbers’ I made you memorize? They were actually real stock market charts from back then.” “In middle school, I sent you to the farmer’s market to haggle prices for me. That was teaching you business negotiation and psychological warfare.” “And all those complex accounts I made you balance in high school? That was the group’s foundational financial logic.” “As for the combat skills that retired security guard taught you…” She blew a smoke ring, her eyes sharp as blades. “The business world is a battlefield. Sometimes, fists speak louder than words.” I froze. My memories flashed back in a frantic rush. As a child, I cried, wanting to play the piano, but she’d cut me off with a slap: “What are you doing playing a tune?! Focus on these ledgers! No food until you get them right!” I felt wronged, I hated her. I thought it was abuse. Turns out, she was leveling me up. “And Tiffany, from the Davies family? What did she learn? Flower arranging, tea ceremonies, etiquette, piano.” Maria scoffed dismissively, “That’s how you raise a golden cage canary, meant to be married off for a good price.” “But I raised you to be an eagle, soaring through the heavens. I raised you to devour.” I looked at my hands. My fingers had thin calluses, souvenirs from combat training. In my mind, those financial models that once tortured me were now crystal clear. A strange sensation washed over me. Was I… actually a maxed-out character? “Tomorrow, Mr. Davies will come begging Stellar Group for financing.” Maria stamped out her cigarette and stood up. “The Davies’ funds have dried up. Tiffany, the fake heiress, only came back to bring in capital herself.” “Too bad her connections didn’t care for a family on the brink of bankruptcy. Stellar Group is their only lifeline.” Maria walked over to me and adjusted my collar. “Sweetie, tomorrow you’ll be sitting in the Chairwoman’s seat.” “Let them see who the ‘bastard’ they threw out really is.” That night, I didn’t sleep a wink. Not from excitement, but from the boiling revenge coursing through my veins. I remembered Tiffany’s sneering face as she ripped my clothes. I remembered Mr. Davies’ disgusted kick. I remembered how, for twenty years, I’d acted like a foolish people-pleaser, begging for a shred of affection that never truly existed. Since you showed no mercy, don’t expect any from me. The next morning. I donned the bespoke suit Maria had prepared for me. Its sharp cut exuded an intimidating aura. Looking at myself in the mirror, the timid, uncertain Stella was gone. In her place stood the new helmswoman of Stellar Group. Maria didn’t come to the office with me; she said she had ‘private matters to attend to,’ but I knew she was gathering evidence from all those years ago. I arrived at the company in the Rolls-Royce. Two rows of executives were already waiting. “Good morning, Stella!” Their voices boomed. I took a deep breath, strode on my heels, and entered through the revolving doors. The receptionist stared for a moment, then immediately lowered her gaze. “Stella, Mr. Davies and Miss Tiffany from Davies Group have been waiting in the conference room for an hour.” A cold smirk played on my lips. “Let them wait. Turn the AC down ten degrees. And no one gives them a drop of water without my permission.” The receptionist’s eyes widened, and she immediately responded, “Yes, ma’am!”
In the conference room. Mr. Davies paced nervously, his forehead beaded with cold sweat. Tiffany, meanwhile, impatiently touched up her makeup, grumbling incessantly. “Dad, the boss of Stellar Group has way too much nerve, doesn’t she? Making us wait this long!” “This miserable conference room is freezing! They won’t even offer water? What kind of service is that?!” Mrs. Davies was fanning herself beside them. “Exactly! Tiffany is a delicate flower; what if she catches a cold?” “Once we get the financing, we’ll teach this arrogant company a lesson it won’t forget!” From behind the one-way glass, I coldly observed the grotesque display of this pathetic trio. Yesterday, they’d been so high and mighty, kicking me out. Today, they were here, practically wagging their tails like stray dogs, begging for scraps. “Mr. Davies, long time no see.” I pushed the door open and strode in. My secretary swiftly pulled out the chair at the head of the table. I settled into the chair calmly, my fingers interlocked on the tabletop. The conference room instantly fell silent; you could have heard a pin drop. Mr. Davies’ eyes bulged, almost popping out of his skull. Mrs. Davies’ fan clattered to the floor. Tiffany, as if seeing a ghost, shrieked, pointing at me: “Stella?! What are YOU doing here?!” “Are you here to clean toilets?! Security! How did you let this trash in?!” She lunged at me, trying to grab me. “Get out! What makes you think you belong here?! This is a multi-billion-dollar business meeting! If you dirty the carpet, can you even pay for it?!” I remained still, merely tilting my head slightly. The bodyguard beside me simply raised a hand, seizing Tiffany’s wrist and twisting it hard. “AHH—!” Tiffany shrieked, stumbled back, and landed in an undignified heap on the floor. “Tiffany!” Mrs. Davies shrieked, rushing to her side. Mr. Davies’ face turned ashen, and he roared, pointing at me: “Stella! You ungrateful wretch! Did you follow us here?! Get out, now! Don’t you dare humiliate us any further!” I leaned back in my chair, a faint smirk playing on my lips. “Humiliate you?” “Mr. Davies, I think you’ve got two things wrong.” “First, this is Stellar Group, and I am the Chairwoman.” “Second, you’re the one begging me, not the other way around.” Mr. Davies stared, his face a mask of utter disbelief. “You’re… the Chairwoman? What kind of sick joke is this?! Your mother was a toilet-scrubbing nanny!” “Whose ID did you steal? Or did some old sugar daddy pay for you to be here?” Tiffany scrambled up from the floor, her face twisted with fury: “She definitely did! Dad, she must have sold herself to get here, just to cause trouble! There’s nothing a lowlife like her wouldn’t do!” I didn’t speak, merely gestured to my secretary. My secretary slammed a document onto the table in front of Mr. Davies. “Open your pathetic eyes and see for yourself.” Mr. Davies’ trembling hand picked up the document, his fingers fumbling as he turned to the first page. Shareholder Structure. Largest Shareholder: Stella. Holding: 100%. In that instant, Mr. Davies’ face went utterly ashen, like death itself. His body went limp, and he collapsed back into the chair. “This… this can’t be… Maria… Maria, she…” “My mother’s name is Maria, and she was the previous helmswoman of Stellar Group.” I stood up, bracing my hands on the table, looking down at Mr. Davies. “Mr. Davies, that precious Davies Group you’re so proud of? In my mother’s eyes, it’s less than nothing.” “For twenty years, my mother slaved away in your house, not because she was pathetic.” “It was because she was watching you, slowly but surely, dig your own graves.” “Now, I’m giving you two choices.” “First, get on your knees, kowtow to my mother three times, and cough up that five bucks of overtime pay you swallowed yesterday, with interest.” “Second, Davies Group goes into bankruptcy liquidation, and you three can go sleep under a bridge, covered in newspapers.”
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