Chapter 8
After ten straight days of riding, the convoy finally pulled up in front of the old estate.
From a distance, I could already see the uncles and cousins of the family waiting at the gates, eyes scanning the road
in anticipation.
Four generations of a tech dynasty–and I was the only girl.
From the moment I was born, I was treated like a princess, spoiled by the whole family.
But just because Zachary once called them “new money trash,” I cut them all off.
God, I was such an idiot.
Grandpa Theodore saw me step down, dusty and worn, and his heart practically broke.
“You’ve gotten thinner… way too thin…”
He reached out with trembling hands, gently cupping my head, his face already wet with tears before he even spoke.
“You’ve suffered enough, baby girl.”
“You’re home now. No one will ever hurt you again.”
It had only been a month since I’d seen them, but everything felt different now.
The look in everyone’s eyes–pure love, no judgment–broke me.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, tears finally falling.
“I should’ve never left you all worrying all these years…”
They were all crying too, wiping their eyes as they pulled me into the warmth of the house.
Inside, Grandpa Theodore raised his hand decisively.
“She’s the only daughter of the Kingston tech empire.”
“Whatever Nina wants–whatever she decides to do–you back her with everything you’ve got. No excuses.”
Everyone agreed in chorus, eager to have me stay.
My aunts brought in a private chef from Manhattan’s best fusion spot and cooked me feast after feast to mak the weight I’d lost.
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My uncles handed over all my father’s ledgers, walking me through every line of the family business.
My brothers made daily trips to Fifth Avenue, buying out half the damn jewelers for me.
My Ex’s Secret Kid? LOL, I Chose the CEO Who Faked Crazy for Me
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Chapter 8
Within two weeks, it felt like I was back to who I used to be–before marriage, before the pain.
The woman in the mirror had clear eyes, soft skin, and a beauty I hadn’t seen in myself in years.
That French perfume Zachary once gave to Sophie like it was a treasure?
Just another cheap bottle in a drawer full of far finer things.
I hadn’t thought of Zachary in a long time.
When others brought him up, I just smiled politely and moved on.
Three years of blood, frost, and fire… my heart had new priorities now.
Loyalty. Country. Family.
None of it had anything to do with love.
The next time I heard his name was in Grandpa Theodore’s study.
I was carrying a plate of artisan pastries from some boutique bakery and walked in just as an argument was breaking out.
“The Pentagon’s paying thirty percent above market for emergency rations? Sounds fishy.”
“There’ve been flash floods down South–then locusts.”
“Refugees are already making their way up to D.C.”
“This grain haul’s probably disaster relief.”
“Foreign threats are rising too.”
“The treasury’s already dried up.”
“You think the government’s trying to save its own skin with our money?”
“Foreign threats?”
“Isn’t that exactly where that bastard Zachary’s stationed?”
“Let him rot! I still want to smack him for what he did to Nina.”
“He punished her?”
“That bastard’s still alive?”
I froze at the door.
Clearly, the family had already learned everything that happened at the base over the past few years.
Behind me, one of the maids whispered, “Miss, it’s freezing out here.”
“Why don’t you go inside?”
The room fell instantly silent.
I sighed and walked in slowly.
They all turned toward me, worried I’d overheard too much, guilt painted all over their faces.
I gave a little smile.
“Grandpa. Uncles. Cousins.”
“I believe the Kingston Group should take the lead on this grain operation.”
Everyone blinked in surprise.
“Why would we?”
I stepped closer to Grandpa, flashes of what I’d seen at the military base racing through my mind.
“I spent three years on the border, watching civilians torn apart by war.”
“People starving. Dying in the streets.”
“I may not be a scholar, but I remember one thing: If it helps the country, even if it costs my life, I won’t flinch.”
“We’re a business, yes–but we’re also citizens.
“This country gave us everything. We can’t just look the other way.”
“People think we only care about profit.”
“But I know my uncles aren’t like that.”
“You’ve just been misunderstood for too long.”
“So this time, let’s show them what real power looks like.”
“Let’s be the ones to put out the fire.”
“Let’s make them see the strength of the American entrepreneur.”
Grandpa Theodore stroked his beard, nodding with a proud grin.
“Well said. That’s my girl. We’ll do it your way.”
Everyone else chimed in, throwing their full support behind me.
“Aunties, sisters–in–law–organize a food kitchen outside the city for the displaced.”
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“As for the grain–we’ll sell half at market price, but the rest should go to the palace thirty percent below market.”
“That’s how you buy trust,”
“We’ll need Grandpa to gather a few reliable families to push it through. Quietly.”
“The government’s always paranoid.”
“If we make too much noise, we’ll paint a target on our backs.”
Three days later, the King’s senior aide personally arrived with an official letter of recognition.
The Kingston Group was named an official defense contractor and awarded a hand–lettered plaque straight from the Oval Office.
And for the first time ever, our sons were allowed to sit the federal service exams–opening the door to Capitol Hill.
The Kingston name had never shone brighter.
