Eira sat in the main seat, casually spinning the pen in her hand. The shareholders, seeing her expressionless face, dared not say a word.

Seeing the room fall silent, she said calmly, "Since no one objects, let's move on to department updates."

One by one, department heads stood up to give their reports, their voices tight with nerves.

When a few long-standing partner companies were mentioned, Eira finally looked up with mild interest, her sharp gaze lingering on the screen for a moment.

Once everyone had finished, Eira walked up with her laptop, signaling someone to pull up the old collaborative projects with the other companies.

"These projects-we're shutting them down."

The moment the words left her mouth, several managers froze. The one who just gave the report looked like he'd just swallowed a bug-those were basically the only achievements he had to his name.

Under the weight of everyone's stares, Kane Brightman finally couldn't hold back. "President Johnson, even if we want to terminate them, shouldn't we give a reasonable explanation?" He hesitated for a second before adding, "These are long-term contracts that have been running for years. Canceling them now would mean hefty penalties."

Eira swiped across the screen with her finger and looked over at him coldly. "Then tell me-which of them are still making money?"

Kane opened and closed his mouth, mumbling, "Well... they were profitable at the start..."

These projects touched on the interests of several shareholders too. Their faces darkened, but what happened to Caspian earlier silenced them all.

Eira pressed her red lips together with a dismissive smile. "So, tell me, do we really have a reason not to terminate them?"

With that, she hit delete on multiple old projects-most of which had been signed around the time she ran into trouble.

The project teams were completely restructured-some folks reassigned elsewhere, others, especially those with connections, let go entirely.

These changes finally rattled the boardroom. Some shareholders couldn't sit still anymore.

"President Johnson, you're still the interim CEO. Shouldn't decisions of this scale go through the board first?"

"Halting so many projects all at once-our stock price this quarter could crash hard."

"Even if they're not very lucrative, these are legacy projects. A company shouldn't forget its roots... we shouldn't blindly chase trends-"

Smack!

Eira slammed the folder in her hand onto the table, cutting the speaker off mid-sentence. "You all know perfectly well what's dragging us down!"

"The higher the company flies, the bigger your dividends. You seriously don't get that?"

She gave a sharp, cold smile. "If anyone's not on board, feel free to give up your shares. No one's stopping you."

Silence. The shareholders who had been whining all lowered their heads, not daring to speak again.

Sure, the Johnson Group wasn't what it used to be, but the annual dividends were still solid. Only a fool would let go of their shares.

Everyone couldn't help glancing at William. Something was off with him today. Just a few days ago, he was the loudest voice of opposition...After all, those axed projects? He was the one who kicked them off.

Eira followed the others' gaze, lifted an eyebrow slightly and said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "Uncle, any thoughts?"

William stiffened. The moment their eyes met, an uneasy guilty feeling crept up on him.

His hands clenched under the table, and his eyes flicked over the red-lined projects. It felt like a knife to the heart.

He forced a stiff smile. "You're the CEO now, of course I don't object. As long as the company does better, that's what matters."

Eira sneered inwardly. She'd love to see how long he could keep up this little act.

She flipped the presentation to a new document. "All of you are veterans here, but if you want to make money, then follow my lead. Here's the future roadmap - stick to it, and I'll make sure you all get your piece."

Her presence filled the room like a pressure wave. "But if you can't deliver, don't expect me to show mercy."

With that, Eira turned and walked straight out of the conference room.

Everyone stared at her receding figure, then looked back at the plan she just laid out - and gasped.

"Two hundred mil in pre-sales in a month? Has she lost it?!"

"Shhh! Keep it down. If anyone hears you, that might be the last day you work here."

One of William's guys, Lorenzo Kestrel, leaned in and asked, "Mr. Johnson, what do we do now?"

A dark glint flashed through William's eyes.

What choice did they have? Play by her rules for now. But whether they succeed or not... well, that was another story.

*****

After stepping out of Johnson Corp, Eira sank into the back seat of the Maybach, eyes fixed on her phone.

Ever since her memory came back, she had John hack into the company system and pull every shady deal from William's computer.

Turned out, his ambition ran way deeper than she'd imagined.

John noticed her silence and looked over, worried. "Boss, everything go according to plan?"

"Yeah. All smooth, thanks to you."

He finally let out a breath of relief, his tone lightening up. "Told you. There's nothing you can't handle."

Eira chuckled behind her hand. "You and that mouth."

"By the way, there's a masquerade ball tonight. You in?"

He kept glancing her way as he drove, hyping it up, "Good chance to chill a bit. Once you go back to your heiress life, chances like this won't come often."

Eira thought about it and agreed. Back home, she quickly changed and grabbed a white fox mask before heading out.

When they arrived at the venue, John opened the door for her.

She stepped into the room, dressed in a flowing white gown that shimmered under the chandeliers. With every movement, the sheer fabric hinted at the elegant lines of her long legs. As eyes traveled upward, the dress cinched perfectly at the waist, accentuating her hourglass figure and the subtle curve of her hips.

The strapless neckline revealed her graceful collarbones and swan-like neck. Eira's hair was swept up in a loose chignon, with a few soft strands framing her delicate face.

The moment the grand doors opened, the once-lively ballroom fell into sudden silence.

Every gaze turned as one, drawn to her-Alexander's included...

Eira didn't pay much attention to the stares around her and made her way inside gracefully.

It had been years since she attended something like this, but the vibe was still as lively as ever.

The dance floor was absolutely packed-people moving along to the beat, regardless of whether they could actually dance. Everyone had a mask on, so nobody really cared who was who.

Being invited to tonight's party was no small thing; only the real heavyweights of Oceanvein were on the guest list.

As familiar music filled her ears, Eira felt her body itching to dance. After saying a quick word to John, she lifted up her gown slightly and stepped into the crowd, letting herself move freely with the rhythm, shaking off two years' worth of bottled-up frustration.

Her fishtail dress hugged her curves perfectly, accentuating her hourglass figure with every move. Each twirl, each subtle glance she cast, kept all eyes on her.

And with that plain white dress in a sea of colorful gowns, Eira stood out even more.

As the music picked up tempo, so did her dancing. There was more intensity now, almost like she was throwing all her heartache from those years of marriage out with every beat.

Eira had always belonged in the spotlight like this. Yet for the past few years, she had completely lost herself in trying to please a man-abandoning her pride, chasing after his affection, even turning into someone who would just stay home and cook for him.

But that chapter? Over, done, closed.

With the music reaching its peak, she sped up again. The movement caused her mask to slip a little, revealing part of her face.

People had already been watching her closely, and now, with that half-revealed face, even more eyes locked in, trying to figure out who she really was.

They barely caught a glimpse of those captivating, upturned eyes when she adjusted her mask back in place, covering everything again.

The crowd let out a collective sigh-disappointed but still intrigued, their minds now racing with guesses.

If just one look at her eyes could be that mesmerizing, her whole face must be something else entirely.

*****

In the upstairs room overlooking the ballroom, a few young heirs lounged by the window, casually sipping their drinks as they glanced down from time to time.

Three guys sat there-two of them chatting away excitedly, the third sitting all stiff in his suit, clearly not blending in with the vibe.

Alexander kept quiet, knocking back drinks like he was trying to lose count.

Across from him, Edward Davis and Christopher Miller shared a long look, eyebrows raised.

"Come on, Alex, why are you just drinking and not saying anything? Aren't you scared your grandma's gonna flip when she finds out about the divorce?"

It was Edward who started, one of Alex's closest friends. He knew exactly how much Grandma Brooks adored Eira. If she heard what happened, she might actually fall sick from the shock.

Edward just couldn't get it. "I mean... Eira was nothing but sweet and obedient to you. No matter how I look at it, I don't see why you'd dump her for someone like Sophia."

As he spoke, he gave Christopher a nudge. "Back me up here, will you?"

Christopher didn't say much, just gave a silent nod.

He hadn't interacted with Eira more than a few times, but even he could tell-she wasn't like Sophia. She didn't have that calculating vibe.

In fact, he still remembered how Sophia had ditched everything to chase her own interests overseas back in the day.Two years ago, when Alexander got married, Sophia came back crying about her so-called regrets. Everyone could tell she had an agenda.

Everyone, except Alexander himself...

Hearing his thoughts finally echoed, Edward got a little worked up. "So you agree, right? I keep saying Eira's actually not bad at all!"

As they chatted, Alexander suddenly slammed his glass down on the table. "What's so great about a fake woman like her?"

The two others exchanged a quick glance and shrugged. No one responded.

The pulsing music from downstairs was starting to tick him off. He sounded more and more irritable. "How much longer are we staying here?"

No one answered.

Edward leaned on the railing, wine glass in hand, and simply ignored him. "Look over to the left. That girl's got something special."

Christopher nodded slightly, swaying with the beat. He glanced back at Alexander and said, "Wanna come take a look?"

Alexander pulled a slight smirk. "Watching women dance? Please."

Just as he finished, both guys next to him froze, eyes locked on the scene below. Neither said a word.

Alexander looked at them, puzzled, then lazily glanced down to see what the fuss was about. A woman in a fox mask twirled effortlessly with the rhythm.

He barely looked before turning away.

The moment he turned, Edward raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Admit it, Mr. Brooks-way more interesting than your boring ex, right?"

Then, without missing a beat, he added, "But seriously, doesn't she kind of look like-Eira?" He had to swallow the word "sis-in-law" before it slipped.

With a playful glint in his eyes, he looked at Alexander, then turned to Christopher. "Take a proper look. You see it too, right?"

The mask had slipped slightly moments ago-just enough for Christopher to catch a glimpse.

He gave Alexander a quick glance, then looked down again, hiding whatever he just felt. "Didn't catch it," he mumbled.

Alexander shot another glance toward the dance floor, then gave the two of them a pointed look. "You guys are seeing things. No way she'd be here."

Edward plopped himself across from him, chin rested on his hand. "So the divorce is real then, huh? Didn't think she'd actually go through with it."

"I mean, back then, no matter what you did, she stuck around like glue. What on earth did you do this time to finally push her over the edge?"

Even Christopher looked up at that, curiosity written all over his face.

Alexander's brows furrowed. Clearly out of patience. "She wanted it. That kind of gold-digger? Probably waited till she cashed in and dipped."

Edward and Christopher shared a quick look; both clearly skeptical.

To them, Eira had always been the definition of wifely perfection. Ever since the marriage, she'd brought him lunch every day like clockwork.

And honestly, Alexander hadn't had any of his usual stomach problems since then... Claiming she was only in it for the money? That didn't track at all.

Edward dropped the jokes and refocused on the woman in the fox mask.

Just then, a young man leaned in, said something to her. She turned, walked off calmly-then reached up and took off her mask.

That face. He knew it too well.

Edward made a sound between a gasp and a laugh. "Hold on-that's Eira!"

Christopher leaned over the railing with interest, and sure enough, he saw Eira walking off with a young man, chatting and laughing like they had known each other forever.

His eyes widened in disbelief-it really was her.

Edward watched that graceful silhouette disappear into the crowd, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "Seriously, Alex? You actually divorced her?"

Every time he'd seen Eira before, she'd been buried under layers of conservative gowns.

But now? She was turning heads-body like *bam*, and the girl could *dance.* Edward clicked his tongue, completely baffled about why she'd kept herself hidden all this time.

He turned to Alexander, only to find the man just as stunned.

Edward let out a dramatic sigh and muttered, "Alex, I swear, if you withdraw the divorce papers now, you might still have a shot..."

"What are you babbling about?"

Alex furrowed his brow, eyes glued to the scene below.

He watched every little move the woman in the ballroom made. Eira casually placed her mask into that guy's open palm, then wiped the sweat off her face with the tissue he handed over.

She didn't even try to hide it-elegantly dabbing the sweat from her collarbone right in front of him like it was nothing.

As if she'd forgotten there was anyone else around.

Alex's lips pressed into a hard line. He gripped his wine glass so tight his knuckles turned white, completely tuning out the teasing from around him.

The others may not know that guy, but Alex definitely did.

That pretty boy was the one who'd dropped Eira off the day they signed the divorce papers. And now? They were here, acting way too cozy.

It'd barely been a week-no way this was some new crush. She clearly had this going on before she asked for the divorce.

No wonder she'd had the nerve to push for it. She already had someone waiting.

Alex's face darkened, his eyes like a brewing storm. Without a word, he slammed his wine glass down on the table with a loud thud.

"Shameless woman."

*****

Downstairs, Eira was completely unaware of the pair of eyes watching her from above. After that dance, she was hot and covered in sweat.

Hearing John call her name, she squeezed her way out of the crowd, then yanked off her mask and casually shoved it into his hand.

That mask had been suffocating-she'd been dying to take it off.

"Hold your phone up," she told John, finally getting a look at herself. Her makeup had smudged a little from the mask, making her look a bit messy but still sharp.John held the light dutifully. "Boss, you missed it! The moment you stepped out, all those guys were totally stunned."

Eira smirked lightly, fingers smoothing her hair. "Let them stare if they want. I'm happy, that's all that matters. I'm heading to the bathroom to fix my makeup."

Grabbing her clutch, she made her way to the nearest restroom and leaned into the mirror to check her makeup.

As she touched up her look, a burst of excited voices came from a nearby stall.

Ah, classic. Bathrooms and gossip always go hand in hand. She kept powdering while tuning into the chatter.

"Hey, did you hear? A bunch of VIPs are upstairs on the second floor-apparently, the organizers invited them. I heard Alexander is here too!"

"No way? He's actually here? I better step up my game then."

"I thought he was married? Seriously, what kind of charm did that woman pull to get into the Brooks family?"

The two girls rambled on about the rich guys upstairs. Hearing that, Eira's mood instantly soured. She sighed and put her powder compact away with zero interest in finishing up.

Of all places, she just had to run into Alexander freaking Brooks. Talk about bad luck.

Time to find John and get out of here-there's no way she was sticking around to run into her ex.

A good ex should be like a ghost. The less you see them, the better.

She picked up her bag just as the two girls stepped out of the stall. Catching sight of someone outside, they both paused, darting their eyes away awkwardly, clearly wondering if they'd been overheard.

Right then, Eira casually said, "So in your world, a woman needs a man to level up, huh?"

Then she walked off without a glance back.

Outside, Eira spotted John, but before she could call out, a tall shadow loomed beside her. She winced as someone grabbed her wrist and dragged her straight into the stairwell.

One look at that familiar broad back, and Eira cursed silently.

Since he insisted on starting something, fine. She had plenty of frustration to let out-he asked for it.

She stopped resisting and followed his pull obediently.

The stairwell was dimly lit. She acted like she couldn't see a thing and gasped softly.

Just as Alexander was about to speak, she struck full force with her elbow.

"Ugh-"

Hearing the muffled grunt, she didn't stop there. She raised her leg and kicked hard.

Serve you right for showing up uninvited.