I fled to my mom's house after barely surviving my husband's beating. Shameless as ever, he tracked me down with his mistress in tow, sneering, "Like mother, like daughter!" Instead of getting angry, my mom just smiled and made a quick call. A minute later, he dropped to his knees pleading: "Save me!"

The following morning, I sat inside the executive suite on the top floor of the Vance Global Tower in downtown Boston. The panoramic glass windows offered a breathtaking view of the harbor.

My mother sat on the plush leather couch across from my desk, quietly sipping her tea.

Suddenly, my desk phone chimed with a private, secure ring.

I picked up the receiver. "Maya Vance speaking."

"Hello, my granddaughter," a deep, raspy voice spoke through the speaker. The voice sounded ancient, yet carried a terrifying weight of absolute authority.

I froze, looking up at my mother. Mom nodded slowly, giving me a reassuring smile.

"Grandfather?" I whispered.

"My name is Marcus Vance," the voice replied. "For thirty years, I have lived in Geneva, watching over our family's global network. I stayed silent when you married that foolish boy, Declan. Your mother believed you needed to test your own strength in the real world."

"You let me suffer?" I asked, feeling a surge of sudden indignation.

"We gave you the room to forge yourself," Marcus answered calmly. "If we had stepped in earlier, you would have remained a fragile girl relying on our shadow. But last night, when you ran barefoot into the cold to save your own life, you proved you carry the blood of an empress."

"Declan tried to destroy everything," I said.

"Declan was a flea," Marcus scoffed softly. "He has been crushed. But understand this, Maya: the corporate world is full of larger beasts. Now that your identity as the sole Vance heir is exposed, every rival syndicate in New York and London will come to test your resolve."

"Let them come," I replied without hesitation, leaning over the glass desk. "I spent five years digging trenches and pouring concrete. I know how to handle dirt."