Golden light poured through the penthouse windows, painting the marble floors in warm streaks of morning. It was quiet—too quiet for a city that never slept—but in this silence, beauty was being reborn.
Valeria stood in front of a long mahogany table, her reflection glimmering faintly against rows of golden-white boxes. Each was tied with satin ribbons that carried the words Lunara Beauty. Inside, delicate glass tubes shimmered under the soft light—Strawberry Bloom, Peach Whispers, Cherry Velvet, Beetroot Kiss, Raspberry Dawn, Mulberry Dream. Every name sang with color, memory, and heart.
Adrian De Vere watched her from across the table, one hand in his pocket, the other tracing the edge of a sample bottle. His gaze softened as he spoke. "You were supposed to see these the day you were taken."
The air stilled.
For a heartbeat, neither spoke—both remembering that night. The kidnapping, the silence, the panic. The world still believed Valeria was gone. Only a few within De Vere Corporation knew she was alive, hidden, playing dead so her enemies would destroy themselves in their arrogance.
Valeria exhaled slowly, her fingers brushing the satin ribbon. "They think I'm lying cold in some river, Adrian. And yet here I am, looking at my dream wrapped in gold."
His tone was low, deliberate. "Let them believe that. It keeps you safe… and gives us time."
She smiled faintly. "Time to create."
He nodded toward the products. "Production is complete. Tomorrow, they'll be launched under De Vere Corporation. Officially, they'll honor a student named Valeria—a genius innovator whose research inspired the Lunara brand. But to the public… the name behind it will be Sofia. No one will know it's you."
Her lashes trembled. "In honor of a student named Valeria," she whispered, almost to herself. "So I'm… dead to them, but still alive in this brand."
Adrian's lips curved. "You built Lunara with light and persistence. The world doesn't need to see your face to feel your fire."
Valeria turned toward him, her eyes bright, voice soft yet certain. "You really remembered every detail."
"I remember everything," he said simply.
She bent slightly, picking up one of the boxes, the gold glinting against her skin. "It's perfect. I wanted Lunara to look like sunrise in a bottle. Hope for those who never believed they could shine again."
Adrian's eyes darkened with quiet admiration. "Then you've done it. You turned pain into beauty."
For a moment, silence stretched again. Then Valeria's expression shifted—focused, alive. "Adrian, after tomorrow's launch, I want to expand Lunara further."
He raised a brow. "Expand?"
"Yes." Her tone was thoughtful, yet resolute. "Organic body lotions. Every scent should feel like nature's embrace. Aloe Vera Dew—for calmness and purity. Sandalwood Serenity—for warmth and grace. Golden Turmeric Glow—for radiance. Honey Bliss—for soft skin and a scent that lingers like sunlight. Jasmine Whisper—gentle and timeless. And maybe… Rose Elixir, elegant and pure."
Her words floated in the air like poetry, painting the future she could already see. "When women use them, I want them to feel reborn—like even in the harshest life, there's still softness waiting to be touched."
Adrian's gaze softened; his voice carried quiet amusement. "Already planning your next conquest before this one even breathes."
She smiled. "I told you before, didn't I? Lunara was never meant to be small."
He stepped closer, stopping just behind her. The warmth of his presence brushed her spine. "Then let the world see it tomorrow. The launch will be grand—De Vere Corporation will present Lunara Beauty, created in honor of a student named Valeria, whose mind was brilliant enough to illuminate an industry."
Her breath hitched. "You'll really say that?"
"I already wrote the speech," he replied. "They'll remember your name, even if they never see your face."
Valeria's heart swelled with a bittersweet ache. She turned, meeting his eyes. "Then let the world believe I'm gone," she said softly. "Let them celebrate my memory while I watch from the shadows. Because when I return—when I make them face what they did—"
Adrian finished her words, voice deep as a promise. "—they'll kneel before the woman they thought they buried."
For a heartbeat, silence wrapped around them, golden and sharp.
And somewhere between that quiet and the rising light, the first empire of Lunara Beauty was born—not from peace, but from vengeance dressed in silk.