Elena stepped out of the black car, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest. The building before her was massive, all glass and steel, reflecting the morning sun. She had never seen anything like it. Her hands shook slightly as she followed the security guard through the lobby, trying not to look too nervous.
"You are to wait here," the guard said politely, then disappeared into a side door.
Elena took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She had imagined meeting her father hundreds of times in her head. A kind man? A gentle man? Maybe someone who would apologize for never being there? But none of her fantasies prepared her for the man who now walked toward her.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in an expensive suit that made him look like he owned the world. His hair was perfectly styled, his expression cold, almost cruel. His dark eyes scanned her from head to toe.
"Why do you look so miserable?" he asked abruptly, his tone sharp.
Elena flinched. "I… I'm not miserable," she said softly, trying to keep her voice steady.
He raised an eyebrow. "Not miserable? You look like someone dragged you through the mud and left you there. Tell me, why is that?"
Elena opened her mouth, then closed it. How could she explain? How could she tell him that life had been nothing but struggle, that her mother had left her to raise her younger brother, that she barely had enough to survive each month? She wanted to scream, to cry, but all she could do was swallow hard and look at the floor.
He walked closer, and she felt the heat of his presence. "Answer me. I don't have all day," he said, his voice cold and commanding.
"I… I've just been… busy," Elena stammered. "Life… it's not easy, and I—"
"Busy? Life? That's the excuse of someone weak," he interrupted sharply. "You're my daughter, yet you look like a girl who has never seen a proper day in her life. How do you even survive?"
Elena's heart pounded. *How can he talk to me like this?* she thought. *This is my father? How can I live with him?* She could feel her chest tightening, her hands trembling. His words were rude, cold, and crushing. Yet, part of her felt a strange pull. He was her father. She had to listen.
He circled her slowly, studying her like she was a puzzle. Then, he asked question after question, each one sharper than the last. "What do you do all day?" "How much do you earn?" "Who is taking care of your brother?" "Why have you been living like a nobody?"
Elena's head spun. She answered carefully, explaining her jobs, her brother David, how she managed everything. But no matter how she spoke, he interrupted, mocking or questioning her, making her heart beat faster and faster.
"Unbelievable," he said finally, throwing his hands up. "I have a daughter, and she has been living in this… this pitiful life? I don't even know how you survived. And you dare look me in the eye?"
Elena's chest heaved. She wanted to scream, "I survived because I had no choice! Because I had to!" But the words died in her throat.
Then, just as she was catching her breath, he said something that made her stomach drop.
"You will be moving into my house next week."
Elena's eyes widened. "Excuse me?" she said, disbelief written all over her face. "I have the right to decide where I live. I'm not going to just pack up and leave."
He laughed, a deep, cold sound that echoed in the room. "I like your courage. Most people would beg or cry. You… you have fire. Good. You'll need it."
Elena's mind raced. *Move in with him? This man has treated me like a stranger, like I'm nothing. How can I live with him? How can I adjust to a world I've never seen?*
"I… I don't think I can," she whispered.
"You can," he said simply, his eyes darkening. "You will move in because it's time you learn everything about the company. You can't inherit if you don't understand it. You think this is just about money? It's not. You will train. You will watch. You will learn. And maybe, just maybe, you'll become someone worthy of your name."
Elena's head spun. She had never felt so small, yet so pulled into something bigger than herself. She wanted to protest, to run, to tell him she didn't belong in this world. But before she could speak, he continued.
"You've been surviving in a pitiful little life. That ends now. You have responsibilities you don't even know about. The moment you step into my house, you will start learning. Your life will never be the same again."
Elena's heart was beating so fast it felt like it might burst. She tried to steady herself. "I… I need time to think," she said, but he only shook his head.
"No time," he said, his tone final. "Pack your things. Be ready next week. You will live under my roof. And yes… my rules apply. You have questions, you will ask them. You will learn, understand, and obey. Or you won't inherit a single thing."
Elena's mind raced. *Rules? Obey? Live with this man? How can I?* Her thoughts went to David. How would he manage without her? How could she trust anyone in this world? She had survived so long, relying on no one. And now, her father—rude, commanding, cruel—was deciding to take her entire life and put it under his control.
Yet, buried under the fear, a tiny spark of determination flared. She had survived much worse than this. She could survive him. Somehow.
"And one more thing," he said, pausing, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. "You will also meet people in the company who will not be kind. You will need to defend yourself, fight, and prove you are not weak. Do you understand?"
Elena swallowed hard. "Yes," she said, her voice trembling but firm.
He gave her a faint, approving nod. "Good. Courage. Fire. That is what I like to see. You may think this will be easy, but it won't. Life in the Blackwell world is harsh. And now… you are part of it."
Elena's head was spinning. Her life, already complicated and hard, was about to become even more intense. She could feel her heart beating like a drum in her chest, each beat echoing the fear and anticipation inside her.
The meeting ended abruptly. She was escorted out, the cold air outside shocking her as she tried to gather her thoughts. *Next week… my life will change. Move into his house. Learn the company. Obey rules. Survive.*
Elena's hands shook as she pulled out her phone. She wanted to call David, to tell him everything, but she stopped. Not yet. She didn't know how to explain this. How could she tell him she was about to enter a world she had never imagined, living with a father who seemed impossible?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a message from an unknown number:
*"Be ready. Your life as you know it is over. This is only the beginning."*
Elena froze. Her pulse quickened. Was this from her father? Someone else? Or was this a warning?
She looked up at the city skyline, the buildings towering over her like giants. She had survived so much already, but she knew… nothing could have prepared her for what was coming next.
And somewhere deep down, she felt it—fear, yes, but also a strange, thrilling curiosity.
*How will I survive him?* she thought. *And what secrets does he hold… about me, about my family… about everything?*
The wind rustled around her as if whispering an answer she wasn't ready to hear.