Chapter 1: A Reluctant Heiress
Zhou Luong's charcoal pencil snapped mid-stroke.
She stared at the broken tip, her half-finished sketch trembling in her hand. Rain tapped against the office window behind her—sharp, urgent. Outside, the Trade Sprint logo glowed cold and blue, casting her reflection in the glass: crisp blazer, blank eyes, not an artist.
An executive.
Her phone buzzed. Another board message. Another spreadsheet. Another life she didn't choose.
She set the sketch aside.
Ever since her father collapsed in the boardroom six months ago, Luong had traded charcoal for contracts, canvases for corporate chaos. She'd rebuilt departments, launched a viral product line, and stabilized a company worth billions.
But no title—no amount of success—could silence the quiet grief of a girl who just wanted to draw.