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Chapter 40 - The Angel

The first headlines appeared on the European continent.

@ EUROGAMES WEEKLY: "Mysterious €10 Million Donation to Streamer Lisa: Community Speculates on the Identity of the Benefactor"

The article reported that, at the height of a regular stream, Lisa, the young prodigy of Galáctico Sports, had her life turned upside down with an unexpected notification:

$10,000,000 transferred from an anonymous account with the message: "To the star that shines like Aphelios. Keep playing."

The reaction went viral across all platforms.

But what really blew up the issue was the discovery of data encrypted by benevolent hackers — yes, even digital Robin Hoods love a good bit of gossip.

Soon, the media began to connect the dots.

 "This same account made an identical donation months ago to a streamer named Keiko, also a prodigy in the female e-sports scene."

Conclusion?

@ GLOBO INFORME: "Confidential sources say: the donor is Luna Malroth — founder of the Malroth Philanthropic Foundation and co-founder of the Diamante Tycoon business empire!"

Within hours, newspapers around the world were in unison.

@ New World Times: "Billionaire woman secretly donates millions to young women on the rise. Internet celebrates Luna Malroth as icon of the new generation."

@ Daily NeoAsia: "Sweet, silent and absurdly rich. Luna Malroth sets the example of humility at the height of power."

@ Aurora Borealis: "The 'digital donation goddess' has been discovered: Luna Malroth, who was already helping in secret, now supports female talents in the online competitive scene."

Social media? A chaos of worship.

#AngelLuna

#LunaMalrothOurQueen

#LunaGivesHope

#10MillionsFromHeaven

A viral comment on X read: "There's a CEO defaulting on his debt and Luna Malroth handing out 10 million like it's Easter chocolate. Where do I sign up to become a fan?"

Another, more emotional: "Luna, if you ever want to destroy capitalism from within, count on me. I'll wash the dishes."

Lisa, seeing the buzz, posted a video crying and saying, "I can't believe I was helped by HER... LUNA MALROTH. I promise to dedicate myself more. One day I want to thank her in person. And yes... I will win this MSI even if it's for her!"

In schools, young girls began wearing stickers with Luna's face, now called "the symbol of global feminine flourishing."

On podcasts and talk shows, philosophers and influencers discussed.

 "Luna represents the new leadership archetype of the 31st century. A silent, technological, generous leader with questionable taste in music—because, honestly, that K-pop of hers... well. Still: an icon."

In the middle of all this?

Luna, lying in her light pink pajamas, her mouth full of popcorn, watched the world's commotion with a neutral expression. "Hmph... exaggeration."

Ivy appeared in hologram, raising an eyebrow. "You basically changed two girls' lives for the equivalent of booze money to you."

 "I just wish they'd play better. And push me for ranked..." Luna muttered, before clicking "find match" again.

—Phoenix Empire—

In one of Diamante Tycoon's five interconnected colossi, Lumine sat in her curved glass room with a panoramic view of the headquarters' hanging garden.

The room was minimalist and cold like the family name itself, but his hands were warm with work.

With her hair pulled back in a sleek bun and framed reading glasses, Lumine was reviewing a stack of digital documents about collaborations with emerging companies, evaluating strategic acquisitions and supply contracts, when a notification appeared on the holographic intercom.

 "CEO Lumine, global news is celebrating Lady Luna again. After the revelation of her anonymous donation, Lux sales increased by 9 million units in the last three hours."

Lumine looked up, narrowed her gaze in mild surprise, and then set down the digital pen with an audible click. "Impressive... Luna has become a trend and is still driving sales by gravity. Hm."

Without hesitation, he tapped a button on the desk and contacted the supply director directly. "Order immediate acquisition of ingredients for Lux's formula. We have a remaining budget of five hundred million. Use it all. I want enough stock to double what we're selling."

"Understood, CEO Lumine."

The holographic link ended, and Lumine relaxed in her chair for a moment, sighing as she looked out the window. 

Outside, drones transported sealed boxes bearing the company seal to the other buildings—a silent choreography of progress.

At this rate, Diamante Tycoon would become the corporate meteor of the century.

She then opened the girls' WhatsApp group and typed:

@Lumine: "We just used the last 500 million of the reserve. All allocated: half to production, half to marketing. We are officially at zero on the proposed operating budget for the LUX product."

Seconds later, the audios started flying.

 @CheiroDeTerraPósChuva: "YESSS, IT'S NOW! A real company is measured when it has no more money in the coffers and can only count on hype!"

@Nikoly: "Who needs money when you have a Supreme AI, a CEO with genius syndrome, and memes running the multiverse?"

@ Victoria: "This deserves champagne! Good thing I have a break from global interviews, because my jaw was already clenching from giving so many princess smiles."

But soon, Victoria changed her tune. A new message appeared.

@ Victoria: "By the way, Lumine... is your family throwing a tantrum because little princess Edelweiss decided to set up her own corporation instead of following the royal script of nobility?"

Lumine gave a dry chuckle and replied, still typing with meticulous elegance.

@Lumine: "Mom was shocked. Dad told me he was 'saddened by my revolutionary impulse.' But my older brother, Arthur, basically coerced them into accepting. He said if they didn't support my decision, he would cut off funding to the Edelweiss empire for five years."

@Lumine: "Result: embarrassed family silence and a formal letter of support signed in blood, tears and wounded pride."

The group exploded with stickers and laughing emojis.

But while everyone was having fun, Victoria watched the screen for longer than usual.

His fingers hovered over the keyboard.

A pang. An emptiness.

She then typed silently.

@ Victoria: "You guys are lucky."

Silence for a few seconds.

 And then, before anyone could respond, Victoria added:

@ Victoria: "My family discarded me like a stain on a white dress. Just because I didn't want to be bargaining chips."

Lumine saw the message, stopped typing, and reflected. Practical as she was, she wasn't blind. The name "Lancaster" now only appeared in public records as if Victoria were a footnote—a disowned heiress.

Then Lumine responded with something she rarely did:

@Lumine: "If they don't want you as their daughter, Victoria… Diamante Tycoon does. And we don't trade diamonds."

The other girls reacted instantly:

@CheiroDeTerraPósChuva: "Amen."

@Nikoly: "There are no jerk dads here. There's work, sisterhood, and rooms with quantum air conditioning."

Victoria laughed. Really. For the first time in days, her smile wasn't for the cameras.

She picked up her glass of squeezed juice and toasted to herself, muttering to herself, "Maybe… I've found my true family."

Sitting in her modern suite, surrounded by the gentle warmth of the Phoenix Empire's sunset, Victoria Lancaster-Monroe—now just Victoria—stared into her living room mirror. 

But it wasn't the reflection that caught his attention.

 It was the woman who was finally there.

His heart was calm. For the first time in a long time.

His eyes slowly lowered to his hands resting on his crossed legs, and memory knocked on the door of his soul, soft as a winter wind:

"Born a princess of the House of Lancaster-Monroe... That surname was gold and steel. Glitter and cage."

As a child, she was her mother's darling, a sweet-spoken woman with a gentle soul, who called her "my little sparkling jewel." 

Her father... well, he showed up once a year—on her birthday. He brought gifts, mechanical smiles, and a reminder that she was, above all, a piece on the noble board.

At 10, cancer took his mother. And with her, all the color in the world.

The mansion got bigger. Colder.

The most distant servants.

The father... more absent than ever.

And then came boarding school. 

Rules, expectations and discipline. 

But it was there, at the age of 13, on vacation when he decided to run away to Spain, that luck whispered for the first time. 

He met two unique girls—a Japanese tech genius and a European heiress with a sharp mind and an even sharper tongue. 

Nikoly and Lumine.

 "Sisters without the same blood, but more family than any Lancaster."

With them, nights had laughter, days had plans, and life... color.

Over the years, pressure began to mount: the marriage with Liam, designed to ensure a business merger and strengthen two noble Houses. 

It was logical. Practical. Empty.

Victoria hated every moment of the unsigned contract.

And she hated even more the way her father spoke of her as property.

But now…

At 24, with tears washed away by her courage and the cold cut she herself made with the past, Victória was free.

Free to breathe.

Free to choose.

Free to love.

And she loved.

Not by imposition, but by decision.

Kael. 

A hurricane of ice, a mystery in formal attire and smiles that thawed even his oldest traumas.

Victória smiled slightly, took out her iPhone and typed, her heart dancing between the letters:

@Victória: "Hey, my polar prince. How are the frozen diplomacies of the Asian continent? Have you ever destroyed a minister with that look of someone silently judging someone's wardrobe?"

Message sent.

She bit her lower lip, as if holding back a shy laugh.

Maybe the world was chaotic.

But at that moment, with her soul clean and freedom in her hands, Victoria was just a girl in love.

And that's exactly what she always wanted to be.

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