## **Chapter 01 – The Crown That Cuts**
[INT. EMPIRE HALL — NIGHT]
The stage glows. A sea of cameras flash. The audience rises in thunderous applause.
**POV: Lyra Vale**
I didn't just arrive—I descended.
My matte-black Lamborghini hissed to a stop in front of the red carpet like it was clearing space for royalty.
The door opened, and the air changed.
Cameras lost control.
Flash. Flash. Flash.
Even before I stood up, the night already belonged to me.
"...And the Youngest CEO of the Year Award goes to… Miss Lyra Vale!"
Of course it does.
I stepped out in my emerald green gown—the kind that says *'don't even think about breathing near me'*.
I walked that carpet like it was stitched out of every insult I'd ever turned into fuel.
Not a single blink wasted. Not a single smile undeserved.
And in my head?
*"Success? It looks golden from the outside…*
*But no one ever asks how many storms it takes to build a sun.*
*My name may echo in these halls now…*
*But there was a time… even the sky forgot it.*
I claimed that stage like I built it myself.
The award felt cold in my hand, but the moment burned—
Burned with every memory of the girl they used to overlook.
*"To those who doubted me — thank you for the silence.*
*To those who underestimated me — thank you for the space.*
*Because in that silence, I found my voice.*
*And in that space, I built my empire."*
The crowd roared.
But real noise was waiting backstage.
I turned the corner—heels clicking like gunshots—
And found a shadow smirking against the wall.
**Kieller Voss.**
Tailored in black. Holding his wine like it was his birthright.
His eyes scanned me with that maddening, spoiled-rich energy.
**"So, the crown finally fits, huh?"** he said, voice smooth like sin.
I didn't even blink.
**"Fits? Baby, I forged it."**
**"I just didn't ask for your opinion—because you weren't invited to the throne room."**
He sipped his wine, eyes never leaving mine.
**"Funny. I thought pity trophies were out of fashion."**
I took a step closer. Smile razor-sharp.
**"Keep telling yourself that—while you cling to your daddy's legacy like a security blanket."**
His jaw twitched. A flash of something darker behind his smirk.
**"Careful, Lyra. One stumble and your empire cracks."**
**"Worried?"** I laughed.
**"Don't be. I don't stumble. I set the ground on fire."**
Silence. Just the crackle of two egos colliding.
**"Still bitter about your last loss, Voss?"**
**"Still obsessed with me, Vale?"**
We stared.
Not flirtation. Not hate.
Something more dangerous—**the electricity of two wolves circling the same kill.**
The crowd outside chanted my name.
The air inside was a standoff.
He stepped back, slightly, like he was done.
**"Enjoy your win."**
**"Because next time? I'm taking everything."**
I turned away, cool as ice.
**"Next time?**
**Bring a ladder."**
**"You're not even close to my level."**
We stood there. Inches apart.
Two storms.
No lightning yet, but the thunder? Already rolling.
No softness.
No flirtation.
Just fire.
**Because this rivalry? Was just getting started**