Chapter 4: Regret and Resolve
The car pulled up to the Chambers mansion. It wasn’t just a house; it was a fortress. Huge, grand, with tall iron gates and sweeping lawns. But as Viola stepped out, a wave of sadness hit her. The air felt heavy, like a dark cloud hung over everything. The usual bright lights of the house seemed dim, the grand silence now a sombre and gloomy atmosphere. It wasn’t the vibrant home she remembered. It was a place of shadows, of worry.
Her heart ached. Pain filled her chest. This was her family’s home, the place where she grew up. And now, it felt broken, just like her.
Her parents. She remembered their warnings, clear as day. They had seen something in Harris, something she, blinded by love, had missed.
“He’s not right for you, honey,” her father had said, his voice firm but kind. “His eyes… they see the fortune, not just my daughter.”
Her mother had been softer, but just as worried. “He seems… too eager, Viola. To become part of our family. It’s not about you, my dear. It’s about what you come from.”
They hadn’t been in favor of her marrying him from the start. They had felt he had different motives for approaching their only daughter. He didn’t come from a rich family. He wasn’t part of their high-society world. He was just a parvenu. They wanted her to marry someone who truly loved her, not her name or her money.
She had told her parents they were wrong, that Harris loved her, and her alone. And because their daughter loved him, her parents, in their endless love for her, decided to grant her happiness. They had given their blessing, though their smiles had been thin, their eyes full of worry.
Now, standing on the familiar porch, the weight of their unspoken fears pressed down on her. The immense, bitter regret washed over her. Not for leaving, but for not listening.
Her mother rushed out, her face etched with exhaustion and worry, but relief flooded her eyes when she saw Viola. The reunion of the family was filled with tears and longing. Her mother’s hug was a desperate squeeze, a mother’s embrace for a child she thought she’d lost forever. Viola held her tight, feeling the familiar warmth, the comfort of home.
“Oh, my baby,” her mother sobbed, stroking her hair. “You’re home. You’re finally home.”
Viola felt a pang. Home. It didn’t feel like home. Not yet. It felt like a battleground.
Her mother led her to her father’s room. The sight of him, lying frail in the huge bed, made her heart sting. He looked so small, so weak. His once strong hands, now thin and pale, rested on the white sheets. His eyes, usually sharp and full of life, were dull, clouded with pain.
“Dad?” Viola whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
He opened his eyes slowly. A faint smile touched his lips as he saw her. “Viola… my girl,” he croaked, his voice barely a whisper. “You came back.”
Tears streamed down Viola’s face, hot and fast. This was real grief. This was pure, unadulterated pain. This was her father, the man she adored, fading away. She took his hand, clutching it gently. It felt so fragile.
In that moment, all the bitterness, all the rage against Harris and Clara, faded into the background. What mattered was here. What mattered was her family. She looked at her father, so weak, so dependent. She thought of her mother, strong but now so weary.
She understood the importance of having a family that stood with her no matter what. They had warned her, they had tried to protect her, and even when she made a terrible mistake, they were still here, waiting for her, needing her. This was the true embrace, the only one that mattered.
There’s no way she would let him leave them. Not like this. Not after everything. He had built this empire, this legacy, for her. And she would not let it crumble. She would not let him go.
A sudden, fierce determination surged through her. It was a different kind of fire than the one that fueled her revenge. This was a fire of love, of duty, of unwavering resolve. She would save him. She would save the company. She would save their legacy.
And then, there and then, she came up with a plan regarding her father. A bold, risky, desperate plan.
The company. It was failing. Big deals were falling through. Major investors were pulling out. The news of her father’s illness, combined with her own mysterious two-year absence, had created a huge problem. People doubted the Chambers’ ability to lead. They saw weakness.
Viola knew she had to act fast. Her father’s health was tied to the company’s health.
Her plan for her father was simple, yet terrifyingly complex. It wasn’t just about medicine. It was about spirit. She needed to give him hope, a reason to get better. And that reason would be the company, strong and thriving once more.
She called for an emergency board meeting. The old, stern faces of the board members stared at her. They knew her as the disappeared heiress, the girl whose marriage fell apart. They were ready to question her.
“I know the state of the company,” Viola began, her voice clear and strong, cutting through the tense silence. “I know my father’s health is critical. But I am here. And I will not let this company, this legacy, fall.”
She laid out her immediate steps. New strategies. Aggressive market moves. Firing key people who had failed to act in her father’s absence. She was ruthless, efficient, and surprisingly sharp. The board members, initially skeptical, started to listen. This wasn’t the broken girl they expected. This was a force.
One night, after a long day of meetings and hospital visits, Viola sat by her father’s bedside. He was asleep, breathing shallowly. She picked up an old photo album on his nightstand. Pictures of him, young and full of life, building his empire from scratch. Pictures of her, a chubby baby, always by his side.
A memory flashed: her father teaching her chess. “Always think five steps ahead, Viola,” he’d said, his eyes twinkling. “And never let your opponent see your fear.”
She would remember that now. Fear was a weakness she could not afford.
She looked at her sleeping father, his face so peaceful yet so fragile. “I won’t let you go, Dad,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I promise.”
Her phone buzzed. A text message. An unknown number.
“Heard you’re trying to play hero. Some things are just too broken to fix. And some people never change.”
Viola’s eyes narrowed. Clara. She knew it. The serpent was already slithering. A cold smile touched Viola’s lips. Clara thought she understood the game. But Viola was about to show her just how deep the rabbit hole went.
The next morning, Viola made a decision. She would announce a huge, risky business venture. Something that would either save the company or sink it. A move so bold, so unexpected, it would send shockwaves throughout the business world.