The boardroom of Stone Enterprises was a study in power.
Mahogany panels. Steel accents. Chairs that cost more than most people's monthly salary. And at the head of the long table sat men and women who thought themselves untouchable.
Until now.
Because Amelia Rivers-Stone had just entered the room.
Not as a wife.
But as a player
The last time she had been here, she'd sat quietly beside Alexander, lips closed, hands folded, seen but not heard. Some had called her ornamental. Others hadn't even bothered to acknowledge her.
Today was different.
Today, the invitation had come with her name on it.
"Mrs. Stone, the chairman is requesting your insight on the Collective's performance," said Harold Kimble, the board secretary. His voice carried a note of surprise even confusion.
Because Amelia wasn't just attending.
She was on the agenda.
The meeting began.
Stock performance. Quarterly projections. Investor reactions.
And then her name.
"Item 4," said Harold. "Astone Collective impact report and integration proposal."
Murmurs rippled through the room.
Integration?
That meant aligning Astone's work with Stone Enterprises on a strategic level.
It meant bringing Amelia in.
Officially.
Permanently.
"Mrs. Stone," said the chairman, glancing at her. "You may begin."
She rose. Smoothly. No fluster. No notes.
"My proposal is simple," Amelia said. "Stone Enterprises is focused on innovation. The Astone Collective finds the innovators. We fund them early, build loyalty, and when they rise we rise with them."
One of the older board members scoffed. "With respect, you're talking about micro-mentorship. It's a side project."
"Micro-mentorship," she repeated, smiling faintly. "You mean like Google's startup incubator? Or SoftBank's Vision Fund? Or were those just side projects too before they made billions?"
A few eyes shifted.
Another man cleared his throat. "And the Voss scandal?"
"I exposed it," she replied. "And in doing so, raised our public trust rating by 16% in four days."
A beat of silence.
The chairman leaned forward. "And you're suggesting...?"
"That I be given a seat," she said. Calm. Clear. Deadly. "On this board."
Mouths dropped. Glasses froze mid-air.
Amelia didn't blink.
"I've already been vetted," she continued. "I meet the qualifications. I'm married to the CEO, yes—but I'm also running the most promising innovation arm Stone Enterprises has launched in five years. I'm not asking for a handout. I'm asking for a vote."
In the hallway outside, Alexander stood behind tinted glass, arms crossed, watching it all unfold.
"She's bold," muttered one of his executives.
"She's ready," Alexander said without turning.
Back inside, the tension was thick.
Some looked intrigued. Others, insulted.
Celeste's voice cut through the silence like a blade.
"Don't you think this is premature, Amelia?" she said, having joined the meeting remotely via video.
All heads turned to the screen.
Celeste smiled like a queen sipping poison.
"After all, you've been here what eight months? And now you want to sit at the same table as people who built this empire?"
Amelia met her gaze through the camera.
"You're right," she said.
Celeste blinked.
"I haven't been here long. But in eight months, I've neutralized a data leak, restored public trust, generated three new investor relationships, and created a pipeline of rising female CEOs who now associate their success with this company."
She stepped forward.
"So yes. I want a seat. Not because I've been here long. But because I've done what many here haven't done in years I've moved the brand forward."
Even the chairman leaned back in admiration.
Celeste's screen went black. She had disconnected.
Amelia didn't smile.
She didn't need to.
The vote was taken.
Five for.
Two against.
One abstained.
Majority ruled.
And just like that Amelia Rivers-Stone became the newest board member of Stone Enterprises.
Later, Alexander found her on the rooftop terrace, looking out over the city lights.
"I watched you," he said.
"I know," she replied, not turning.
"You were magnificent."
She finally looked at him.
"Does it bother you?" she asked. "That I'm not staying behind you?"
He walked to her side.
"No," he said. "It reminds me why I married you."
She raised a brow. "I thought we married for business."
He smirked.
"Then I guess I just fell in love with my business partner."
And for the first time in days, Amelia laughed.
Not because the war was over.
But because she'd just won her first crown.
And there were many more to come.