Chapter 7 - The Inheritance
Three weeks later, the morning sun streamed through the arched stained-glass windows of the grand conference room at Hayes & Vance Global Headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.
Samantha sat at the head of a massive mahogany board table. She wore a tailored navy blue blazer and white silk blouse—her hair styled neatly in soft waves over her shoulders. The raw redness on her hands had healed, replaced by smooth skin and a quiet, unshakeable confidence.
Around the table sat the senior board members of Collins Shipping, alongside Arthur Vance and Alexander Hayes.
"As of nine o'clock this morning," Arthur announced, sliding a pristine leather-bound portfolio across the polished wood toward Samantha, "the final probate transfer is complete. You are officially the majority shareholder and chairperson of the board of Collins Shipping Enterprises."
Samantha opened the portfolio. Her birth name—Samantha Elizabeth Collins—was embossed in gleaming gold leaf across the title page. Below it sat the signatures of every major international shipping magnate in the Pacific trade network.
She looked up, her gaze meeting Alexander’s across the table. He gave her a subtle, encouraging nod, a warm smile touching the corners of his mouth.
"Thank you, Mr. Vance," Samantha said, her voice steady and commanding, carrying an innate dignity that left the veteran board members nodding in instant approval. "I want to move forward with restructuring our philanthropic division immediately. I want fifty percent of our quarterly community grants directed toward helping runaway minors and victims of domestic servitude."
A murmur of respectful agreement rippled through the board members.
"An excellent proposal, Madam Chair," the head of logistics spoke up, adjusting his glasses. "We will have the draft initiatives ready for your signature by tomorrow afternoon."
As the meeting adjourned and the board members filed out of the room one by one, only Alexander and Samantha remained seated in the grand, sunlit space.
Alexander stood up, walking slowly around the table until he stood right beside her chair. He held out a single, perfect white rose.
"Chairperson Collins," Alexander teased gently, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I must say, you look entirely different without a dish towel in your hand."
May you like
Samantha laughed softly, taking the white rose and spinning the stem gently between her fingers. "And you, Mr. Hayes, look entirely too comfortable acting like a fairy-tale prince."
"I only played the role because the princess was trapped in a tower," Alexander replied softly, his tone shifting into something deeper, more earnest.
