queen of an empire

When Xiao Fei mentioned buying an apartment, she was not talking about a small studio in a low-end housing estate. She had bought a penthouse, occupying the entire two topmost floors of a luxurious condominium building in the heart of the city.

She was currently sitting in the room that served as her home office. The color palette was simple yet sophisticated, featuring crisp white walls and sleek gray accents. In the center of the room stood a wide African blackwood table, flanked by a matching black leather swivel chair.

On the table was a large pile of files from the work she had neglected due to the family drama. Now that she finally had time to get some work done, she asked her secretary to bring all the files to her home since she would be officially joining this headquarters tomorrow morning.

Xiao Fei sighed another file and placed it neatly on the growing stack of completed files. Picking up another, she began to read. However, with each passing page, her brow furrowed deeper. A moment later, she closed the file. Pushing back from her desk, she picked up her phone and dialed a familiar number.

Even if it was ten at night, the phone was answered almost immediately. 

"Who is in charge of Project Horizon?" Xiao Fei questioned.

"That would be Director Chen." Amaya, her secretary, responded.

"Send me all the details of the project so far—every report, every communication. I want everything the first thing in the morning." Xiao Fei commanded, her gaze fixed on the city skyline outside her window.

"Of course, chief. I'll arrange it immediately,"

Xiao Fei hummed before ending the call. She stood up and walked closer to the window. Xiao Fei traced the cityscape with her gaze, a million twinkling lights reflecting in her gray eyes.

Kairos, her creation, dominated the skyline. The company she'd built from the ground up, had not just become a success story; it had redefined the industry. A decade ago, she had started this company from a small room in a basement; now it stood tall and proud as a thirty-seven-floor building.

Xiao Fei's mind wandered back to her first company, Apex Security. She had built it from scratch, pouring her heart and soul into it, only to have it stolen from her along with her life. 

The memories of her past life still haunted her and combined with the memories of what this body, she had often felt like she was living in hell. There were moments when she thought that perhaps this was the gods' way of punishing her for all the blood she had shed in her previous life. the other times, she believed they had given her a chance for vengeance.

"Two souls," she whispered, her breath fogging the glass. "Two lifetimes of pain, two sets of wrongs to right.

Her fists clenched at her sides, nails digging into her palms. The desire for revenge, for justice, burned white-hot in her chest. Suddenly, a cruel smile played on Xiao Fei's lips.

The thirst for revenge burned in her veins, a fire that threatened to consume her. But Xiao Fei had learned from her past mistakes. This time, she would be patient. Calculated. This penthouse, this city, this empire - none of it felt like a victory. It was a necessary accumulation of power, a meticulously crafted stage for the real performance. 

Kairos was a weapon honed for revenge. Unlike Apex, which focused on physical security, Kairos was the nervous system for the modern world. Social media, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and cutting-edge hardware - Kairos was the pioneer, the innovator, the behemoth that had revolutionized the way people lived, worked, and interacted.

"For both of us," she promised her reflection, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll make them all pay. The ones who betrayed me, and the ones who hurt you. And when I'm done, they'll wish they'd never crossed either of us."

Xiao Fei spent a couple more hours going through the files. By the time she was done, the first rays of the morning sun were already streaming through the window. She stifled a yawn and stood up, stretching her stiff muscles. Leaving the office, she headed to her bedroom on the second floor to get ready for the day.

She changed into dark red culottes pants paired with a crisp white shirt tucked neatly inside. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and minimal makeup adorned her face, enhancing her natural features. Once satisfied with her appearance, she grabbed her car keys and purse and walked out of her apartment, heading straight to the elevator.

When she reached the basement parking lot, an expensive yet simple black car was already waiting for her. 

"Good morning, chief," Amaya greeted, slightly bowing her head in respect.

"Morning," Xiao Fei replied curtly, stepping into the backseat through the door which Amaya had opened for her.

Once inside, Amaya immediately went to the driver's seat and started the car while she began explaining the schedule of the day. Xiao Fei listened silently, her eyes fixed on the tablet displaying today's business news. 

"You didn't inform anyone about my arrival, did you?" Xiao Fei asked, her tone sharp and precise.

"No, chief," Amaya confirmed without hesitation.

"Good," Xiao Fei replied, her gaze still on the tablet. "Drop me off ten minutes away from the building. I'll join you in an hour."

There were two reasons why Xiao Fei did not inform anyone about her arrival. One, she was born and raised in the shadows. It was a habit she was not able to get rid of, even in this new life of hers but it allowed her to observe without being seen and see how her employees operated. 

Second, and more importantly, it allowed her to keep her identity hidden from those she sought revenge against, especially the Xiao family.

She didn't want the world to know her true role in Kairos. For now, she had decided to maintain the facade of a normal employee, ensuring that her movements were not scrutinized by those who would recognize her name and seek to interfere with her plans.

Amaya dropped her off as instructed, ten minutes away from Kairos's headquarters. Xiao Fei stepped out of the car, nodding briefly at Amaya before walking down the street.