The warm lights in the hall gradually brightened, and the spotlight shining on Ashley slowly faded. Seconds later, she could finally see the faces before her—their smiles, their attentive eyes, and, standing at the front of them all, Lucian and Primo, both on their feet, waiting to hear her speak.

"I’m sorry," she began, glancing apologetically at the host and the event coordinator. "I know this speech is important, but... standing here, I realized that if I was going to give this short speech, I wanted to actually see the people who made time for me tonight."

As she spoke, her gaze swept across the guests.

That simple opening alone brought even warmer smiles to their faces.

"A few months ago, I never would’ve imagined standing here—on this stage, talking about business alongside so many incredible people."

She let out a soft, self-conscious laugh.

"To be honest... I didn’t even know where my life was headed." Her smile widened. "If anything, I was just hoping to earn a few pennies from something I thought might be profitable."

The audience chuckled.

Although they had expected a polished corporate speech designed to sell the company, no one seemed disappointed. If anything, they were more interested in hearing the story behind the woman standing before them—a story they knew would one day be featured in business magazines and interviews.

"I’ve realized that I’m actually very lucky," she continued. "For the longest time, I thought I was unlucky. But looking back now... I think luck was always there."

She paused.

"It just arrived a little later."

Her eyes drifted toward the elderly couple standing at her table.

Liza.

Tommy.

"I was lucky enough to meet people who encouraged me to pursue something I knew absolutely nothing about."

Gratitude shone in her eyes as she nodded to them.

Then her gaze shifted to Primo.

"I was lucky enough to have someone who already believed I was amazing... exactly as I was."

Her smile softened as she met Primo’s bright, beaming grin.

Finally...

Her eyes settled on Lucian.

"But even before all of that..." she said quietly, "...I was already lucky."

She held his gaze.

"Very lucky. I had someone who believed in me even when I couldn’t believe in myself. Someone who already knew I could do it before I’d even considered trying."

A lump formed in Ashley’s throat.

Just months ago, all she’d wanted was to help Dominion.

Or rather...

To save Lucian from the ambush that nearly took his life.

Yet by saving him, she’d unknowingly saved far more than that.

She had saved their marriage.

She had saved herself from destroying the life she’d been living.

Never, not in her first life. Not even in this one... had she imagined she’d end up here.

Ashley let out a quiet breath and forced herself to smile before her emotions got the better of her.

This wasn’t a speech meant to make her cry.

It was a speech of gratitude.

Gratitude toward those who had believed in her before she ever believed in herself.

"That’s why Project Green means so much to me," she continued. "Before I found confidence in myself, there were already people who believed in me. People who rooted for me. People who genuinely wanted me to succeed... whether they stood to benefit from it or not."

She nodded firmly.

"That’s why I told myself this company couldn’t fail. I couldn’t disappoint the people who believed in me... and I couldn’t disappoint myself." She smiled.

"Project Green has only just begun. But I promise everyone here tonight... what we’ve achieved so far is only the beginning."

One by one, guests throughout the ballroom slowly rose to their feet.

Soon, nearly everyone was standing.

Thunderous applause echoed through the hall.

Ashley’s smile grew until her eyes nearly closed.

"We’ll keep moving forward," she declared, "and we won’t stop until everyone knows who we are... or has no choice but to know who we are."

She dipped her head respectfully.

"So, thank you. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to celebrate this milestone with me. I’ll never forget everyone who came tonight."

The applause only grew louder.

Some guests even found themselves unexpectedly emotional.

One of them was Betty, who remained standing at the side of the stage.

"Madam..." she sniffled softly, her eyes glistening with tears.

That hadn’t been the speech Ashley had originally prepared.

But somehow, it was even better.

Ashley had still delivered her message.

She had reassured everyone who had invested in her, trusted her, and believed in her that they hadn’t made a mistake.

Standing beside Betty near the stage, Red and Khan looked at her with their usual stoic expressions.

Just as Red opened his mouth, Betty quickly raised a hand.

"Please don’t say anything," she muttered, dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. "Before either of you tease me... yes, I’m crying because I’m proud of Madam."

Red wisely kept his mouth shut.

Khan simply smiled.

"It’s hard to imagine who she used to be," he said quietly, looking toward Ashley. "If I’d known her back then..."

He trailed off.

Had Khan met Ashley earlier, he probably would’ve felt the same way as Betty. Maybe not enough to cry, but enough to understand.

Unfortunately, he’d only entered her life recently.

As for Red, he had no choice but to agree.

Looking at Ashley standing confidently beneath the lights, he gave a faint nod.

"Compared to where she was before... or where all of us were..." he breathed out. "...we’ve come a long way."

The realization settled over him, drawing the faintest smile to his lips.

"We’ve still got a long way to go," Red added as he glanced at Khan, waiting until the other man looked back. "Just consider yourself lucky you joined the team now instead of later."

Khan chuckled. "I suppose you’re right."

At their table, Liza quietly wiped the corners of her eyes.

When she looked beside her, she noticed Tommy stubbornly putting on a brave face despite the redness gathering around his eyes.

"This isn’t overstepping," she teased gently, poking his side. "I’m proud of you too."

Tommy smiled without looking away from Ashley.

"I’m not holding back because I think I’m overstepping again." He let out a quiet breath.

"I’m just..." He nodded slowly. "...happy to be here."

As the applause continued, Ashley lowered her head in gratitude again.

She was thankful.

Deeply thankful.

Beyond the business, beyond Project Green’s success, she was grateful for everything she’d managed to accomplish.

There was still so much waiting for her in the future.

But for the first time, she allowed herself to pause.

To look back.

To realize just how far she’d come from the woman she had been only months ago.

Until now, she’d been so focused on moving forward that she’d never noticed how much she’d already changed.

Not just in business.

But as a person, and how she started to view things.

Ashley slowly lifted her head, only for her smile to suddenly freeze.

At the very back of the crowd, something glinted beneath the lights.

Her pupils contracted.

A gun.

It was pointed directly at her chest.

By the time she realized what she was seeing... it was already too late.

BANG!