From Beggar To Billionaire, From Princess To Prisoner

At the highest level of Aegis Law Firm, Vanessa Owen trailed behind the assistant, and her steps wavered with every move.

An old, washed-out T-shirt hung loosely on her frame, while frayed jeans brushed her knees, and the sight clashed sharply with the polished luxury of the building around her.

With trembling hands, Vanessa gripped her battered handbag and pressed her nails into her skin because the sting helped her hold on to what little pride she had left.

There was nothing left for her beyond this moment.

Since her parents had been sent to prison, she had gone from one law firm to another across the city, yet none of them were willing to touch the case.

Only Aegis Law Firm, after listening to her story over the phone, had agreed to give her an appointment.

"Miss Owen, you may step inside now. The lawyer you scheduled with is still tied up in a meeting, so our boss will be seeing you instead," the assistant said with practiced politeness as she pushed the heavy wooden door open.

After steadying herself with a slow breath, Vanessa stepped inside the office and kept her gaze lowered.

"Go ahead and sit down," a deep and unsettlingly familiar voice said, cutting through the room and sending a cold wave through her body.

In that instant, Vanessa could not move.

Her head snapped upward, and her gaze locked onto the man seated behind the wide desk.

A sharply tailored black suit covered him from shoulder to toe, and his shirt was fastened all the way up with deliberate precision. Gold rimmed glasses sat neatly on his nose, while the eyes behind them looked distant and cold, and their sharp scrutiny felt impossible to escape.

In the past five years, that face had haunted her sleepless nights again and again, sometimes carrying the stubborn youth they once shared, and other times reflecting the bitterness and shame left behind by their separation.

However, nothing in her memories compared to the commanding authority and control that radiated from him now.

Standing before her was Shawn Madison, the man she once loved and lost.

How could fate be this cruel? Vanessa's thoughts collapsed into silence as her eyes drifted to the nameplate resting on the desk. Chief Lawyer, Shawn Madison.

She then recalled the assistant's earlier words, realizing that the law firm belonged to him.

In that moment, she felt ridiculous, like a helpless target who had wandered straight into a predator's carefully laid snare.

Without giving her a chance to gather herself, Shawn moved first. He reached for the slim file on the desk with steady fingers and spoke in an unhurried tone. "Owen Group has declared bankruptcy, and the outstanding debt has reached thirty billion."

There was no emotion in his voice, and the words sounded as impersonal as a news broadcast. "Chairman Felix Owen and his wife, Diane Owen, are under investigation for commercial fraud and embezzlement, and both have already been taken into custody."