I, the slave boy, awaken with the most potent seed!!

The mahogany doors of the Beaumont Industries boardroom burst open, and Cassandra Beaumont stormed out, her golden-brown skin flushed with anger. Her crisp white suit, adorned with intricate gold embroidery, stood in stark contrast to the dull, conservative attire of the men she left behind. The clicking of her heels echoed through the marble hallway, a staccato rhythm punctuating her fury.

"Miss Beaumont! Please, wait!" an elderly voice called out behind her.

Cassandra halted, her shoulders tense. She turned, fixing her piercing gaze on Reginald Hawthorne, the oldest member of the board and her late father's closest confidant.

"What is it, Mr. Hawthorne?" she asked, her voice low and controlled.

The old man hurried towards her, his breath coming in short gasps. "My dear, please reconsider. The board members—they're just concerned about the company's future."

Cassandra's eyes narrowed. "Concerned? Is that what we're calling their blatant greed now?"

'Keep calm, Cass,' she thought to herself. 'Don't let them see how much they've rattled you.'

"Miss Beaumont," Reginald pleaded, "they're experienced businessmen. They've been with the company for decades—"

"And that's precisely the problem," Cassandra interrupted, her voice sharp. "They've grown complacent, set in their ways. They can't see the potential for growth, for change."

She took a step closer to Reginald, her presence commanding despite her youth. "Let me remind you, Mr. Hawthorne, of what I've accomplished in the mere months since I've taken over."

Cassandra began ticking off points on her perfectly manicured fingers. "I've increased our profit margins by 15% through strategic investments in emerging markets. I've streamlined our supply chain, cutting costs without sacrificing quality. I've initiated partnerships with three cutting-edge tech startups that will revolutionize our product line."

She paused, her eyes flashing. "And most importantly, I've rooted out the corruption that was eating away at this company from the inside. Those 'experienced businessmen' you're so fond of? Half of them were in my uncle's pocket, bleeding the company dry for their own gain."

Reginald's face paled. "I... I had no idea..."

"Of course you didn't," Cassandra said, her tone softening slightly. "You're a good man, Mr. Hawthorne. That's why I kept you on the board. But your loyalty to the old guard is blinding you to the rot at our core."

She turned, gesturing expansively at the opulent hallway around them. "This company, this legacy—it's more than just profit margins and stock prices. It's my family's name, my parents' dream. And I will not let it crumble under the weight of outdated thinking and petty greed."

'Stand your ground, Cass,' she coached herself. 'Show them you're not just some naive little girl playing at business.'

Cassandra faced Reginald again, her posture straight and proud. "I have a vision for Beaumont Industries, Mr. Hawthorne. A vision that will carry us into the future, that will cement our place at the forefront of innovation and progress."

She began to walk, her strides purposeful, and Reginald hurried to keep up. "We're not just a company," she continued, her voice passionate. "We're a force for change. Our technology can revolutionize healthcare in developing nations. Our clean energy initiatives can help combat climate change. We have the power to shape the world for the better, and I intend to use it."

They reached the elevator, and Cassandra pressed the button for the lobby. As they descended, she fixed Reginald with an intense stare. "I respect the board's experience, truly I do. But if they continue to stand in the way of progress, if they insist on clinging to their outdated methods and questionable ethics, then I will not hesitate to replace them."

The elevator doors opened, revealing the grand lobby of Beaumont Tower. Cassandra strode out, her presence causing heads to turn and conversations to halt.

"Miss Beaumont," Reginald said, his voice trembling slightly, "you're talking about removing men who have been with this company for longer than you've been alive."

Cassandra stopped, turning to face him one last time. "Yes, I am. And I'll do it without a moment's hesitation if that's what it takes to secure this company's future. The Beaumont name will not die on my watch, Mr. Hawthorne. It will thrive, it will grow, and it will be remembered not just for its wealth, but for its impact on the world."

She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper that nonetheless carried the weight of a threat. "So you can either get on board with my vision, or you can step aside. But know this—I will not be deterred. Not by the board, not by my uncle's cronies, not by anyone. Is that clear?"

Reginald swallowed hard, nodding. "Crystal clear, Miss Beaumont."

Cassandra's lips curved into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a company to run."

She turned on her heel and strode towards the exit, the crowds parting before her like water. As she pushed through the revolving doors, she heard the whispers start up behind her.

'Let them talk,' she thought. 'They'll see soon enough that I'm not to be underestimated.'

Outside, the bustling streets of Drakoria stretched before her, a symphony of honking horns, chattering pedestrians, and the low hum of floating vehicles. Cassandra's eyes scanned the sky, landing on her personal flying cart hovering just above the street.

As she approached, her driver, a stoic woman named Tex, opened the door with a respectful nod. "Where to, Miss Beaumont?"

Cassandra settled into the plush leather seat, her mind already racing with plans and strategies. "Take me to the tech district, Tex. I want to check on the progress of our new AI development team."

As the cart lifted off, joining the stream of airborne traffic, Cassandra gazed out at the city below. Drakoria spread out before her, a glittering jewel of technology and commerce. Her city. Her legacy.

'They think they can intimidate me, box me in with their rules and expectations,' she mused, her fingers drumming against the armrest. 'They have no idea what I'm capable of.'

The flying cart weaved through the towering skyscrapers, each one a testament to the city's progress and ambition. Cassandra's eyes lingered on the Beaumont Industries logo, prominently displayed on one of the tallest buildings.

"My parents built this empire from nothing," she murmured to herself. "And I'll be damned if I let anyone tear it down."

As they descended towards the tech district, a sleek, modern area filled with startups and innovation hubs, Cassandra felt her resolve harden. The board, her uncle's lackeys, the skeptics who doubted her because of her age or gender—they were all just obstacles to be overcome.

She was Cassandra Beaumont, heir to an empire and architect of its future. And she would show them all just how formidable she could be.

The flying cart touched down in front of a gleaming building adorned with holographic displays. As Tex opened the door, Cassandra stepped out, her eyes fixed on the entrance.

'Time to shape the future,' she thought, a determined smile playing on her lips. 'The Beaumont legacy is just beginning.'

With that, she strode into the building, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. The world was changing, and Cassandra Beaumont intended to be the one leading that change, no matter who tried to stand in her way.

****

Later that day,

Footsteps were heard as Cassandra stepped into her private sanctuary. The sprawling apartment, with its floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of Drakoria, suddenly felt oppressively empty. She kicked off her stilettos, watching them skitter across the polished marble floor.

'Another day of battles won,' she thought, her designer bag joining the shoes in a haphazard pile. 'So why does it feel like I'm losing a war?'

Cassandra made her way to the bedroom, her feet sinking into plush carpets. The king-sized bed beckoned, and she allowed herself to collapse onto it, face-first into the silken sheets.

For a moment, she lay there, letting the silence envelop her. Then, unbidden, a face swam into her mind's eye. Chiseled features, eyes that seemed to pierce right through her carefully constructed defenses, and a crooked smile that made her heart skip a beat.

Zafron.

"Damn you," she muttered into the pillow, rolling onto her back to stare at the ceiling. "Why can't I get you out of my head?"

It had been months since she'd last seen him, since she'd pressed the keys to her personal flying cart into his hand and watched him disappear into the blinding Drakorian sun. It was supposed to be a one-time thing, a moment of passion born from adrenaline and shared danger. She was Cassandra Beaumont, heir to an empire. She didn't have time for... whatever this was.

'Liar,' a traitorous voice whispered in her mind. 'You've made time for him every day since he left. In your thoughts, if nowhere else.'

Cassandra groaned, throwing an arm over her eyes. "He's like a parasite," she grumbled. "Wormed his way in and now I can't get rid of him."

But even as she said it, she knew it wasn't true. Zafron wasn't a parasite; he was... what? A missing piece she hadn't known she needed? A complication in her meticulously planned life?

'Or maybe,' the voice suggested, 'he's the first person in a long time who saw you as Cassandra, not as the Beaumont heir.'

The memory of Officer Steele's visit to her private lake surfaced, sending a chill down her spine. The enforcer's words echoed in her mind, hinting at secrets and dangers she'd only begun to unravel. Had Zafron been caught? Was he even still alive?

"I should have put a tracker on that damn cart. They aren't known to work that well though, the technology is still not perfected!" Cassandra muttered, sitting up abruptly. Her eyes scanned the room, landing on the secure terminal in the corner. She'd been trying to trace the cart's path to Lumina, but it was like it had vanished into thin air.

Being the Beaumont heir granted her access to tech the world at large didn't have access to.

'Maybe it's time to call in some favors,' she thought, a plan already forming in her mind. 'There has to be someone who can find a missing flying cart, even if it never made it to its destination.'

Cassandra stood, pacing the length of her bedroom. The city lights twinkled beyond the windows, a reminder of the empire she was building, the legacy she was protecting. But for the first time in months, the view didn't fill her with pride or determination. Instead, she felt a hollowness, an ache she couldn't quite name.

"This is ridiculous," she said aloud, running a hand through her hair. "I'm acting like some lovesick teenager. I have a company to run, a board to wrangle, and a corrupt uncle to bring down. I don't have time for... for..."

'For what?' the voice challenged. 'For happiness? For a connection that goes beyond boardrooms and balance sheets?'

Cassandra's jaw clenched. "I will find him," she declared to the empty room. "If not for... whatever this is, then at least to make sure he's safe. To warn him about Steele, about whatever's coming."

Her mind raced with possibilities, with plans and contingencies. She'd leverage every contact, call in every favor, use every resource at her disposal. Cassandra Beaumont didn't fail, not in business, and not in this.

Just as she was about to reach for her comm device, a soft chime echoed through the apartment. Someone was at the door.

Cassandra froze, her heart suddenly pounding. It was late, well past the hour for any expected visitors. And yet, a part of her knew, with a certainty that defied logic, exactly who it was.