---- Chapter 16 Branson Ayers POV: | stood in the sterile, white boardroom, the skyline of New York a glittering, indifferent backdrop. Across the polished table, she sat, the embodiment of everything | had lost and could never reclaim. Ally. She was more beautiful than | remembered, but it was a different kind of beauty now. The soft, naive girl was gone. In her place was a woman forged in fire, her eyes sharp and intelligent, her posture radiating a confidence that was entirely her own. She wore a tailored suit that spoke of power and success, her dark hair pulled back in a severe, elegant knot. She hadn't looked at me once since the meeting began, not really. Her gaze was professional, her questions about our company's quarterly earnings were incisive, and her tone was impeccably polite. She was treating me like any other client. An insignificant stranger. It was a more profound punishment than any screaming match or tearful accusation could ever be. \'If you'll look at page twelve of the prospectus, Mr. Ayers,\" she said, her voice smooth as glass, \"you'll see a discrepancy in the projected growth for Q4. Can you explain that?\" ---- My throat was dry. My multi-billion dollar empire was reduced to a footnote in the story of my desperate, pathetic attempt to claw my way back into her orbit. | had orchestrated this merger, pulled strings, called in favors, all for this. To be in the same room with her again. And now that | was here, | was a fumbling fool. \'My... my CFO can address that,\" | stammered, feeling the eyes of my board members on me. She just nodded, her expression unreadable, and turned her attention to my chief financial officer. She had dismissed me. Just like that. The meeting was an exercise in pure torture. | had to sit there and watch her command the room, watch the respect in the eyes of my colleagues, watch her be brilliant and powerful and completely, utterly indifferent to me. After what felt like an eternity, the meeting concluded. People started to file out, their conversations a low buzz. This was my chance. \"Ally,\" | said, my voice hoarse, as she gathered her papers. She looked up, her expression perfectly neutral. \"Mr. Ayers. Is there something else?\" Mr. Ayers. The name was a wall of ice between us. \'Can we... can we talk? For a minute?\" | asked, hating the desperate, pleading note in my own voice. ---- \'I don't believe we have anything to discuss outside of this business arrangement,\" she said coolly. \"If you have further questions, please direct them to my assistant.\" She turned to leave. \'I'm sorry!\" The words burst out of me, raw and ragged. \ "Ally, | am so sorry. For everything. There hasn't been a day, not a single day, that | haven't regretted what | did to you.\" She paused at the door, her back still to me. For a moment, a wild, stupid hope flared in my chest. Then she spoke, her voice still quiet, but with an edge that cut me to the bone. \"Regret is a currency that only has value to the person who holds it, Branson. It's worthless to me.\" And then she was gone. | sank into my chair, the polished boardroom suddenly feeling like a tomb. | had spent years meticulously planning my life, treating people like pawns in my grand chess game. | tried to talk to her; she walked away. Then, | found out | wasn't the only one. Hanson. My own brother. He was just as obsessed, just as pathetic. He would leave his dark, tortured paintings on her doorstep. He would try to catch her outside her building, his eyes filled with the same desperate hunger that | felt in my own soul. We became rivals in our misery. We would see each other lurking in the shadows of her life, and a silent, bitter hatred would pass between us. He was a living reminder of my greatest sin, of the moment | had willingly given her away. And I, to him, was the architect of his pain. We were two sides of the same worthless coin, forever chasing a woman who had already moved on. Title: A Princess? No! I'm the Female General! In "A Princess? No! I'm the Female General!" by CrushReel, Adela Taylor, a noble family's daughter, disguises herself as her brother to secure their Duke title by joining the army. Despite facing obstacles, she achieves remarkable success. However, upon her triumphant return, her brother betrays her, setting off a chain of events that will test her resolve and reveal hidden truths. This captivating novel delves into themes of secrets, reincarnation, revenge, murder, and drama. Adela's journey from deception to betrayal is filled with intrigue and suspense as she navigates through a world where power dynamics and family loyalties collide. What sets this story apart is its strong female lead who defies expectations and challenges societal norms in a quest for justice and redemption. Experience the riveting tale of Adela Taylor online at CrushReel and witness the transformation of a princess into a formidable female general.