The End of The Beginning

"Where to now, Lady Boss?" The driver asked as he closed the car door, addressing the beautiful woman who had just entered.

She possessed a graceful stature, with an elegant and composed demeanor that commanded respect. Her porcelain-like fair skin radiated a soft glow, and her deep, captivating dark eyes held an intensity that contradicted her gentle appearance.

Her black hair flowed like a river of obsidian silk, cascading down her back in waves. Her attire, consisting of a blouse and a black suit, portrayed the formality that society demanded of a working woman. Perhaps if she wore a dress and exposed even a bit of her skin, the driver, accustomed to her angelic beauty, would have to hold his breath for a while, ensuring that his expression was appropriate to appreciate the beauty behind him.

She didn't like being called "Young Lady" because it felt like a slight to her high status. "Madam" was also not to her liking, given that the ring finger of her left hand remained untouched by any ornament. So, she chose to be addressed as "Lady Boss" by those who worked for her and "Miss" followed by her name for the others.

Unfortunately, as she climbed the ladder of life in this world, her original name had become increasingly rare to hear. It's not that she regretted her decision to immerse herself in the business world from a young age. No… perhaps she had no other choice but to live as Lady Boss.

"Take me home," she said briefly, then turned her gaze away from the car window.

The driver nodded and gently pressed the gas pedal. The car moved smoothly, ensuring the passenger's comfort. He was well-paid to be Lady Boss's driver and dared not speed or create discomfort. He had no idea what would happen to him if he were ever fired by Lady Boss. One thing was certain: in this city, and perhaps in this entire country, there would be no hidden place safe enough to escape Lady Boss's wrath.

Lady Boss's face remained expressionless as usual, even though she had just seen something that would make a normal woman cry.

Today, her plan was to surprise her boyfriend, who was celebrating his birthday, by visiting his home with a gift. She felt a twinge of sympathy for him, as she had never been able to celebrate his birthday together due to her busy schedule.

Her boyfriend came from an ordinary family and did not possess the same economic means as she did. Nevertheless, she chose him for his simplicity and kindness.

While residing in the upper echelons of society, Lady Boss had seen all sorts of men and had sampled each one to find a suitable husband.

Unlike other career women who often put aside their desires to form a family after achieving success, Lady Boss ardently wished to have her own family. She yearned for children who would inherit her genes and her name. This is why, despite her high position, she never coldly rebuffed those who sought her affection.

However, due to the price of her success, there were very few men in the world who dared to pursue her. As a woman who was much stronger, there was hesitation among men when approaching her. The stronger and wealthier Lady Boss became, the fewer men had the courage to court her.

Moreover, with the pride of men in this world, those who were willing to humble themselves to gain her attention could be counted on one hand. If she were to seek someone of equal or higher status than her own, she would be left with only wealthy older men, third-generation rich kids, and those who had a larger ego than their manhood.

In essence, they all shared a glaring weakness: an inability to remain faithful to one woman. Even though Lady Boss was beautiful, wealthy, intelligent, and successful, these men would not be satisfied with just her. They viewed Lady Boss as a trophy, a prize for being the strongest Chad.

Lady Boss herself did not care whether she was considered a trophy or not, but their inability to be faithful to one woman disgusted her. It made her feel as if she had the same value as any other woman. Thus, all her hard work in this world and all her achievements went unappreciated.

Though Lady Boss couldn't quite fathom why these wealthy men couldn't remain faithful, she understood their reasoning to some extent. For those who had achieved a level of life on par with her own, their confidence was undoubtedly sky-high. Each of them was a fighter hungry for challenges, and conquering a woman like her was a challenge with the highest prize in the world.

In the end, feeling sick of waiting for men to seek her out, Lady Boss started to look for her own partner. However, she encountered new issues she hadn't faced before.

Firstly, many of them felt that their relationship with Lady Boss was their success in wooing her. Those with this issue would often take advantage of her and develop a big head, acting as if they were kings. They would try to deceive Lady Boss with sweet talk and demand excessive favors.

They considered themselves clever, though Lady Boss could clearly see through their plans and thoughts. She couldn't understand why they thought they could deceive her. Didn't they know that the higher someone's status, the dirtier their hands were?

Their behavior was like that of children laughing heartily while trying to ride a bike in front of a professional cyclist. Lady Boss usually tolerated these peculiarities and found them amusing.

The dumber the pet, the funnier it was. At least that's how she tries to reason it.

However, what Lady Boss couldn't tolerate was their reluctance to start a family. Those with this issue were typically men with high ambitions but, unfortunately, lacked the necessary capabilities. They believed they could conquer mountains when, in reality, they had only climbed a small mound.

They saw Lady Boss as nothing more than a stepping stone to reach greater heights. Yet, the truth was that Lady Boss was not a stepping stone; she was an elevator for those who were unable to walk, let alone climb.

Then there were the men with the second issue.

"Sigh... Another failure," Lady Boss lamented in her heart.

Her ex-boyfriend, who she had just broken up with, had the second issue. He was a simple, kind, and honest person. He had no other intentions but to love her and desired nothing more than her love. He was like a child seeking attention from his mother.

His innocence, goodness, and honesty brought comfort to the woman he loved. However, Lady Boss was not an ordinary woman. If she were, she wouldn't have survived for so long, let alone become one of the hidden rulers of the country.

Perhaps she could deceive herself by saying that she loved this man. She could consider the comfort and warmth he provided as reality, a safe zone from her perilous world. Unfortunately, this comfort and warmth formed a vulnerability she had never realized.

Or perhaps, she didn't want to realize it.

The simple man was easily deceived or manipulated by her enemies or those envious of their relationship. He believed he could do something to protect Lady Boss from danger. But didn't he understand that what he thought was a significant danger was just her daily bread?

As a result of his innocence, he fell deeper into the abyss prepared by those who deceived him. He thought that by doing something and sacrificing for Lady Boss, he was helping her. However, he never imagined that he was merely becoming a nuisance.

Of course, if Lady Boss knew of her boyfriend's distress, she could easily resolve it. But she wasn't all-knowing, no matter how powerful she was. She couldn't truly understand what was in someone's heart or what they were hiding. Despite her inquiries and offers of assistance, all she received were smiles and words of "I'm fine."

Didn't he realize that he, the weaker one, could only survive in her world if he clung to her?

Or maybe...

He had himself recognized the vast gap between him and Lady Boss. A gap he couldn't narrow, no matter what he did. The manipulators who came to him provided stepping stones, offering him hope that he could leap over these stones and get closer to where Lady Boss stood. However, he never imagined that these stones didn't lead straight but descended instead. The more stones he jumped over, the deeper he descended into the abyss. Eventually, his eyes were shrouded in darkness, and his innocence, goodness, and honesty, which were his only virtues, faded away.

What Lady Boss saw at her ex-boyfriend's place earlier was proof of yet another failed relationship.

It was a massive orgy with participants behaving like animals. Naked woman, alcohol, disorientating music, and drugs were everywhere to be seen. Moreover, her so-called boyfriend lay there, slouched and with a foolish grin on his face. His private parts were being tended to by a cheap prostitute one might find in the dark, dingy streets.

It wasn't difficult for Lady Boss to realize that her boyfriend had fallen victim to cunning and filth. She could have forgiven him and turned it into a lesson for her boyfriend. However, when she saw his unfocused gaze and foolish grin, only one word came to Lady Boss's mind:

"Loser."

She left the place and forgot about it. There was no more pity in her heart, no hurt feelings, or bitterness about her ex-boyfriend. Just a slight disappointment because, once again, she had failed to seize the opportunity to have her own family.

"Hmm?"

Her reverie was interrupted when she suddenly sensed danger.

Lady Boss straightened her neck but saw no imminent danger. However, when she looked straight ahead, she understood where the danger was coming from.

Her driver had betrayed her.

The car she was in crashed violently into a fast-moving truck in front of her.

*BOOM!

When the front bumper of her luxurious car crumpled, when the driver who had worked with her for three years was thrown out of the front window of the car, when her thigh bone broke, when her leg tore open, when her ribs shattered, when her lungs were crushed, when her heart burst, and when death embraced her,

It was at that moment that Lady Boss realized who was behind all of this.

Though her driver wasn't particularly intelligent, he had loyalty that was unwavering. Otherwise, she wouldn't have trusted him to drive her car for three years. However, everyone had their price, and the price of her driver's loyalty was the safety of his beloved family, especially his daughter who was currently studying at a prestigious university in the capital.

Lady Boss knew the owner of that university; she was one of the key figures in the gender equality movement that was gaining momentum in their country. Lady Boss had also heard reports that the driver's daughter was actively involved in the movement. However, she didn't pay it much mind, not because she didn't sense the danger but because she didn't want to invite the wrath of the organization behind the movement just to help a driver's daughter.

Furthermore, due to her position and gender, the organization had approached her more than once. However, Lady Boss, aware of the chilling nature of the organization behind the movement, had refused to join.

Although she wasn't particularly nationalistic, she felt a slight debt to the country that had been the foundation of her success in the world. She knew that if the organization got hold of what they were after, it would have a disastrous impact on this culturally rich nation.

Perhaps, if she had simply refused, the organization wouldn't have targeted her. However, her diligent efforts to find a partner showed a fundamental ideological conflict with the organization. Perhaps they feared that, in the end, when she had her own family, she would become a powerful example that successful women could also have happy families.

Perhaps they were also the masterminds behind the downfall of her ex-boyfriend. Maybe if he had been a bit more open, acknowledged his weaknesses, and asked for help, all of this could have been avoided.

Maybe if he had been...

Maybe if he had...

Maybe if he...

Maybe if...

If...

But alas...

She could no longer turn back time, and the death had come to claim her soul.