Chapter 24 The Light Returns Chapter 24 The Light Returns +5 Free Coins Elder C burst into laughter through his tears , tugging down on his blazer to hide his growing belly . " Haha ! Our Stella's always had a sharp eye ! " Elder A hugged Stella tightly . " Come here . let me take a good look at you . You've gotten so skinny , sweet girl ! " As she spoke , her own tears started to fall . It had been eleven years . The girl they'd once thought dead was now standing in front of them , alive and well - how could anyone hold back tears ? These four elders had been the first group of executives to follow Stella's father , James . They had watched the Marshall children grow up . And they'd always loved the eldest daughter dearly . James used to bring Stella to the office sometimes when she was little , and the four of them would practically fight over who could hold her next . She was an adorable little thing - rosy cheeks , sweet talk , and sharp as a tack . It made all of them dream about having daughters of their own . Of course , it hadn't always been just these four . Over time , people came and went . Everyone had their own path . When James died unexpectedly , it triggered the biggest wave of departures yet . Only a handful stayed , and most of those were people aligned with Second Uncle Felix . The company had been passed down from the previous generation . James had always been seen as the one to lead it - he was the president . Felix the younger brother , had always been lazy and unimpressive . But as the company flourished under James's leadership . Felix grew increasingly bitter . He couldn't accept that his older brother held all the power while he remained a mere VP . So he began to gather allies and plot for the top seat . But while James was alive , Felix didn't dare make a move - he never had the chance . James's sudden death was the closest Felix had ever come to seizing control . But then Stella showed up . She couldn't bear to see the company her father had built destroyed by her scheming uncle , At just fourteen years old , she called a meeting with all the board members . Most caine out of curiosity , expecting a child to make a fool of herself./ Instead , she radiated authority , backing up her words with clear data exposing Felix's past missteps and financial blunders that had cost the company dearly . She laid out his personal scandals , showing just how untrustworthy he really was . In short : Felix wasn't fit to lead . Her analysis was sharp , her words precise , and everyone e in the room was stunned . She ended by saying , " I hope you all take this seriously . Choose someone capable to be CEO , I may be young now , but I'll prove I'm worth listening to . I'm good enough . " Then she showed them all the awards she'd won since childhood , her spotless academic record , always top of her class . 1/2 +5 Free Coins Chapter 24 The Light Returns To the older board members , it may have seemed a little juvenile . But there was no denying - she was exceptional . And in the business world , many followed leaders not for status , but for their charisma and potential . Stella's brilliance and determination touched many in that room . Several board members stood up on the spot to declare their support . Others followed . Felix was left seething - clenching his teeth in helpless rage . He couldn't beat his brother , and now he couldn't even beat his brother's teenage daughter . Stella never let them down . She went on to attend Ashford's top school and stayed at the top of her class year after year . Only occasionally did someone come within a point or two of her scores . Then , in her final year , she became the top science student in all of Ashford City . Everyone in the company was thrilled and proud - like they were watching their own daughter grow up . But then the tragedy hit . A car accident Just like what had happened to her parents . Sudden , Cruel . Unbelievable . Her death shattered morale . The CEO chosen after her couldn't hold off Felix's scheming . Felix finally took over - and as expected , the company crumbled under him , teetering on the edge of bankruptcy . Most people left .. Only these four elders remained . They couldn't bring themselves to abandon the company entirely . Felix , despite being a major shareholder , didn't want to deal with the mess . He dumped the wreckage onto Ethan . Ethan was immensely capable . He brought the company back from the dead . Felix ended up in prison . Those were good years . The elders felt their faith had been justified . But recently , Ethan's behavior had been disappointing . They'd started to lose hope . The Marshall family was nearly gone - the third child had gone into showbiz , and the fourth had disappeared entirely . They were ready to walk away too . Then - after eleven years - Stella returned . And in that same boardroom , she displayed the same fierce energy she had as a child . In this moment , they felt like the sun had come up again . Like they could give another five hundred years to the company without breaking a sweat .