TURNAROUND CEO

Dami's POV

The door slammed shut. The sound crashed through my chest like a thunderclap, and my hands began to tremble. My knuckles turned white as I clutched the duvet closer, as if thin fabric could shield me from the storm in his eyes.

"Do you even know what you've done?" Axel's voice cracked through the room like a whip, sharp and merciless.

I shook my head, my throat burning though no words could come. Tears stung, blurring my vision.

"Everyone on the internet now knows that my wife is mute. Do you hear that, Dami? I'm the biggest joke in the city. My name is a laughing stock because of you!" he yelled.

The shame in his tone cut deeper than a knife. With trembling fingers, I reached for the notebook on the bedside table and scribbled, I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to embarrass you. I held it out, my eyes begging for a little understanding. Just a little.

He snatched the page, glanced at it, and scoffed. "Nonsense! I can't cope with your sorry ass anymore. You can't do anything for me. You can't even stand beside me at parties or meetings. What's your use? You're useless."

His words were a dagger. Hot tears spilled, streaming down my cheeks. I wasn't useless. I hadn't been born this way, I wasn't born mute. The accident a month ago had stolen my voice, left me broken and silent. But instead of holding me close, Axel had grown distant and cruel.

"This marriage thing won't work between us," he continued, his face as cold as stone. "I'll call my lawyer to prepare the divorce papers. I'm done."

The finality in his voice hollowed me out. My chest tightened as he stormed out, leaving the echo of the slamming door ringing in my head.

We had promised each other forever. But now I saw the truth. He never loved me, he only loved the perfect image of me. And now that image was shattered.

The humiliation began the night before.

He had thrown a party in our home, filled with dignitaries and reporters. He had told me to stay upstairs, hidden away like a shameful secret. But thirst drove me down to the kitchen. The moment the crowd noticed me, questions came like daggers, questions I couldn't answer.

And then Alexa, his wicked sister, smirked and announced, "She's mute. My brother's wife can't even speak."

The room erupted with loud noises. Phones recorded. Laughter spread. By morning, the internet crowned me with a new name as the Ceo's mute wife.

Now, walking downstairs, I faced Alexa again. She clapped mockingly. "Here comes the mute wife."

I ignored her until I froze. Axel's lips were on another woman's. The world spun, and it all felt like a dream.

"He's getting married to her soon," Alexa whispered, her words slicing me open.

"Baby, your wife is so ugly," the woman giggled, twirling a strand of her perfect hair.

And Axel..my Axel nodded. His eyes, those green eyes that once softened when they looked at me were now cruel.

"I didn't realize it until now. I was blinded by love," he muttered.

The cruelty made my knees weak. I wanted to scream, to curse him, to remind him of the vows we once made. But no sound came. My silence mocked me as much as their laughter.

Alexa tilted her head, feigning pity. "Do you have something to say?" She gasped and clapped her hands. "Oh, I forgot you can't even speak. Dumb girl."

Their laughter crashed over me. I stood there, burning inside, but refused to let a single tear fall.

His mother appeared, her eyes dripping with disgust. The lawyer in her had been waiting for this day. "I told you not to marry the daughter of a nobody, Axel. I warned you. And now, look at her."

Axel sighed, wrapping an arm around the woman at his side. "I'm sorry, Mother. You were right. Samantha is the perfect woman for me."

Sam's laugh was delicate, triumphant. "Your mother is wise. I have everything in the world. A degree, class, status and a wealthy family. Unlike her, she didn't even finish high school."

Their words slammed into me harder than any physical blow. My vision blurred with tears I refused to shed. I turned and fled upstairs.

In the mirror, I caught my reflection: red, swollen eyes, a woman who no longer recognized herself. I didn't deserve this torment. I had to leave.

My hands shook as I packed my bags. I texted my grandmother in London that i was coming home. She had begged me after Grandfather passed, but I had stayed behind for Axel. For love. For nothing.

I was done.

When I came back down, Axel and his mother were already waiting. "She's packed her bags. Perfect. Let's sign the papers," she said with satisfaction.

He pushed the papers toward me, his face blank, his voice clipped. "Please, leave my house and shut the door behind you."

I stared at him, memorizing the face I had once loved more than life. His green eyes now looked at me with hatred. My hand trembled as I signed. Then I slid the ring off my finger, the weight of it suddenly disgusting.

"Are you sure she's okay?" Samantha whispered, her smile faltering.

I flung the ring at Axel, lifted my middle finger, and smiled through the pain. Their laughter turned to silence as I turned on my heel and walked out.

The night air bit against my skin, but it felt like freedom. This wasn't the end. No, this was the beginning.

They thought they had broken me. But one day, they would regret every word, every betrayal, every laugh at my expense.

I wasn't sure how yet but I would return. Stronger, colder and merciless.

"Goodbye, New York," I whispered in my mind, as the cab pulled away.

I would come back. Not as Axel's broken wife but as the storm that would destroy them all.

Three Years Later...

Dami's POV

I bowed my head slightly as I walked into my boss's office. Today marked three years since I started working for him, three years of rebuilding myself piece by piece.

"Dami, today makes it exactly three years you've worked for me. You served me well, and I'm proud of you. Out there, I hope you use everything I taught you for yourself." Lycan's lips curved into a rare smile.

He wasn't an ordinary man. He was a notorious mafia lord I had met in London. Our first meeting was pure chance, an encounter in a nightclub that turned into an offer I couldn't refuse. Money, power and a second chance at life.

My voice had returned after three months of therapy, and since then I had become unstoppable. I wasn't the same weak, broken girl Axel once discarded. I had changed, hardened and grown stronger.

"Thank you for everything, boss," I said firmly.

Without another word, he handed me an envelope. I opened it, and the sight of the cheque inside made me gasp. The figure written across it was staggering.

"I believe this will be enough for you to start a new life. I wish you all the best, Dami. You may leave now," Lycan said with a wave.

I bowed with a small salute before walking out of his office, my heart pounding. The money he gave me was more than enough to buy a new future.

Shortly after I returned to London three years ago, I lost my grandmother. It was as if she had been waiting for me to come back before joining my late grandfather. Since then, Lycan had taken me in, shaping me into someone unrecognizable. And all that time, only one thought kept me alive was revenge. Revenge on Axel for all what he had done to me.

As I drove back to my apartment, my mind was a battlefield of plans and memories. The moment I stepped in, I was greeted by Sophia, the girl Lycan had placed under my care for training. After a year together, she had become more like my sister.

"You're leaving?" she asked sadly, noticing the envelope I tossed on the table.

"I don't know yet. My head is a mess. But I'll figure something out," I replied with a sigh.

She sighed too and wrapped her arms around me. "You're not leaving without me. I belong to you, not Lycan. Wherever you go, I go."

I kissed her forehead with a small smile. "No problem."

The Next Morning

The first thing I did when I woke was grab my phone. Scrolling through my Instagram feed, a post stopped me cold. Axel's company, Storm Enterprises was crashing. Worse, it was up for sale.

My heart raced, my lips curling into a dangerous smile. A plan began to take shape. This was finally time for me to get my revenge.

"Sophia, I'm going to New York," I announced as I stormed out of my room.

She arched a brow, half-curious, half-concerned with sleepy eyes. "Why?"

I inhaled sharply, my voice steady and cold. "To destroy my ex-husband. Axel hurt me once, but now it's my turn. I'm going to buy his company and make him regret ever crossing me."

"Dami," Sophia frowned, worry clouding her eyes. "You don't have to do this. You've healed. You've moved on. Why reopen old wounds? I think this plan of yours will only hurt you more."

"I want him to feel the same pain he inflicted on me," I said, my voice like steel. "And nothing will stop me."

She studied me for a moment, then smirked, her eyes lighting up. "Well, I love the sound of this already."

"Good," I said. "Start looking for a house in New York. Buy it while I handle the company's purchase. Life has been too boring. I need to do something, something interesting."

Sophia nodded shaking her head. "This is going to be a diaster. And a crazy ending because you will fall for this man again."

I ignored her because i knew that can never happen.

New York

The moment I stepped off the plane, I inhaled deeply, savoring the surge of power that coursed through me. I wasn't the timid, mute girl anymore. I was stronger and untouchable.

"Have you made payments for the house?" I asked Sophia as we settled into the waiting car.

She shook her head.

"Why not?"

"I haven't seen the house yet. Unlike you, I don't throw money around blindly," she teased.

I rolled my eyes and hit her arm playfully. "Don't start."

She shot me a sharp look. "You didn't even ask why Axel's company was for sale before buying it. That's reckless."

"I don't care why," I shrugged. "All I care about is revenge. The rest will sort itself out."

Sophia sighed, her voice softer now. "I just hope this doesn't backfire on you."

"It won't," I said with finality.

As the car rolled on, I gazed out the window. The streets began to look familiar. The closer we got, the harder my heart pounded.

When the driver finally pulled up, my breath caught in my throat. I knew this place. My pulse hammered violently.

"This... this is Axel's house," I whispered.

Sophia shook her head. "Maybe you're mistaken. How can he sell both his company and his house?"

Before I could answer, the agent appeared, greeting us warmly. He rang the doorbell, and my stomach twisted into knots. The door opened, the fear of seeing Axel almost made me throw up.

Sophia held my hand, and squeezed it which made me a little calm then i looked up. Not Axel but his sister, Alexa.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Da... Dami?" she stuttered.

Sophia and I exchanged a quick glance.

Then another voice floated closer. His mother.

The moment she stepped into view, the glass cup in her hand slipped and shattered against the floor.

I smirked, stepping forward, my voice dripping with mock sweetness.

"Hello, Mrs. Storm."

Dami's POV

As I walked into the house, I was met with faces twisted in shock and anger. Axel's mother froze, her eyes wide as if she had just seen a ghost.

"You... you can talk?" she stammered, her voice trembling with disbelief.

I smiled sweetly, savoring the moment. "Let's talk business, please," the agent interrupted, stepping forward and handing me the papers.

Inside, the familiar surroundings wrapped around me like ghosts from the past. Nothing had changed. The curtains, the paintings, even the faint smell of lavender yet Mrs. Storm and Alexa looked worn out, older, thinner, and hollow-eyed.

A quiet part of me wondered what kind of storms had passed through this house in my absence.

"These are the people interested in buying your son's house to repay his debts," the agent announced.

Their eyes widened; their mouths hung open.

"You're selling Axel's house? Why?" Alexa demanded, panic threading through her voice.

The agent's tone was steady, almost bored. "He borrowed ten million dollars from our bank. This house was the collateral, and he hasn't repaid a dime. We are fully within our rights to sell it to recover the money."

Mrs. Storm staggered backward, clutching her chest until Alexa steadied her. Her daughter's glare could have burned holes through me.

"Are you her boss?" Alexa sneered at Sophia.

Sophia chuckled, her confidence like silk. "Dami is my boss. I'm her personal assistant. She's the one buying this house."

The shock on their faces was delicious.

"No... no, this can't be. You cannot buy this house! It's ours!" Mrs. Storm's voice rose, trembling with rage.

I crossed my arms calmly and turned to the agent. "Let me sign the cheque."

He handed it over. With one swift stroke of my pen, I wrote fifteen million dollars. The agent smiled, satisfied.

"These are the documents, ma'am. You are now the legal owner of this house. Congratulations." With that, he left, closing the door behind him.

"You bitch!" Alexa spat, fury twisting her face.

I laughed softly, almost musically. "You have two hours to leave my house." My tone shifted, sharper and deadlier.

"You don't have the right! This house isn't yours. It belongs to my son!" Mrs. Storm protested.

"This house has been bought, ma'am. It belongs to Dami now," Sophia said smoothly.

"How dare you? How dare you do this to us?" Mrs. Storm cried, her voice breaking.

I tilted my head, my smile cold. "You're a lawyer, aren't you? Then sue me. Let's see how far that gets you."

Alexa whispered frantically into her mother's ear. Their faces crumpled into defeat. I savored it.

"Now you know how it feels," I said, my voice cutting through the silence. "When someone rips away what matters most to you. I'll be back tonight, and I expect you out of my house."

Sophia and I walked out, the weight of victory wrapped around me like a cloak.

"I didn't know you could be this ruthless," she said as we got into the car.

"I'm not ruthless," I replied firmly. "They are evil. And I'll go to any length to make them crawl at my feet."

The agent handed me two more documents, one for Axel's company, which I had already paid for online, and the other confirming the house. My fingers tightened around them.

"Axel's company is next. I need to see the look on his face," I said, a thrill running through me.

Sophia laughed. "This is like watching a movie. I can't wait for the drama."

"Neither can I," I smirked. "The day we divorced, he called me useless. His family mocked me, humiliated me. Now, it's my turn to set the stage."

When we arrived at his company, my heart raced. This building, this empire, had been Axel's pride, a gift from his late father. For him to put both it and the house up as collateral meant something had gone terribly wrong.

"Let's go," Sophia urged.

Inside, the receptionist a young redhead greeted us warmly. "Good morning."

"Good morning," we echoed, handing her the bank's letter. Her eyes widened, her lips parting in disbelief.

"Your boss is upstairs?" I asked. She nodded mutely.

We stepped into the elevator. My reflection in the polished steel doors looked calm, but inside, memories clawed at me. Axel's laugh. Axel's anger. Axel calling me useless.

"You're nervous," Sophia whispered.

I clenched my fists. She was right. Seeing him would reopen wounds, but I forced my breathing steady. "I can do this."

The elevator chimed. We stood before his office. Sophia squeezed my hand before pushing the door open.

Axel looked up. His eyes widened, his face draining of color.

"Dami..." he breathed, my name trembling on his lips as his gaze swept over me.

I flipped my hair back, a smirk curving my lips. "Show some respect. I'm your new boss."

He blinked, stunned. His brown hair was slicked back, his once bright blue eyes dull with weariness. He was still handsome, but to me, he was uglier than ever.

"You can... talk?" he whispered.

I ignored him, glancing instead at the receptionist who had followed us inside.

"Miss Winter," she said respectfully, "this is your office, as the new CEO of the company."

"CEO of my company?" Axel's voice cracked in disbelief.

"Your company was sold to me to repay your debts," I said, my tone sharp as a blade. "I'm in control now, baby boy."

"This is not possible!" His voice rose, desperate and ragged.

I pulled the documents from my bag and walked toward him, my heels clicking like a countdown to his doom. "See for yourself."

He snatched the papers, his hands trembling. His face twisted in horror as he read. "No... no, this can't be happening. You can't do this to me, Dami!" Sweat dotted his forehead, and his chest heaved.

I leaned close, my eyes locking onto his. "You know what this feels like, Axel? It's the same pain you gave me when you stripped away my worth, when you and your family crushed me. And I'm only just beginning."

"If this is about what happened between us years ago, I'm sorry, Dami. Please, don't take my company. It's all I have left," he pleaded, his voice breaking.

I smirked, unshaken. "I haven't even started with you. I'll take everything, piece by piece, until you're left with nothing but shame."

He tried to speak again, but his phone rang. He picked it up with shaky hands.

"She did what? She bought my house?" His eyes darted to me, panic flooding his features. The phone slipped from his grasp.

His knees buckled. He staggered, falling hard against the floor.

For a fleeting second, my heart skipped a beat. In that vulnerable moment, I saw a glimmer of the man I once loved.

But I pushed it aside. Love was weakness, and I couln't afford that now.