Grandma Katherine stepped out of the kitchen and smiled when she saw Venus sprawled out on the rug, fast asleep.
"Oh, my sweet child," she murmured, setting the tray of food she'd prepared down on the side table.
Venus's heels were kicked off haphazardly, her bag flung besides the couch. Her face, though peaceful in sleep, still held the faint trace of exhaustion.
Katherine tiptoed back to her room and returned moments later with a warm blanket. She gently covered Venus, then sat on the couch besides her, watching her granddaughter's chest rise and fall with each breath.
As she sat there, memories began to unfold in her mind like pages in an old photo album.
FLASHBACK—16 YEARS EARLIER
A younger Venus, barely ten, stood in the middle of their backyard, wearing oversized gloves and a red bandana tied around her curly hair. Her cheeks were flushed from effort, and her small fists were clenched tightly.
"Again!" Grandma Katherine barked, standing besides a makeshift punching bag made out of old clothes tied in a sack. "You don't stop when you're tired. You stop when you're done."
"But Grandma!" young Venus whined. "My arms hurt."
"Good," Katherine said, folding her arms across her chest. "That means they're learning. Pain is a teacher, Venus. You either listen and grow or ignore and stay weak."
Venus pouted but obeyed, stepping forward and throwing another punch. It hit the bag with a soft thud.
"Weak. Again. With purpose!"
Another punch. This one was harder.
"Better. Again. Think of the mean girl at school who took your juice".
Venus's eyes lit with fire. She punched the bag harder.
"Now think of the boy who said you couldn't play football with the boys."
A flurry of punches followed.
"That's my girl," Katherine said, smiling. "Now remember: your body can fight, but your mouth is your sharpest weapon. Don't let anyone make you feel small. Not boys, not teachers, not even your boss someday."
"Even my boss?" Venus asked with wide eyes.
"But I don't have a boss," she added.
"Especially your boss, because you will have one someday," Grandma winked. "Now, water break. Then we practice the side kick."
Just then, a short, chubby boy with glasses peeked over the backyard fence.
"Venus! Are you coming to the park later?"
"Not now, Jude," Venus shouted back. "Training."
"Training? Again? What are you, a ninja?"
"I will be soon," she said proudly.
Jude was one of the neighbourhood kids, always nosy but sweet. There was also Ella, a tomboy who later became Venus's first sparring partner, and Mabel, the shy girl who watched from afar but slowly joined the sessions. Katherine remembered them all.
The soft buzz of Venus's phone snapped Katherine out of her thoughts.
She carefully picked it up from the rug and checked the screen. The caller ID flashed: CEO.
She hesitated for a moment, then answered quietly, walking into the hallway to avoid disturbing Venus.
"Good evening, sir," she greeted respectfully.
Raymond's smooth voice came through. "Good evening, ma'am. I hope I'm not calling too late."
"Not at all. I'm Venus's grandmother. She's asleep right now. On the living room rug, actually."
"Oh…" Raymond paused. "Is she alright?"
"She's not eaten. She just came home, dropped her things, and dozed off. She looked really down. Said someone tried to sabotage her presentation today."
There was a brief silence. Then Raymond spoke, his voice lower. "I see. I'll handle it first thing tomorrow. Please let her know I'm truly sorry for what happened. And thank you for taking care of her."
"She's my granddaughter. I raised her like a lion. I know when she's pretending to be strong."
"I know that look too," Raymond said softly. "She's stronger than most people I know. But I'll still make sure this doesn't happen again."
"Thank you, sir. She'll appreciate hearing that."
"I'll handle the issue tomorrow myself. Please tell her that. And… thanks again."
Katherine smiled. "You're welcome. Have a good night, Mr. Raymond."
"You too, ma'am."
She ended the call and returned to the living room. Venus stirred under the blanket.
"Grandma?" Her voice was groggy.
"Shhh. Sleep, sweetheart. Your boss called. He said to tell you he's sorry and he'll fix it."
Venus groaned softly, eyes still closed. "He better, or else, I will punched a hole in someone's career soon."
Katherine chuckled. "Now that, I would pay to see."
Venus shifted, pulling the blanket closer. "I nearly lost it, Grandma. Right before the presentation, someone tampered with the file. It was scrambled."
"But I remembered you always said, 'Prepare like someone will try to ruin it.' So, I had a backup."
"Smart girl. What happened next?"
Venus opened her eyes now, her energy returning in sparks. "I nailed it. Knocked it out of the park. But then—Nicholas came in. Said I was brilliant."
"Nicholas? Tall fellow with shiny shoes?"
"That's the one. Always smelling like cinnamon and confidence."
Katherine raised a brow. "Hmm, sounds interesting."
"I don't know about that."
"Oh?" Her grandmother smiled knowingly.
Venus rested her head on her grandmother's shoulder. "Thanks for teaching me to fight—not just with my fists, but with my mind."
"It's what grandmas are for. Now come. Eat something. Then sleep in your bed. You're not a college student anymore."
Venus giggled and allowed herself to be pulled towards the kitchen.
Just then, her phone buzzed again. This time a message.
CEO: Sleep well, Miss Phillips. Tomorrow is a new day, and I've got your back.
Venus smiled.
"Anything important?" Her grandmother asked, stirring the stew.
"Yeah," Venus said, pocketing her phone. "Just life reminding me I've got people in my corner."
Katherine nodded. "Then eat. And remember—never let the world tell you who you are. You show them."
Venus raised her spoon in salute. "Yes, ma'am."
And for the first time that day, she felt her shoulders relax.
Tomorrow could come. She was ready.
Meanwhile, that night, the clock in Raymond's penthouse struck eleven.
The lights were dimmed, the maids had long since retired, and the silence of the night seemed to wrap around the luxurious space like a soft cloak.
Raymond stood by the high window, holding a glass of water he hadn't really sipped from.
The city lights blinked in the distance, but his mind was elsewhere—back in that conference room, watching Venus command the stage like she was born to lead.
Footsteps padded quietly behind him.
"Still up, young master?" came the warm voice of Pa Alfred, his ever-present butler—and more importantly, the man who had raised him like his own.
Raymond didn't turn immediately. "Couldn't sleep."
Pa Alfred walked over with a cup of camomile tea in hand, offering it.
Raymond accepted it with a nod of thanks and finally looked at him. "Did you hear what happened today at the office?"
.