A 19-year-old girl was left all alone when, right after her father’s funeral, her stepmother kicked her out of the house …

He’s a good person and that’s what matters. The next day, Tracy came to the company office for the first time as the rightful owner of the controlling stake. The employees greeted her with applause.

Congratulations on your court victory, said Secretary Miranda, handing Tracy a bouquet of flowers. We were all worried about you. Thank you, Tracy said, touched.

But this is our shared victory. I know many of you testified and supported me. Richard held the first official meeting with Tracy present, introducing her to the team as the new leader.

Many employees expressed joy that the company remained in the founder’s family. We won’t let you down, Tracy, said an elderly foreman who had worked with the company since its founding. Your father built not just a business, but a real family.

We all have each other’s backs here. These words touched Tracy deeply. She realized how much respect her father commanded and how great the responsibility she now carried for the people who believed in him.

In the following days, Tracy threw herself into work. She studied documentation, visited construction sites, met with contractors and clients. Richard and other experienced employees patiently explained the business nuances while Charles helped her understand the legal aspects.

Gradually, Tracy began to feel she was managing. Her university degree in economics came in very handy and her natural attention to detail and ability to listen helped her quickly absorb new information. But not everything went smoothly.

Miranda, though she lost the court case, was not going to give up. As the owner of 49% of the shares, she had certain rights in the company and used them to cause problems. She blocked some decisions requiring unanimous shareholder approval, spread rumors among clients about allegedly incompetent management, and even tried to poach key employees.

I don’t know how much longer I can take this, Tracy admitted one night when she and Charles stayed late in the office going through another complaint for Miranda. It’s like she’s doing everything on purpose to wear me down. That’s exactly what she’s doing, Charles nodded.

She’s hoping you will get tired and agree to sell her your shares for a pittance. Don’t fall for that manipulation. Easy to say, Tracy sighed.

Sometimes I feel like it would be easier to just sell everything and start fresh. Maybe that would be for the best. After all, I’m not a builder.

Was your father a builder? Charles asked. He was an economist by education, just like you. But he believed in his idea of building affordable quality housing for ordinary people and created a company everyone is proud of.

You can continue his work, Tracy. You have everything it takes. Their eyes met and Tracy felt warmth spreading through her chest.

Charles believed in her even more than she did herself. Thank you, she said quietly. You always know how to support me.

That’s what friends are for, Charles replied with a slight hesitation. Friends, Tracy looked down. Of course, who else could they be? She was a budding businesswoman with a ton of problems.

He was an experienced lawyer helping her out of friendship and respect for her father. But deep down, Tracy knew her feelings for Charles had long outgrown friendship. His smile made her heart beat faster.

His presence gave her confidence. His advice was always spot on. With him, she felt protected and understood…