## CHAPTER 7 ## THE WOMAN WHO CAME BACK FOR HER EMPIRE
The boardroom had never been this confident.
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At least...
That's what Grant Holloway believed.
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Twenty executives sat around the massive glass table on the top floor of Holloway International.
The same room where Grant had announced billion-dollar deals.
The same room where people stood when he entered.
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Today...
He walked in like a king returning to his throne.
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Samantha Vale sat beside him.
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A smile on her face.
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"The transition will be smooth."
She told the board.
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"Vale Group will provide the stability Holloway needs."
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Several executives nodded.
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They had no idea they were celebrating a mistake.
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Grant looked around the room.
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A week ago...
This was his empire.
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His name.
His legacy.
His future.
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And soon...
He believed it would belong to Samantha.
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Then the doors opened.
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Everyone turned.
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The room went silent.
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I walked in.
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Not in a hospital gown.
Not as the woman who almost died.
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I wore a simple black suit.
My hair pulled back.
A folder in my hand.
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And behind me...
Victoria Whitmore.
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The board members immediately stood.
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Not because they respected me.
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Because they recognized Victoria.
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She represented the Whitmore Trust.
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The organization that controlled the foundation of their company.
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Grant froze.
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"Claire."
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I looked at him.
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"Good morning, Grant."
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My voice was calm.
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Too calm.
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That scared him.
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Samantha stood.
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"What is she doing here?"
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Victoria answered.
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"She is here because she owns this meeting."
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Silence.
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Samantha laughed.
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"Excuse me?"
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Victoria placed a document on the table.
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"The Holloway International control transfer agreement."
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One by one...
Board members began reading.
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Their expressions changed.
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Grant immediately reached for it.
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"This is not valid."
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Victoria looked at him.
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"It was created before your marriage."
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"And activated the moment you abandoned Mrs. Holloway during a medical emergency."
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The room became silent.
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A board member looked at Grant.
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"Is this true?"
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Grant looked uncomfortable.
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"It was a misunderstanding."
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I almost smiled.
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A misunderstanding.
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The phrase people used when they wanted to shrink their own cruelty.
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I stepped forward.
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"No."
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"It wasn't."
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Everyone looked at me.
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"You made a choice."
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"You chose to sign divorce papers while doctors were fighting to keep me alive."
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"You chose to walk away from three newborn children."
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"You chose money over your family."
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Grant's face tightened.
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"Claire, this is not the place."
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I looked around the room.
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"Actually..."
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"I think this is exactly the place."
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Victoria opened another folder.
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"According to the trust agreement, any attempt by Mr. Holloway to transfer company control after triggering the abandonment clause results in immediate ownership review."
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Samantha crossed her arms.
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"And?"
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Victoria looked at her.
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"And the review has been completed."
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She placed another document down.
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The room went quiet.
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"The board shares previously controlled by Grant Holloway are now under Claire Holloway's authority."
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Grant stared.
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"No."
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For the first time...
He sounded afraid.
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Samantha stood quickly.
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"This is ridiculous."
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She turned to the board.
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"You cannot allow an emotional decision to destroy a company."
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I looked at her.
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"Emotional?"
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I walked closer.
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"Is that what you call protecting my children?"
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Her face hardened.
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"You don't understand business."
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I smiled slightly.
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"No."
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"I understand people."
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"And that's why I won."
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The board members looked uncomfortable.
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Because they were finally seeing what Grant and Samantha failed to see.
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I wasn't fighting for money.
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I was fighting because they believed I had no power.
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Then Grant said something unexpected.
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"Claire."
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Everyone looked at him.
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His voice softened.
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"Please."
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A week ago...
That word would have destroyed me.
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Now it only sounded empty.
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"What?"
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"I made mistakes."
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I looked at him.
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"Yes."
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"Big ones."
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"I can fix them."
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I shook my head.
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"No."
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"You can fix your company."
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"You can fix your reputation."
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"But you cannot fix the moment you chose to leave me."
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Silence.
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Then Samantha's phone rang.
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She answered.
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Her expression changed.
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"What?"
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A pause.
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"No."
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Everyone noticed.
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"What happened?"
Grant asked.
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She ignored him.
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Another call came in.
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Then another.
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Within seconds...
Her confidence disappeared.
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Victoria calmly explained:
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"The Vale Group accounts are under investigation."
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Samantha turned.
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"What?"
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"Your financial records were connected to the payment made to Mr. Holloway."
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Her face went pale.
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"You can't do this."
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I looked at her.
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"No."
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"You did this."
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The board members began whispering.
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Grant looked at Samantha.
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"You knew?"
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She didn't answer.
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That was enough.
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"You knew this could happen?"
Grant asked.
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Her silence confirmed it.
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For the first time...
Grant realized the truth.
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He had not betrayed me for a better future.
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He had destroyed his life for someone who never intended to keep him.
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As security escorted Samantha out...
She stopped beside me.
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"You think you won?"
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I looked at her.
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"I know I survived."
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Her expression changed.
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Because that was something money could not control.
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After everyone left...
Grant remained in the boardroom.
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Alone.
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I turned to leave.
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"Claire."
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I stopped.
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He looked broken.
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"Do you hate me?"
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I thought about it.
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The hospital.
The papers.
The babies.
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Then I answered honestly.
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"No."
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His eyes lifted.
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"I don't hate you."
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A pause.
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"I just finally understand you."
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And somehow...
That hurt him more.
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That evening...
I returned home to my children.
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Three tiny faces.
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Three reasons I kept going.
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Victoria handed me one final envelope.
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"Your grandmother left this for after you took control."
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I smiled sadly.
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"Of course she did."
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I opened it.
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The first sentence made my heart stop.
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My dear Claire,
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If you are reading this, then you have learned the truth about Grant.
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I continued.
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But there is something you do not know.
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My hands tightened.
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Grant was not the first person who tried to take advantage of you.
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I looked at Victoria.
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"What does that mean?"
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She didn't answer.
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I read the next line.
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Before you married Grant, someone inside your own family warned him about your inheritance.
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My heart sank.
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Someone inside my family.
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Then came the final sentence.
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And that person is the reason I never trusted your marriage from the beginning.
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I stared at the letter.
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Because suddenly...
The betrayal was bigger than Grant.
May you like
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Much bigger.
