162Back at the house, Emily returned home in the evening, her mind still swirling with conflicted emotions from her encounter with their father. As she entered the living room, she found Michael sitting on the couch, staring at his phone."Michael," she began, her voice tinged with uncertainty, "our father says he regrets everything... but I don't know if I believe him."Michael looked up, his face etched with concern. "I understand why you feel that way, Emily," he replied, his voice sympathetic. "But he seemed sincere to me. He wants to make things right."Emily crossed her arms, her expression guarded. "He had the means to find me all these years, but he never tried. It's hard to trust someone who abandoned us."Michael nodded, his eyes filled with understanding. "I get that," he said softly. "But people can change, Emily. Maybe he's realized his mistakes and genuinely wants to be in our lives now."Before Emily could respond, Michael's phone rang, startling both of them. He quick

Once home, Emily rushed to inform Michael about the urgent matter. She entered the room, a hint of concern on her face, "Michael, Olivia and I need to reopen the store tomorrow. We're in a hurry, and Olivia asked me to tell you. We've even invited the media, saying you'll be there. You can't stand them up."Michael, still processing the events of the day, raised an eyebrow, "Media? Why did Olivia use my name?"Emily sighed, "Well, she thought it would attract more attention. You know how these things work."Michael nodded reluctantly, "Fine, I'll do my best to be there, but I have a meeting at TecnoVen first thing in the morning for an important contract."The next morning at TecnoVen, Michael's secretary Jen approached him with a concerned look, "Mr. Ventura, the managers from Goldrex Company are here to see you.""Let them in, Jen," Michael instructed, his mind already racing with thoughts about the morning meeting and the potential conflicts.As the door opened, Michael recognized

166Once home, Emily was angry with Michael for his absence, saying she and Olivia called him many times without him picking up.Michael sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Emily, I had an urgent matter to attend to at TecnoVen. Something unexpected came up."Emily crossed her arms, frustration evident in her voice. "Unexpected? Michael, we had plans, and you left us hanging. What could be more important than your family?"Michael tried to explain, "It's a cybersecurity crisis. TecnoVen is under a cyber attack, and I had to rush back to handle it. They're threatening to leak sensitive information if we don't pay them 10 millions dollars."Emily's expression softened slightly, concern replacing anger. "A cyber attack? Is the company in danger?"Michael nodded, "Yes, it's serious. I need to focus on resolving this issue to protect the company and its reputation."Concern etched across her face, Emily asked, "Do they know who the hackers are?"Michael shook his head, "Not yet. It's

168Next day, the documents for the merger of the two companies were ready, and Michael's father sent him Douglas, his right-hand man, along with the leaders of the cybersecurity company.Douglas handed over the documents, "Michael, these are the merger details. Your father believes it's the right step to rebuild TecnoVen's reputation."Michael scanned the papers, concern etched on his face. "I hope this doesn't compromise TecnoVen's identity."The cybersecurity leader assured, "We've structured it to preserve TecnoVen's essence. This merger will enhance our capabilities against future threats."Michael, still troubled by the events of the previous day, decided to pay a visit to Olivia's store in an attempt to see her and explain himself. On his way to Olivia's store, Michael contemplated the recent contract TecnoVen had signed.The merger and the ease with which the experts from the cybersecurity company had flushed out the hackers. He couldn't help but wonder if his father had orche

170Marcus gave a subtle nod, and as Michael prepared for his next shot, Rick discreetly leaned against the table, attempting to subtly shift the balance and throw off the game.Michael took his stance, unaware of the subterfuge. He took his shot, and the cue ball veered off course—just as Rick had intended. A smug smile spread across Rick's face."Looks like your luck's run out, Ventura," Marcus taunted.But Michael simply chalked his cue, unfazed. "Let's see about that."On his next turn, Michael adjusted his stance ever so slightly, compensating for the altered position of the table. The rich men, thinking they had successfully disrupted Michael's game, exchanged triumphant glances.Alex, with a smirk, exclaimed,"Nice try, Ventura. But you can't recover from that."Undeterred, Michael calmly observed the new layout and took his shot. To the men's astonishment, the cue ball crossed the altered path flawlessly, sinking another ball.Jeremy, was in disbelief, "How did he...? That sho