Alarmed at the prospect of being caught inside the CEO's office, Michael swiftly made his way to the nearest hiding spot – the restroom. From there, he strained to hear the sound of Wallas knocking on the door, signaling his arrival. Elysia, ever composed, greeted Wallas and opened the door, granting him entry into the office.As Wallas stepped inside, his sharp gaze swept across the room, searching for the elusive CEO. Finally, his eyes fell upon Elysia, and he wasted no time in getting straight to the point. "I've been trying to reach Mr. Walker for days now. Where is he?"Maintaining her calm demeanor, Elysia spoke in measured tones. "Mr. Walker hasn't arrived yet. The state of the company has left him with an immense workload, and he requested not to be disturbed while he works."Wallas, clearly growing impatient, furrowed his brow. "Why doesn't he work alongside his collaborator like other CEOs? And where is Lyra, his secretary? She should be here, shouldn't she?"Elysia shifted

73Tiffany's gaze dripped with contempt as she shifted her attention to Alex, who stood nearby. She couldn't resist adding fuel to the fire, "You better not hang out with Michael. Trust me, he's a total screw-up. A pathetic excuse of a guy."Tiffany smirked, pleased with her attempt to undermine Michael. She moved closer, lowering her voice slightly so that only he could hear, "You know, Michael, I overheard Wallas talking to some executives earlier. They were discussing some major changes, and it didn't sound good for you. You're done, finished. Kiss your little empire goodbye."Michael raised an eyebrow, seemingly unfazed by her words. He leaned against the nearby cubicle and crossed his arms casually. "Is that so, Tiffany? And how exactly did you manage to become the bearer of such news? Care to enlighten me?"Tiffany smirked again, relishing in the power she believed she held over him. "Let's just say I have my ways of getting insider information. It's not my fault if you're a com

75Once there, his assistant, Elysia, quickly joined him, entering and closing the door behind her, looking a little nervous and afraid.Michael, noticing Elysia's demeanor, asked with concern, "What's happening, Elysia?"Taking a deep breath, Elysia mustered up the courage to share, "I just attended a meeting with the heads of department, and Wallas mentioned that he hasn't heard from Mr. Walker, the CEO, for several days. In light of this, he proclaimed himself the new CEO until we hear from the former.""What the hell? No way!" Michael exclaimed, feeling a sudden shock at Wallas's audacity. The news immediately heightened the strain he had already been feeling throughout the day.As if synchronized, a brutal knock pounded on the door, causing both Michael and Elysia to jump. The knock sounded again, this time more forcefully, followed by a deep voice—a voice they both instantly recognized as Wallas's. "Whoever is here, open the fucking door now!" he shouted.Michael glanced at Ely

77As he entered the cozy coffee shop, his eyes immediately darted to a familiar figure sitting at a corner table. It was Robert eagerly waiting. With a smile spreading across his face, Michael approached, feeling a wave of excitement.They both exchanged a nod as Michael approached."Hey, Robert. Thanks for coming," Michael greeted, taking a seat across from him.Robert leaned in, intrigued. "So, spill the beans, Michael. What's this job opportunity you mentioned?"Michael released a playful chuckle at Robert's enthusiasm. "Well, you know how you mentioned being jobless? I might have something that could interest you."Robert's interest was instantly piqued as he leaned in even closer. "What do you mean?"A mischievous grin adorned Michael's face as he began to explain. "You used to be a banker?"Robert nodded, his eyes narrowing in confusion. "Yeah, but why do you bring that up?"Michael paused for a moment, relishing in the suspense. "Well, my friend, I have some exciting news for

79The next morning, Michael and Elysia walked into the CEO's office, only to find Robert already there, chatting happily. They exchanged greetings before Robert's expression turned serious, catching both Michael and Elysia's attention.Robert handed them a document, and Michael furrowed his brow as he took it. As he read, shock washed over his face, and Elysia couldn't help but react in the same way."What's the matter?" Elysia asked, concern lacing her voice.With a sigh, Michael turned to face Robert. "We've received a complaint from Enlighten Energy Inc. They're accusing us of defamation and spreading false rumors."Elysia gasped, realizing the gravity of the situation. "But that's not true! We would never do something like that!"Robert nodded, clearly understanding their distress. "I know, but they claim to have strong evidence. If this goes public, it could tarnish our reputation and lead to a major loss of customers."Michael considered their options, the weight of the situati