Ellis stood still, wondering what it was with the murmurs as he mentioned his age. He waited for the board members to finish their discussion. "Young man, you said you're in your early twenties?" Another board member asked."Yes, sir," Ellis answered. "Well, what help do you think you can give to the Royale company? At this age, I'm sure you can barely even make decisions for yourself as young as you are! You have no valid work experience to even speak of." A board member put in, looking around for support. "I believe that I have been able to gain Mr Cyrus's trust, and to be named his heir. He thinks that I am ready to take over from him despite my age. He has never led this company astray, so his judgement should be trusted." Ellis said calmly. "Young and bold, eh?" The chief board member asked, smiling derisively. Then he turned to Mr Cyrus. "This is exactly what I am talking about, Cyrus. This boy is too young to handle the matters of the company. Look at him trading words with

Marcus stared after him for several long moments before producing another razor-edged smile that could pass for an evil smirk. Good to have such brutal power, thought as he looked to the blade he had kept close by. A vivid crimson droplet was still beaded along its wicked edge. His smile widened as he walked over and traced the outline of the blade with one fingertip, savoring the sting as it nicked his calloused skin.And that was why Mr Clark was a big thorn in Ellis's flesh on that day. He wanted to carry out the job given to him, effectively. But Mr Clark was not the only person that Marcus had bribed. He had gone as far as bribing other board members, just in case Mr Clark changed his mind or failed to do his duty. This was business. There had to be a plan B. Marcus stared at the crimson stain blooming across the monogrammed handkerchief after a while of Mr Clark's exit. Why he was cutting himself, one could not tell. But at least it had helped him get Mr Clark to accept his br

Some of the board members still congregated to have a discussion after leaving Ellis and Mr Cyrus alone. Their small gathering was almost exploding with tension, as voices rose and fell like the tides of a turbulent sea. Mr Clark started an argument with Mr Rogers again on the basis of Ellis's age. He was angry because Mr Rogers had stood up for Ellis repeatedly."You know, Rogers, children should be allowed to be children, right? That boy only just recently came into wealth. You’re allowing Mr Royale to give him too much responsibility too fast. A leopard doesn’t change his spots at all. He was born poor. What’s stopping him from squandering all the money from the company for himself?""Just because I call him a boy, it doesn’t mean he’s a child. A boy that’s more than twenty years old is not a child, Mr Clark." Mr Rogers hissed. "And what is a twenty year old in comparison to Marcus who is more mature? Marcus has more experience in the company. He would have been a better choice th

Days later, Ellis's internship at the Royale Company kicked off. He straightened his simple button-down shirt and ran a hand through his hair as he pulled into the parking lot of the Royale Company. It was his first day working at the prestigious company and he wanted to make a good impression. Which was why he had decided to go there before Mr Cyrus, and in a small car that would not betray his status. It was not only his car that was simple. Ellis's attire was a simple one of a t-shirt, dress pants and a pair of not-so-expensive sneakers, and glasses though he didn’t need them to see. He just wore the glasses because they made him look more smart. Ellis had woken up that morning, determined to look casual because this was not one of those days when he wanted to show off. He much preferred a simple look. Classy but simple. He was going to start his training from a low position as proposed by the board members, so he saw no need to dress flashy. He wasn’t here to impress anyone with

Anne stared at her reflection in the chauffeured town car's tinted window, carefully inspecting her made-up face and perfectly coiffed blonde hair. She smoothed out an invisible wrinkle in the shimmering blue satin gown that had been tailored to her petite frame. At nineteen years old, she was already an expert at cultivating her image as the beautiful daughter of one of the state's most powerful senators. As the car rolled to a stop in front of the grand entrance to the place where the charity event took place, Anne took a deep breath. This was her first major public appearance since a scandal last year involving naked photos of her and her ex-boyfriend. Her father had been furious when the photos leaked, fearing it would derail his political ambitions. But the whole thing had eventually blown over with some intense PR cleanup. Still, Anne knew tonight she would be under scrutiny. Anyways, she let out a deep breath and was grateful that Ellis had asked her to be his date at this ev