41The next day came, and Allvar sat in the conference room with the Henley team. As expected, it was a disaster. Every proposal he put forward was met with cold rejection, their questions coming at him like bullets. The tension grew unbearable, thick in the air."Is this the best you’ve got?" Mr. Henley sneered, his fingers drumming on the table as he flipped through the proposal. His face twisted in obvious disdain. "I expected more from Waterfall Corporation. Or maybe Marcus was carrying this company on his back.”Allvar’s jaw clenched. He could feel the heat rising to his face, but he kept his voice steady, determined not to let them see they were getting to him. "This is just a preliminary offer, Mr. Henley. We can discuss adjustments to meet your expectations."Henley leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. The smug smile never left his face. "Adjustments? No, we’re talking about a complete overhaul, Mr. Falck. You clearly don’t understand our business. Or maybe… you just d

43The butler remained silent for a moment, watching his employer carefully. "And if he 'is' ready? If he succeeds in spite of everything?"Leonard's eyes darkened as he stared past Lorentz, his mind clearly elsewhere. "Then we’ll have our answer." He paused, his tone softening slightly, though the edge remained. "He’ll have earned his place by fire, and no one—not the board, not his so-called colleagues—will question his right to lead."Lorentz shifted on his feet, his hands clasped behind his back. "And you, sir? Will you... be proud of him?"Leonard's jaw tightened, the question hanging heavy in the air. He turned his back to Lorentz, walking toward the window, the weight of the world seemingly pressing down on his broad shoulders. "I’ve never given my son anything, Lorentz. Not without him earning it. If he survives this, if he proves himself worthy... then maybe."The silence stretched between them, the air thick with unspoken tension. Lorentz cleared his throat, his voice barel

45Serena’s hands trembled, her fury barely contained. “I swear, if you don’t take that post down—”“You’ll what?” Allvar interrupted, his voice dripping with mockery. “Threaten me some more? Go on, I’m all ears. But let me tell you something, Serena—nothing you say or do will change anything. You’re done. Face it.”Serena’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I’m not threatening you,” she hissed, her voice low and dangerous now. “I’m 'promising' you. You haven’t seen the last of me, Allvar. I’ll make sure you regret ever messing with me.”“Promising me, huh?” Allvar cocked his head, amusement glinting in his eyes. “And what exactly are you promising, Serena? That you’ll stomp your feet and throw a tantrum? Real terrifying.”Serena stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. “You think this is a joke? You think I’m just going to sit back while you destroy everything I’ve worked for? You’ve got no idea who you’re messing with.”Allvar raised an eyebrow, leaning back against the wall with a satisfi

47Serena’s heart skipped a beat at the confidence in his voice, but she waved it off, certain he was bluffing. “Good,” she said, a triumphant smile on her lips. “Now show me.”Without a word, Allvar reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek black card, handing it to her.Serena grabbed it and squinted at the embossed letters. Her eyes widened as she read the name and title: ''Allvar Falck, Head of International Expansion, Waterfall Corporation''.She blinked, reading it again. "No way," she muttered under her breath, her mind reeling from shock. Allvar just stood there, watching her with that maddening grin, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Told you,” he said, his voice light and smug.Serena’s mouth opened, but no words came out at first. She snapped her gaze back to the card, then up to him. “You… you actually work there?” she asked, incredulity dripping from her voice.“Yup.” Allvar leaned back against his car, arms folded, looking completely at ease, as though this was n

49Derek stood frozen, the phone slipping slightly in his grip as his mind tried to process Serena's words. How? How did this happen? His stomach twisted in disbelief. Allvar Falck—'that' poor excuse for a man—was now the head of international expansion at Waterfall Corporation? He had paid off everyone necessary to ensure Allvar would never land a job again, especially not with a company as prominent as Waterfall. 'Marcus Vale', Derek thought bitterly. 'That bastard was supposed to take care of this.'Fury bubbled to the surface, hot and uncontrollable. His face flushed as his thoughts spiraled, and without hesitation, Derek furiously jabbed at his phone, dialing Marcus’s number.The phone barely rang once before Marcus answered, his voice dripping with contempt. “Derek Hawthorne. What the hell do you want?”“You want to tell me why the fuck Allvar is working at Waterfall?!" Derek spat, pacing back and forth, his hand clenched tightly around the phone. “I paid you to make sure th