"But what if they start picking everything apart?" Ellis asked, voicing one of his biggest fears. "What if they think I'm not good enough?"He just wanted to get all of his apprehension out now so later, he would be more emotionally stable for the task ahead of him.Amira fixed him with a steely gaze. "Not good enough? What is that? If they say that you are not good enough, then you stand your ground as the heir of the Royale family. You don't back down or let them intimidate you. Don’t make my father regret choosing you, Ellis. I don’t like what he did by making a stranger a part of this family, but I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. Do not disappoint me."Ellis nodded, feeling a bit strengthened by her words. Amira was right — there was nothing like not being good enough. He was good enough. Mr Cyrus stood, smoothing out the creases in his suit. "Ellis, you're the future of this company. It is time for you to step up and take your rightful place at the helm. As you ca
"Esteemed members of the board," Mr Cyrus boomed, his voice carrying effortlessly through the hushed mini auditorium. "Thank you all for being here on this momentous occasion."He paused, sweeping his gaze over the assembled crowd, his eyes lingering momentarily on Ellis, who was still seated, watching with a mixture of pride and apprehension."For decades, I have poured my blood, sweat, and tears into building the Royale company from the ground up," Mr Cyrus continued. "I've weathered storms, seized opportunities, and forged ahead with an unwavering vision for success."A murmur of appreciation rippled through the crowd, as those who had been there from the beginning nodded in recognition of the sacrifices and triumphs that had shaped the company's history."But no empire can last forever without a succession plan," Mr. Cyrus declared, his voice taking on a solemn tone. "And today, I stand before you to introduce the person who will carry our family's legacy into the future — my son,
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
Mr Clark's attitude towards Ellis was only a result of what had transpired between him and Marcus. Marcus had gone and bribed the old man into doing his bidding on the day before Ellis would be introduced to the board of directors as the heir to the Royale company.***The blade of the letter opener glinted in the morning sunlight filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the corner office. Marcus ran his fingertip along the razor-sharp edge, drawing a thin line of blood that beaded on his skin. A cruel smile played across his lips as he set the letter opener down on the polished mahogany desk.This was his version of a friendly reminder — one he often employed when dealing with those who needed a gentle nudge in the right direction. The metallic tang of blood hung in the air, mingling with the rich aroma of Cuban cigars and whiskey that perpetually clung to the newly acquired luxurious office. Yes, Marcus had rented out an office for his ordeals. The abandoned building had
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
At the end of the day, no matter how Mr Clark and some of the other persons that Marcus had bribed tried to discredit him, Ellis was able to prevail.“Clark, we know you have your doubts about the boy’s capability to take over from his father, but we’ll never know if he can truly deliver until we give him a chance to prove himself. Don’t be so harsh on him, you’re more reasonable than that. We just have to have faith that Mr Cyrus made the right choice. I do agree with you that the responsibility of a company as big as this seems like too much for a young man, but most of us here started out like Ellis too. I wasn’t much older than the boy when I first started handling my father’s company. My oldest daughter who is currently running my company now, was just twenty four when I handed the company over to her.” Mr Rogers paused to let his point sink into their minds.He had been the one rooting for Ellis from the very beginning. Everytime Clark or anyone else tried to back Ellis into a c
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
Marcus stared at his phone in disbelief after ending the call with Mr Clark. How could his father have endorsed Ellis even after he had made sure that his opponents were more than enough to get him out of that place? What even was so special about Ellis? Nothing Marcus ever did worked against him. Mauve because Ellis had their father’s support, but could he possibly try to take his father out of the picture? He didn’t want his father to die, but what other solution could there possibly be? He paced around his office, his thoughts racing. He had to think of another plan. He was genuinely tired of making up these plans that just failed, if he was being honest with himself. But what good would it be if he gave up at this point? Giving up meant leaving Ellis to take over the whole company and Marcus refused to accept that. He was the first son, the empire was his by birthright. As Marcus stewed in despair and indignation, there was a soft rap at the study door. "Come in," he barked au