65"You think I can handle this responsibility, Dad?" Michael asked, trying to keep his voice steady.Edward nodded, a hint of pride glimmering in his eyes. "I have complete faith in you, Michael. You've already proven yourself capable, and I believe this opportunity will be the perfect platform for you to showcase your talents."As they spoke, the atmosphere around them became charged with anticipation. It was as if the restaurant itself had caught wind of their conversation and held its breath in suspense. Just as the weight of the moment threatened to suffocate them, the waiter approached with their order, momentarily breaking the tension.The waiter placed their plates in front of them with a polite smile and excused himself, leaving father and son alone once again. Michael's mind was still reeling from his father's proposition, but he knew he had to gather his thoughts. He picked up his fork, ready to indulge in a distraction."But, Dad," Michael began hesitantly, trying to find
66Once they were inside the elevator, the assistant turned to Michael and sighed, "I'm really sorry about that, Michael. Our receptionist can be quite rude sometimes. My name is Elysia Beaumont, by the way."Michael couldn't help but feel relieved by Emily's apology. "No worries, Elysia. It's nice to meet you. Can you give me a quick debriefing about what's been going on here?"Emily hesitated for a moment, analyzing Michael's expression before speaking. "Well, the truth is, our company is in a dire situation. The previous CEO was secretly fired yesterday morning, and he was hoping to reintegrate the company, but that's being kept under wraps. Mr. Ventura wants to ensure a smooth handover and an effective turnaround."Michael raised an eyebrow, leaning in closer to Elysia. "Interesting. Why was the CEO fired? And how do you know all this?"Elysia took a deep breath, steadying herself. "The former CEO, Mr. Walker, was guilty of embezzlement and depravation. He had been misusing compan
67Wallas's gaze was filled with contempt as he locked eyes with Michael. "You've come back to see the CEO, haven't you?" he spat out in a disdainful tone.Caught off guard by Wallas's sharp attitude, Michael hesitated for a moment before nodding hesitantly. "Yes, I have. Is there something wrong?"A sly smile crept onto Wallas's face as he crossed his arms. "Well, lucky for you, I've also been trying to reach the CEO for the past two days, to no avail. I guess today is my chance to finally have a word with him."Michael felt embarrassment wash over him, realizing he would now have an unexpected companion on his trip to the CEO's office. Nervously, he managed to mutter, "I don't think you can come with me."Wallas let out a boisterous laugh, clearly enjoying Michael's discomfort. "Oh, don't worry," he said, a mischievous spark in his eyes. "I'll be right behind you, every step of the way."Panic gripped Michael as he contemplated how to handle this unforeseen situation. Reluctantly, he
68Michael's eyebrows shot up, clearly taken aback by her response. "Wait, you're the CEO's girlfriend, and your only responsibility is to file your nails?" he asked incredulously.She chuckled, a playful glimmer in her eyes. "Oh, honey, you think being the CEO's girlfriend would be easy? It's a full-time job, just in a slightly unconventional way," she retorted, " among others, my role is to file my nails, sip on coffee, and look pretty. It's tough work, you know."As Michael's confusion grew, he couldn't help but feel a mix of surprise and amusement at this unexpected revelation. It seemed that this office held a few more surprises than he had initially anticipated.Amidst the flurry of conversations, questionable rules, and peculiar roles, he was left dumbfounded.Michael felt a wave of anger flare up inside him, but he managed to hide it behind a calm façade. Curiosity gnawed at him, and he couldn't resist asking, "How can you say that so easily?"She flashed him a sly smile, clear
69Michael took a deep breath, attempting to tame his frustration. He approached the manager with a calm demeanor and explained, "I've been sent here for an online marketing campaign. My feet are killing me from standing, so may I please have a seat?"The manager simply nodded in response, his expression curious. "And which company are you representing?" he asked.Michael replied confidently, "Goldrex Corporation."The manager's eyes widened, a hint of disbelief evident on his face. "You're the one that such a great company sent to explain the terms of a digital campaign?" he asked in astonishment.Rolling his eyes, Michael retorted, "Is that causing a problem for you?"Shaking his head, the manager sighed and casually crossed and uncrossed his feet, still propped up on the table. He leaned back in his chair and inquired, "So, what is the duration and terms of this campaign?"Without much thought, Michael responded with a smirk, "One week."The manager burst into laughter, unable to c
70Curiosity piqued, Michael asked the manager why they were working at night. He sighed, a weariness evident in his voice."Well, since I have nothing left to lose, I guess I can explain," he began and motioned for Michael to take a seat. "I know it's not ideal, but desperate times call for desperate measures," he said wearily.Michael leaned forward and asked again. "Why are we working at night? What's going on?"The manager hesitated for a moment before deciding to open up. "The company is on the brink of bankruptcy," he confessed. "It's all due to the mismanagement of funds and foolish decisions made by our CEO, Mr. Walker."Eyes widening, Michael couldn't help but ask, "How did it get this bad?"The manager sighed again, the weight of the situation evident in his voice. "Mr. Walker's decisions undermined customer confidence, causing many to leave. As the marketing manager, I tried to warn him countless times about the risks, but instead of listening, he threatened me and even forc
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
72"I have work to do, Wallas. I don't have time for this."A smug smile tugged at the corners of Wallas' lips. "Oh, so you think you're too important to answer a simple question? Well, I can assure you, Michael, no one is indispensable here."Michael's annoyance bubbled to the surface. He couldn't stand Wallas with his pompous attitude, always acting as if he held all the power in the company. Taking a deep breath, he mustered up the will to respond, though there was a hint of frustration in his voice."I have no obligation to answer your question, Wallas. My business is my own." He attempted to sidestep Wallas and resume his stride down the corridor.But Wallas was having none of it. He grabbed Michael's arm, pulling him back forcefully. "You dare to defy me? I have the authority to fire you on the spot!"Michael's eyes narrowed with irritation. He was tired of Wallas' constant power play, and he wasn't about to let him insulted him. With a calm but determined voice, he spoke. "Go