141The next morning, as Billy James and Michael made headlines in a prominent business magazine, Michael's father, Edward Ventura, came across the article. Filled with pride for his son's meteoric progress, he immediately picked up the phone and dialed Michael's number."Michael, my boy, I just read the news! Congratulations on your remarkable achievements," Edward exclaimed with excitement.Michael, surprised by his father's call, responded, "Thank you, Dad. It's been an unexpected turn of events."Edward's voice brimmed with pride. "I always knew you had potential, Michael. Your success with TecnoVen is impressive. In fact, I've been thinking, why not join my company and manage the entire conglomerate? With your talent and drive, you could make a significant impact."Michael paused, contemplating his father's offer. "I appreciate your confidence in me, Dad. But I think I still need some time to further develop my skills and establish TecnoVen. I want to prove myself on my own."Edw
142Once inside Emily's room, Michael couldn't hide his displeasure. He turned to his sister with a stern expression. "Emily, why did you lie about a planned movie outing between us?"Emily looked taken aback by Michael's reaction. "I... I thought it would please you, Michael. You've been working so hard lately, and I wanted to do something nice for you."Michael sighed, trying to calm himself. "I appreciate your intentions, Emily, but you should have consulted me first. I would have preferred if you had been honest with me."Emily lowered her head, a hint of guilt in her voice. "I'm sorry, Michael. I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted to surprise you and make you happy."Michael softened his tone, realizing his sister's good intentions. "I know, Emily, and I appreciate your thoughtfulness. But honesty is important to me. We should always communicate openly with each other."Emily nodded, a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. "You're right, Michael. I should have talked to you
143:At the end of the film, when Michael and Olivia exited the movie theater, they stopped to discuss their thoughts on the movie. As they talked, Michael couldn't help but notice how the glow of the theater lights highlighted Olivia's beautiful features. On a burst of courage, he leaned in and kissed her softly. Olivia smiled against his lips and kissed him back. Their moment was interrupted by Michael's phone ringing. He sighed and answered it to find Robert on the other line. "Michael, I have excellent news! I just received word that we've won the contract to manufacture electronic voting equipment for next year's municipal elections.""That's incredible, Robert!" Michael replied. "This could be a huge opportunity for our company. How did this come about?""It seems the city procurement team was impressed by our previous work and think our electronic systems could streamline the voting process. We should celebrate tonight - drinks are on me!" Michael agreed and said his goodbye
144Michael raised an eyebrow, surprised by the timing of the mayor's visit."The mayor? That's unexpected. Did he mention why he wants to meet?"Robert shrugged."He didn't say, but I'm sure it has something to do with the contract on the election machines. It's quite a coincidence."Michael nodded, deep in thought."Indeed. Well, let's not keep him waiting. I agreed to receive him, after all."Michael agreed to meet with the mayor that afternoon. He was curious what the sudden visit was about but remained cautious. When the mayor arrived at TecnoVen headquarters, it was clear he expected to be treated like an important guest. He strode into Michael's office flanked by two large security guards, dismissing them with a wave. "Mr. Mayor, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Michael asked politely as he and Robert sat down opposite the mayor. The mayor smiled thinly. "I just wanted to congratulate you personally on winning the municipal contract. A big deal for a small startup like yours.
They parked in front of a quaint restaurant, the atmosphere light as Michael and Olivia stepped out of the car."This place has great reviews. I hope you like it," Michael remarked, holding the door for Olivia."I'm sure I will. And thank you for tonight, Michael. It means a lot," Olivia responded with a warm smile.As they strolled towards the restaurant's entrance, a sudden rush of wind and the roar of an engine caught their attention. A car sped towards them, narrowly missing Olivia.Steadying Olivia, Michael's brow furrowed as they both recognized Maxwell's distinctive car."What the... that was close!" Olivia exclaimed.Michael, concern etched on his face, asked, "Did you see who was driving that car?""No, it happened so fast. Are you okay?" Olivia replied."Yeah, just shaken. But that looked like Maxwell's car. Strange, though, I thought I saw Wallas driving," Michael mused, his eyes narrowing.Shaking off the shock, they entered the restaurant, attempting to regain their compo
Michael, thrown off guard, questioned, "An incident? What are you talking about?"Officer Anderson explained there were reports of suspicious activities, and Michael's name had come up. They needed his statement to clear things up. The officer requested his presence at the station within the next hour."I wasn't involved in any incident. I was there for a tech business forum, or at least that's what I thought it was," Michael protested, his puzzlement growing."We'll discuss the details when you come in. It's important that we get your statement. Can you make it within the next hour?" Officer Anderson pressed.Reluctantly, Michael agreed, deciding to rearrange his schedule and make his way to the police station.As he hung up, a sense of unease settled over him. The situation seemed increasingly perplexing.Michael rushed out of his apartment, frantically dialing his lawyer's number. "Paul, it's Michael. Something bizarre happened at that tech business forum. I need your help."Paul G
147Early in the morning, the doorbell rang, and Michael, startled, opened the door to find Olivia."Hey," Michael said, a mix of relief and surprise in his voice. Olivia greeted him with a tight hug and a reassuring kiss.Olivia, her eyes filled with concern, spoke, "I heard about the accusations, Mike. Are you okay?"Michael, appreciating her presence, replied, "It's a mess, Liv. Let's talk inside."As they entered, Emily, Michael's sister, caught wind of Olivia's arrival and descended the stairs to join them. "Olivia, thank goodness you're here. Did you hear what they're saying about Michael?"Olivia, embracing Emily in a hug, responded, "Yeah, it's all over the news. I don't believe it for a second, though."Michael, grateful for Olivia's support, added, "I've got too many enemies, Liv. It might be better if we don't see each other for a while."Olivia, defiant, shook her head. "No way, Michael. I'm not leaving your side. We'll face this together.""Thank you, Liv. I really apprec
148Later, Michael's lawyer, Paul Griffin, called him to deliver the trial date."Michael, the trial date is set. Be prepared for a tough battle," Paul said, concern evident in his tone.Michael, clenching his jaw, replied, "Let them bring it on. I won't let false accusations ruin me."Meanwhile, rumors circulated that the police possessed a compromising video related to the case. Frustration boiled within Michael as he confronted the possibility of further damage to his reputation."Are they bluffing, Paul? I can't endure more false allegations," Michael exclaimed, frustration evident in his tone.Paul, trying to reassure him, responded, "We'll get to the bottom of this, Michael. Focus on the trial, and we'll handle the rest."Michael, frustrated, responded, "This is a mess, Paul. And the police claim to have a compromising video. It's absurd."In the midst of anger and anxiety, Michael waited for the trial date. Unfortunately, the damage had already taken its toll as several compani