"Look, Martha," Mr. Collins stuttered, his face pale, "This must be some sort of mistake."Mrs. Collins' face mirrored her husband's shock as she stammered, "This...this can't be right."Robert interjected smoothly, "I assure you, there's no mistake. Mr. Ventura here is indeed our CEO."Mr. Collins' face reddened, "I won't work with him. Martha, we're leaving."Mrs. Collins tugged at her husband's arm, her eyes fixed on Robert, "Charles, we're here because TecnoVen gave us the best offer. Let's not act impulsively."Mr. Collins huffed, "It's a matter of principle, Martha.""And it's a matter of business, Charles," Mrs. Collins retorted. "We need this technology, and they've got it."Defeated, Mr. Collins relented, "Fine, but we're not making any decisions without inspecting the premises."Robert nodded, "Of course, we welcome your scrutiny."As they toured TecnoVen's state-of-the-art facilities, the Collins couple couldn't hide their surprise. "These facilities are impressive," Mrs. C
The shocked receptionist stammered, "But sir, he's not who he says he is! He's just a pretender and a liar!"Billy James raised an eyebrow, his expression stern. "Is that so? And how do you know that, exactly?"The receptionist stumbled over her words, desperately trying to explain herself. "Well, he came in here claiming to be the CEO of TecnoVen, but I highly doubt it. He doesn't look the part, and I've never heard of him before."Billy James shook his head disapprovingly. "It's not your place to judge someone based on their appearance or whether you've heard of them before. As the owner of this bank, I expect my employees to treat all clients with respect and professionalism."The receptionist's face paled as she realized the severity of her mistake. "I... I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to be rude. It's just that he seemed suspicious, and I was trying to protect the bank's interests."Billy James sighed, his disappointment evident. "Protecting the bank's interests does not give you
The next evening, Michael arrived at the party feeling nervous. He wasn't used to high society events like this, and he knew that he would be surrounded by important figures and influential people. As he walked into the luxurious ballroom, he spotted Billy James across the room and hurried over to greet him."Mr. James, it's good to see you again," Michael said, extending his hand."Billy, please. And it's good to see you too, Michael," Billy replied warmly. "Let me introduce you to some of the people that are here tonight."Billy led Michael to a group of well-dressed men and women who were chatting and sipping champagne. "Michael, this is the mayor of the city, Mr. Johnson," Billy said, gesturing towards a tall man with a haughty look on his face. "And this is Mrs. Reynolds, the head of the Chamber of Commerce."Michael nodded politely and introduced himself. "It's an honor to meet you both."The mayor eyed Michael skeptically, looking him up and down with disdain. "And who might yo
A few moments later, Michael thought he had gotten rid of Maxwell, but to his surprise, Maxwell came back to him with a wicked smile and a glass of champagne in hand. "You thought you could get rid of me, Ventura? Not so fast," Maxwell sneered. Michael raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "What do you want now, Maxwell?"Maxwell took a sip of his champagne, savoring the moment. "I just wanted to remind you that you may have won this battle, but the war is far from over. You and your precious integrity won't save you forever."Michael chuckled softly, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Oh, Maxwell, you underestimate me. I don't need luck or protection. I have the truth on my side, and that's more powerful than anything you can throw at me."Maxwell's face flushed with anger. "You're delusional, Ventura. You think you're so righteous, but you're just a common person. Nothing special."Michael crossed his arms, a smirk playing on his lips. "Maxwell, you can try to belittle me all you want,
140Billy James, stood at the center of the room, attracting the attention of everyone present. He cleared his throat and addressed the crowd, his voice commanding the attention of all."Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have your attention please," Billy James announced. "I have some exciting news to share with you all today." All eyes fell upon the portly banker as he continued. "After many fruitful years with Unity Bank, I am proud to bring my business to a new partner - TecnoVen, the esteemed firm founded by my good friend Michael Ventura!"The room buzzed with anticipation as all eyes turned to Michael, who was taken aback by the sudden announcement. Michael's eyebrows rose in surprise at this declaration, but he schooled his features and gave a polite nod as Billy beckoned him over. Billy James discreetly pinched his arm as he approached, he whispered hastily, "Play along, my boy, a little publicity can't hurt!" Louder, he said "Michael, I trust you will serve my clients with utm
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