RISE OF OLIVER WILSON

Chapter 06

By the time Oliver arrived at his workplace, he was stunned to see a police van parked in front of the store building. Confusion gripped him as he wondered why officers were present.

The moment he stepped inside, his boss, Mr. Grant, signaled the officers, who immediately rushed toward Oliver and grabbed him.

“What’s going on? Why are you cuffing me? What have I done?” Oliver demanded, his voice thick with disbelief.

The officers ignored his questions, focusing instead on securing the cuffs tightly around his wrists.

Just as he was about to demand an explanation, Mr. Grant marched up to him, his expression a blend of anger and accusation.

“The audacity to act clueless!” Grant spat. “My office safe is empty, and the evidence points straight to you! You showed up at this company begging for a job without any qualifications, and I gave you a chance out of kindness. And how do you repay me? By stealing my money!”

“Money? I don’t know anything about your missing money,” Oliver responded, trying to stay calm. “I’m a cleaner here. I don’t even go near your office, let alone your safe!”

Grant narrowed his eyes. “And yet you were the last one seen in the building last night! CCTV footage shows you entering the premises after hours. Care to explain that?”

“I needed a place to sleep. I had nowhere else to go that night,” Oliver replied firmly. “Does your footage show me entering your office or taking anything out of it?”

“You can stop lying!” Grant snapped, his voice rising. “I’ve seen enough to know you’re guilty!”

“I’m not lying! I stayed in the storage room the whole time,” Oliver insisted, his frustration boiling over.

But Grant refused to listen. Turning to the officers, he barked, “Take him away and make sure he confesses! Do whatever it takes to get the truth out of him!”

As the officers dragged him outside, a small crowd of onlookers gathered, whispering and snapping pictures of the scene.

Shoved into the back of the police car, Oliver could hardly believe how quickly his life had spiraled. In less than two days, his world had turned upside down—first, his wife’s family served him divorce papers, then he discovered Emma cheating on him with Paulo, and now he was being arrested for a crime he didn’t commit.

The thought of Paulo crossed his mind, and suspicion flared. Could Paulo have had something to do with framing him? It wouldn’t be beyond a man like him to stoop so low for revenge.

Back at the office, Grant returned to his guest, who was waiting in his private office.

“How did it go?” the visitor asked with a sly grin.

“For now, he’s on his way to the station. Once the officers put enough pressure on him, he’ll admit to the crime, whether he did it or not. Then we’ll demand he pay back the ‘stolen’ money or rot in jail,” Grant replied smugly.

The man chuckled. “Excellent. If this works out as planned, I’ll triple your payment. And who knows? Maybe we’ll even consider investing in your struggling business.”

Grant’s eyes lit up at the mention of an investment. His company had been drowning in financial trouble, with investors pulling out one after another. An offer from the influential Cono Group would not only save his business but also attract other investors.

“Thank you, sir. I promise you won’t regret this,” Grant said eagerly. “Oliver Wilson will pay dearly for crossing you.”

“He better,” the man replied coldly, a smug smile playing on his lips.

***

Meanwhile, Emma arrived at her company, her mood somber after Oliver’s recent refusal to accept the money from her. As she walked through the office, she noticed the strange tension among the hotel staff. They stole cautious glances at her but quickly pretended to be busy whenever she looked their way.

Shrugging off the odd behavior, Emma made her way to her office and prepared to resume her duties as manager. However, her focus was interrupted by a commotion outside.

“Oh my goodness! Have you seen the news?” a loud voice exclaimed.

Emma strained to listen.

“Her husband was arrested this morning! Can you believe it?”

Her heart sank. She had a feeling they were talking about Oliver.

“Poor guy! First, his wife cheats on him, and now this. I heard she’s planning to marry Paulo, the CEO.”

“And rumor has it she only got those promotions because of him. Desperate woman.”

Emma’s face turned pale as the words sank in. Fumbling for her phone, she checked the news. Her breath hitched as she saw Oliver in handcuffs, accused of stealing money from his employer.

She shook her head in disbelief. Oliver would never steal; she knew that in her heart. If anything, this had to be a setup.

Her thoughts darted to Paulo. Could he have had a hand in this? She dismissed the idea for now—she needed proof before jumping to conclusions.

Desperate to help, she tried calling Paulo, but her calls went straight to voicemail. Frustrated, she gave up.

Her phone rang suddenly, and she snatched it up, hoping it was Paulo. Instead, the number belonged to Mr. Albert, the head of the board in Cono Group.

“Hello, sir,” she answered.

“Good morning, Emma. I’ll get straight to the point. I need you to gather the employees to welcome the new CEO of Cono Group,” Albert said bluntly.

“What? A new CEO? Why?” she stammered.

“Some anonymous person has bought the hotel. The entire management structure will change. From now on, the company belongs to them,” Albert explained.

Emma was stunned. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. It’s a done deal. Now, make sure everyone is on their best behavior. Any slip-ups, and they’re on their own,” Albert added before hanging up.

Emma sat in shock. First Oliver’s arrest, now this sudden takeover of the hotel by some unknown individual? Her gut told her the new management would bring drastic changes—and not for the better.