Chapter 7: Three Stages

"Was I truly so naïve in those days? Even now, I struggle to comprehend how I could have once loved Camille. Perhaps I was deluded," Damian mused, his thoughts drifting back to a time of lost innocence.

In the beginning, Damian's suspicions festered, convinced Camille was unfaithful due to his shortcomings as a man and husband. However, as the truth unfolded, it became painfully clear that Camille had never harbored genuine feelings for Damian. She had played with his emotions from the very start.

Since their divorce, Damian's life had revolved around the confines of the opulent mansion, dedicated to immersing himself in the study of the company. WW Technology, a colossal enterprise valued at a staggering 100 billion dollars, demanded his utmost attention and caution as he prepared to face the challenges that lay before him.

A soft knock echoed through Damian's workroom, followed by the graceful entrance of Atlantis. With a proud gleam, Atlantis beheld the documents spread before Damian, a testament to his unwavering dedication.

"Once you have finished your preparations, do inform me. I must tend to my remaining duties before relinquishing my position to you. Are you truly ready for the responsibility of CEO?" Atlantis inquired, his voice a mix of curiosity and expectation.

Setting his glasses delicately on the table, Damian replied with conviction, "If you have been able to accomplish this feat, then surely I deserve the CEO position as well."

Atlantis nodded, his agreement implicit in the motion of his head. "Very well. With my retirement as CEO, I shall finally be free to embark on a well-deserved vacation. I shall remain a major shareholder in the company."

A flicker of surprise danced across Damian's features, his eyes widening in response. He had assumed that Atlantis would entrust him with everything. "You mean you won't be handing over your shares to me?"

Curiosity laced Atlantis' chuckle as he indulged in Damian's astonishment. "What gives you the notion that I would willingly relinquish my shares? Your inheritance is contingent upon your performance as CEO. The shares shall be granted to you in three separate installments."

"Three installments?" Damian pondered, his brows furrowing in confusion. The concept eluded his grasp.

Seizing a can of soda, Atlantis settled onto the nearby sofa before explaining, "To start, I shall bestow upon you twenty percent of the shares upon your marriage."

Unfazed by the unexpected condition, Damian retorted, "But I have only just divorced. Is it essential for me to embark on another marriage?"

Atlantis waved away Damian's concerns, dismissing them with a casual flick. "It’s time to put the past behind you. I never approved of your former marriage in the first place. I am relieved to see you free from the clutches of a woman such as Camille."

Taking a seat beside Atlantis on the sofa, Damian pressed further. "Why did you never approve of her? Is there something I am unaware of?"

A ghostly somberness shrouded Atlantis' gaze as he recalled a painful memory. "On the eve of and the day following your wedding, I witnessed Camille in an intimate hug with another man in the lounge. I had been there to meet with my colleagues but lacked the heart to reveal the truth to you. I knew you would not believe me."

The evidence of Camille's infidelity, once presented by Davina, surged back into Damian's consciousness. It appeared that each photograph recounted a tale of truth. At that moment, Damian recognized Davina's immense role in aiding him, unraveling the knots of deception that had bound him.

But Damian understood that nothing came without a price. He couldn't remember crossing paths with Davina during their school years or any previous connection they might have shared. Their paths had never intertwined as coworkers or friends.

As Damian mulled over the enigma of Davina's intentions, Atlantis interrupted his reverie. "It seems my words are greeted with skepticism," Atlantis remarked, noting Damian's distant expression.

"I trust you, Dad," Damian assured him, his response swift and unwavering.

Astonishment flickered across Atlantis' eyes in response. "You do?" he exclaimed, clearly taken aback by his son's unwavering faith.

"Indeed, I do," Damian reaffirmed, determination coloring his tone.

"It seems my son has finally come into his own. I must say, I am immensely proud of your newfound ability to navigate life's challenges," Atlantis remarked, his voice filled with contentment and joy. A serene smile graced his lips, projecting his paternal pride onto the world.

Damian raised an eyebrow, his expression reflecting a mixture of surprise and intrigue. " I have grown into an adult capable of handling my affairs. So, what does the second stage entail?"

Atlantis chuckled softly before diving back into the discussion. "Ah, my dear boy, I haven't finished explaining the first stage yet. You must find yourself the best possible partner and marry her. You can proceed with your chosen mate only if I approve."

Perplexed, Damian struggled to comprehend the complexities of the first condition. "That seems rather arbitrary, Dad. Let us move on, then. What awaits me in the second stage?"

"Ah, the second stage demands that you emerge victorious as the prestigious annual Best CEO award recipient. Accomplish this feat, and an additional twenty percent stake shall be bestowed upon you," Atlantis unveiled, his tone laced with a gentle conviction.

Assured of his ability to meet the second condition, Damian nodded in agreement. "I am confident in my prospects for success in the second stage. Now, please enlighten me about the final stage."

"The final step entails having children. Upon the arrival of your offspring, I shall transfer all of my shares to you. I do not impose any preference for the gender of your child. Subsequently, you shall assume the role of the primary shareholder." The last requirement mentioned by Atlantis appeared to perplex Damian. However, before Damian could respond, a knock resonated at the door.

Nick, ever dutiful, presented Damian with the flash disk containing the company's financial data from the past five years. Grateful for his efficiency, Damian accepted the device with a nod of appreciation. Meanwhile, Atlantis, sensing his imminent departure, rose from his seat, ready to exit the study. "Inform me once you have settled on a date for your public introduction," he requested, his eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.

Unyielding in his resolve, Damian was prepared to emerge from the shadows, revealing his true self to the world. Above all, he longed for Camille and Marcel to witness his transformation. Catching Atlantis' attention, he declared, "I have already chosen a date. The company's birthday seems like the perfect occasion for me to assume the CEO role. The festive atmosphere, with all the employees, gathered to celebrate, will serve as an ideal backdrop for my grand revelation."

A fleeting glance was exchanged between Atlantis and Nick, each recognizing the wisdom in Damian's decision. In silent agreement, they acknowledged the appropriateness of his chosen course of action.

As Atlantis and Nick departed, leaving Damian alone in the office, the young man intensely scrutinized the company's financial budget documents. A mixture of frustration and mistrust filled his voice as he remarked, "The budget of the technology company is in complete disarray. Countless formulae and calculations fail to reconcile, an abundance of unpaid bills, and multiple forged signatures endorsing fraudulent checks with no trace of where the funds have vanished."

A sarcastic laugh escaped Damian's lips as he wrapped up his examination of the financial data. The chaos within WW Technology had become painfully apparent. Regret washed over him, and he regretted appointing Camille as the finance manager. "How could a finance director let things deteriorate to such an extent?" he wondered aloud, a tinge of disappointment seeping into his voice.

Examining the employee documents meticulously, Damian's eyes fixated on Marcel's credentials as the finance director. A flicker of recognition crossed his mind, prompting a furrowed brow.

"Marcel? Why does that name sound so familiar?" he questioned himself, his gaze lingering on Marcel's formal photograph. Suddenly, realization struck Damian like a bolt of lightning, his eyes widening in astonishment. Marcel was none other than Camille's illicit lover, Davina Claire's fiancé.

Wanting to confirm his suspicions, Damian dialed Davina's phone number repeatedly. Each call met with unanswered silence. "It's after working hours. Davina should be available to answer," he muttered.

Carrying his laptop, Damian exited the office and approached Atlantis, who sat alongside Nick in the courtyard, enjoying coffee. "Dad, Nick, you need to see this," he eagerly announced, presenting the laptop screen to them. With a sense of urgency, he relayed his recent discovery.

"There is a significant and unnatural discrepancy in the financial results over the past three years compared to five years ago. Although my investigation is still preliminary, it is clear that the company's expenditure has become increasingly irregular."

After examining the financial statements, Damian hoped Atlantis and Nick would reach the same conclusion. To his relief, Nick concurred, "You're right. Substantial amounts of the company's funds have undoubtedly been misappropriated."

"We should immediately summon an audit team," suggested Atlantis.

"Every year, I have enlisted an audit team to thoroughly review my entire company," Atlantis continued, sipping her coffee with a surprising calmness despite the revelation of corruption within one of her enterprises.

"Every year?" Damian queried, ensuring he had heard correctly.

"Yes, every year," Atlantis confirmed.

Frustrated by the possibility of the audit team's involvement in the corruption, Damian stated, "I will call a new audit team. It appears someone has bribed the previous team to facilitate the corruption. It is baffling that they failed to detect these irregularities, but I easily uncovered them."

Atlantis inquired, "Have you discovered any clues pointing to the mastermind behind this corruption?"

"My primary suspicion falls on our finance director, Marcel. However, I require additional evidence as multiple individuals appear to be involved in this misappropriation of funds," Damian explained.

As Damian contemplated the situation, his phone buzzed, displaying an unknown number. Wondering if Davina had changed her number, Damian answered the call.

"Hello, Damian?" came Davina's weakened voice from the other end.

Without hesitation, Damian addressed the burning question, "I wanted to ask you, is Marcel the finance director of WW Technology?"

Davina's response confirmed his suspicions. "Yes, that is his position," she admitted, her voice laced with uncertainty.

Momentarily setting aside his phone, Damian turned to Nick and Atlantis. "I am certain he is the culprit. He has left a trail of evidence," Damian declared, his voice filled with determination.

Offering his support, Nick affirmed, "Then I will swiftly schedule the arrival of the new audit team and prepare the necessary charges."

Contemplating their next move, Damian smiled mischievously at Nick and Atlantis. "Let us not hurry to conclude this matter. First, we must ensure that no one else knows this discovery."

Perplexed, Atlantis questioned Damian's motives, suspicion evident in her voice. "Why?"

"Capturing Marcel alone would be too mundane, not exciting enough," Damian explained with a meaningful grin. Atlantis and Nick glimpsed a different side of Damian's personality for the first time, leaving them both intrigued and wary.

"Nick, please pass along the message to the kitchen staff that dinner tonight should be wrapped up," Damian instructed, his voice tinged with determination.

Turning his attention to his father, he continued, "Dad, I won't be joining you for dinner. I have other plans and will be dining with someone else."

Leaving Nick and Atlantis bewildered and needing further explanation, Damian refocused on the call with Davina. "Davina, where are you? Could you share your location with me? I'll come right to you. Let’s embark on an enjoyable endeavor."