The Rightful Successor

Chapter 8

The following day, Alex and Martins arrived at the company in a sleek, dark BMW. As they parked the car, Alex couldn't help but feel a rush of nostalgia as he gazed at the impressive and modern architecture of the building. Memories of his time spent here with his father and Sir Martins flooded his mind, and even after fifteen years, he still admired the luxurious and sophisticated atmosphere.

"You still remember what the company looks like," Martins remarked, impressed.

"Just a little," Alex replied, clapping his hands together and feeling slightly out of place in his casual attire. Despite Martins arranging a fitted tuxedo for him, he insisted on wearing his own clothes.

"Are you sure about this?" Martins questioned, gesturing towards Alex's choice of clothing. "We can do this another time, you know." Just then, one of the security guards opened the car door, and both Alex and Martins stepped out.

"Yes, I prefer it this way for a fresh start," Alex affirmed, determined to wear casual clothes on his first day. He noticed the disapproving glances from the guards, but he paid them no mind.

Martins looked at him with amusement and motioned for them to enter together. "Shall we?"

Alex, still taking in the grandeur of the building, suggested that Martins go ahead and he would follow along.

"Really?" Martins asked, smiling to himself before nodding and heading inside.

"Can I borrow your phone? I need to call my... umm... wife," Alex stammered, feeling anxious since the previous night. He had lost his phone during the kidnapping, and he suspected that Brock's men had taken it. Brielle had given him the phone as a Valentine's gift last year. Despite her tough exterior, he knew she loved him deeply and just wanted more from their relationship. He was determined to earn her admiration.

"Yeah, whatever..." Martins muttered as he walked away, though it seemed like he had more to say but decided against it. Alex let out a sigh of relief and quickly entered Brielle's number, dialing it without hesitation. It rang, but she didn't answer, so he tried again only to be sent straight to voicemail.

He remembered that his wife never answered calls from unknown numbers, so he made a split-second decision to send her a text message instead. After hastily typing the message, he sighed and double-checked for any mistakes, trying to stay calm for a few minutes. Just as he was engrossed in his phone, a familiar voice startled him.

"We have to finalize the deal today; I heard there's a meeting..." Sophie's voice trailed off in shock as she looked at the person standing before her with disgust.

"What the hell are you doing here, you pest?" Brock's voice was sharp and directed at him.

"Seriously? Are you following us, you loser!?" Sophie scoffed in disbelief.

Alex simply stood there, rolling his eyes in regret. They were the last people he wanted to encounter right now.

Brock approached him, as if trying to intimidate him, but soon realized that Alex was more muscular and couldn't be easily pushed around.

"Why are you here? To steal? People like you have no business here, so get lost. I thought you were kidnapped yesterday," he sneered at the nonchalant Alex.

"Boys!" Brock called out to the security guards as he stepped back, wrapping his arm around Sophie's waist.

Sophie let out a frustrated sigh, exclaiming, "I can't believe my day is ruined by this little nobody!" The guard quickly rushed over, saluting Brock. He knew Brock was an important figure in the company, always coming in for business deals. The guard was thrilled because Brock had tipped him generously on multiple occasions before.

"Why are you allowing this troublemaker in here? This place is supposed to be prestigious... Why is this nobody here?" Brock yelled, leaving the security guard confused.

The "nobody" that Brock was referring to was the same person who had entered with Martins a few minutes ago.

"I'm already feeling sick. Don't just stand there, get him out now. You know we're important partners of this company," Sophie barked in frustration.

Brock glanced at Sophie and gestured for her to let him handle the situation. "Allowing this nobody in here could be a risk for potential investors like us... so I suggest you kick him out now."

"I'm here for business too," Alex calmly chimed in. His words almost made Brock choke on his breath.

"Business!" Brock and Sophie mocked in unison.

"Yes, business," Alex affirmed, "...and both of you will regret this."

"Is that a threat?" Sophie asked, clearly disappointed by Alex's cheap tricks.

"Honey, there's no point wasting time with this loser. Now, throw him out. His appearance disgusts me," she ordered.

The guards complied; Alex's clothes were too shabby for the prestigious company's standards.

Brock and Sophie couldn't contain their joy as they humiliated Alex. They had initially come for business, but when they saw Alex, they assumed he had followed them to beg.

"Hey, buddy, have some self-respect and leave now," the guard politely urged Alex at first, but he was prepared to get rough if Alex didn't cooperate.

"Didn't you see who I came in with earl..." Alex tried to protest.

"Get this idiot out of here," Brock commanded, prompting the guard to forcefully drag Alex away. However, their actions were halted by the voice of Martins.

"Alex, it's time and the board members are wai..." the old man stopped mid-sentence as he witnessed the chaotic scene before him. Confusion filled his face as he questioned, "What the hell is going on here?... Who are these people?" He eyed them suspiciously.

The guard stuttered, intimidated by Martins' furious demeanor and piercing gaze. He immediately released Alex and stammered, "I... I..."

Cutting him off abruptly, Martins walked confidently towards them, despite his age, and demanded, "Who are they?"

Kevin quickly cleared his throat and smiled. "We're here for an important business deal when we noticed this clown was here." He pointed disgustingly at Alex and continued, "He shouldn't be here, especially not in a reputable company like this." Adjusting his suit, Kevin knew Martins was the former CEO's personal assistant.

Martins glanced at his secretary, knowing the business deal that brought Brock. However, Brock had no idea that Martins had secretly been sabotaging the partnership between Reynolds Realty, Brock's company, ever since Edward Styles was alive.

"Shall we?" Martins approached Alex, completely ignoring Brock and Sophie as if they didn't exist.

Sophie's eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't believe how Martins disregarded them because of Alex, the same man she despised so much.

"Wow! Look who's found another target to steal from. Such an opportunist, always looking for someone to take advantage of," she sneered, strutting forward as she scrutinized Alex with her eyes.

"What?!" Martins turned, intrigued to see if she had actually referred to the new CEO in such a way. He couldn't help but smile inwardly at their ignorance. If only they knew the person who had the power to approve their proposal.

Martins faced them both with a curious gaze, considering the best response to give, but decided against it. He didn't have time for them, so he turned back and addressed the guard with a stern command. "Kick them out."

"Wait a minute! This is unbelievable. Who do you think you are to throw us out?" Brock protested, his voice filled with indignation. He felt disrespected as a potential partner to the company.

Martins couldn't care less. He turned to Brock with a cold stare and asked, "You're from Reynolds Realty, right? I know you better than you think." He added, leaving him confused as he narrowed his eyes.

His words grew even colder as he faced his secretary. "Starting today, we will no longer be cooperating with this company."

He walked away with Alex, who observed silently. He glanced down at his hand and realized he still had the phone and hadn't sent the message to Brielle before they were interrupted. He quickly sent it as they entered the office.