Chapter 26: Downtown
Author: June girl
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

Joe stepped into his office the next morning. As he made his way inside, he was greeted by Jeremy, who had a sad look on his face.

"Morning, sir," Jeremy said as he moved closer to Joe.

Joe sighed. “Don’t tell me something terrible happened this morning.”

Jeremy took a deep breath. "We lost an investor this morning—one of the big ones," he explained. "The board wants to discuss how we're going to manage this... they’re waiting for you in the boardroom."

Joe nodded, setting his briefcase down before making his way toward the boardroom. As he entered, he was greeted by a line of faces—some anxious, some outright disapproving.

"Joe, we've been expecting you," Mr. Maxwell said, gesturing toward an empty seat at the table.

"I'm aware," Joe responded, taking a seat as the board members exchanged glances

Joe took his place at the head of the table, glancing around as the others settled.

Mr. Maxwell cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice. We h
Continue to read this book on the App

Related Chapters

  • The rise of the lost heir   Chapter 27: Did you miss me?

    Joe felt his stomach twist as he pulled up downtown. He stepped out of his car, glancing around to ensure he wasn’t being watched, as he took a step forward. He saw Timothy standing by his car at the entrance “What happened?” Joe asked. Timothy glanced around, lowering his voice as he spoke. “Walk with me,” he said. Timothy directed Joe down a path as they moved farther. Their footsteps echoed against the dusty concrete. Timothy paused in front of a building when he stepped in; he led Joe to a room where Ben was pacing angrily, his face twisted with rage. Two of Ben’s men stood nearby, visibly injured. One was nursing a swollen arm, the other with a bruise on his cheek. Ben stopped mid-pace when he saw Joe, and his gaze darkened. “You!” Ben snarled, pointing an accusing finger at Joe before charging over to grab Joe by his tie. Joe stumbled backward, his collar pulling tight around his neck as Ben's grip tightened. “Hey!” Timothy shouted, stepping forward and placing a

  • The rise of the lost heir   Chapter 28: The visit

    “What are you doing here?” Joe asked. The anger in his tone couldn’t be missed. Rosie’s face lit up with a mocking smile as she leaned forward, placing her legs on the corner of the desk. "I came to pay you a little visit," she replied, some seconds later flashing Joe a warm smile. "I also came to tell you to watch your back, " she added in a firm voice. "Get out of my office, Rosie!" he barked at the sound of her words. Rosie didn’t flinch. Instead, she lifted her chin defiantly and crossed her arms. "Don’t shout at me, Joe," she said with a mock pout. "I’m only here to visit. It’s not like I’m planning to stay forever." During that moment she moved her feet from the Desk and stood on her feet. She didn’t stop until she was standing right in front of his desk, arms crossed. Joe’s jaw clenched as he brushed past her. He reached for the phone on his desk to call security. Before he could dial, Rosie raised a hand, stopping him. "If you go ahead and call security," she said s

  • The rise of the lost heir   Chapter 29: Unraveled Secrets

    “These are company records,” Joe said, more to himself than anyone else, his tone growing louder with each sentence. “Here, look at this.”Mr Adam said, handing him a document. Joe read through it, and the shocking look on his face only grew. “They indicate that Jack’s company is involved in drug trafficking, and Rosie—Rosie is part of her father’s illegal business. Her signature is here...and so is her brother Brandon’s!” “All these documents belong to Jack Duch!” Joe said slowly. Joe looked up at Mr. Adam, who stood quietly across from him. "How did you get these?" Joe asked, narrowing his eyes. He knew Mr. Adam had connections, but this level of information—it was surprising. Mr. Adam shrugged, keeping his tone calm. "I have my ways, Joe. I placed a call and got in contact with people who dislike Jack’s business practices as much as we do." Joe took a moment to process it all. Then, a sly grin spread across his face as he realized the implications. "If we release this to

  • The rise of the lost heir   Chapter 30: Mr Leon

    “You’re dreaming, Rosie. It’s time to wake up.” Rosie scoffed, taking a step forward. “I don’t know what’s making you feel on top of the world. But let me remind you about the fact that I have evidence that you tried to hurt me. Evidence that I am yet to release.” Joe shook his head. "Do you want you want Rosie? I’m not going to beg you or fall at your feet." He let out another laugh, watching as her expression shifted. “I have the upper hand now.” She frowned, confused. "Upper hand?” "Haven’t you seen what’s trending?" Joe’s smirk only widened as he watched her reaction. "Your family is the talk of the city. Your father and his shady dealings are out in the open now." "That has nothing to do with you," Rosie shot back, her voice rising in defeat. "And it certainly doesn’t change the fact that you’re a lying piece of—" "No, it doesn’t change anything about me," Joe interrupted coolly. "But it has everything to do with you. The fact that you and your family are drug traffickers,

  • The rise of the lost heir   Chapter 31: Cousin Joe

    “This is good news!” John said, pulling himself backward. He had almost wrapped his hands around Cherry, but that was because he couldn’t control his joy. Mr Leon had agreed to meet up. Joe looked up at Cherry, who had a wide smile on her face. “What time is the meeting?” He asked, keeping his tone professional. “Tomorrow morning,” Cherry replied, looking pleased. She turned to leave, but Joe called her back. “Cherry—before you go, can you remind Jeremy to send me that email with the latest updates?” “Of course, sir,” Cherry nodded, leaving with a satisfied smile. The next morning, Joe stepped into the lobby of Leon Corporation. He approached the receptionist’s desk, and she looked up, giving him a polite smile. “Good morning, sir. Do you have an appointment?” she asked, already typing away at her computer. “Yes,” Joe replied smoothly. “The name is Mr. Turner.” The receptionist’s eyes lit up. “Ah, yes, I spoke with your assistant yesterday. I’m glad we could fit

  • The rise of the lost heir   Chapter 32: learning about his family.

    “You don’t know me, but I know you, and I once knew your father.” Joe looked at the man in front of him, and his eyes narrowed. “How do you know my father?” Joe asked, in a low voice. He dug his hand into his jacket pocket and handed Joe a small, weathered photograph. Joe’s heart skipped a beat as he looked at the photo, recognizing his father’s face. Beside him was Mr. Atlas, looking younger and carefree, with his arm around a woman. “That’s my mother,” the man said, pointing to the woman. “She and John Atlas were together. She named me after him.” Joe studied the photo, his thoughts racing. ‘Mr. Atlas never mentioned I had a cousin. Neither did Mr. Adam,’ Joe muttered to himself. “Look, I know this is a lot to take in.” The man spoke up, gaining Joe’s attention. “But I promise you, I’m telling the truth. After my mom passed, I went looking for John's atlas… and that’s when I found out about you, the new head of the Whitmore empire, and I found out about my father’s dea

  • The rise of the lost heir   Chapter 33: Rendering assistance

    Timothy and Joe were sitting at the cafe the following week. Timothy leaned forward, bringing his coffee to his lips. “I Can’t believe some days ago we were thinking about how to get your crazy ex-girlfriend off your back,” Timothy said. “I know, right,” Joe replied. “I’m glad that Mr Adam’s plan worked, and Rosie finally confessed that she was spitting lies. It’s just that I can’t help but think about how the aftermath didn’t give me the result I wanted.” “Don’t tell me you’re still thinking about Mr Leon?” Timothy questioned, dropping his coffee on the table. “I can’t help it,” Joe said. “It’s been a week now, and he hasn’t called or sent an email. I wanted to give him a call, but Jeremy said I would look desperate.” “Why don’t you ask Mr Adam about his take on this?” “I don’t think he’s business smart, and besides, I’m a bit angry at him, especially because of the John issue.” “He’s still giving the big guy a hard time.” “Yes,” Joe replied. “I came home last night

  • The rise of the lost heir   Chapter 34: a trip to the boutique

    “You did it!” Joe yelled as he pulled his phone from his ears. His bright smile perfectly highlighted his eyes. “Actually, we did!” John said with a wide smile. They were both seated at Joe’s office on a Friday. John had curiously watched Joe on a call with Mr Leon, hoping that his plan would work out. Hearing that, it did bring him both relief and joy. “So how do we celebrate this?” Joe asked, drawing John out of his thoughts. “I have no idea,” John said, looking at Joe sheepishly. Joe shook his head; “are you sure?.” John didn’t say anything for a while, and that caused Joe to speak up. “Since you are finding it difficult to answer I would do it for you; you are going out with me and Timothy tonight.” John furrowed his brows, and that caught Joe’s attention. “You don’t like the idea of going out because if that’s the case. I could always think of something else. I only picked that because you were quiet.” “I do like it,” John said with a firm tone. “It’s just that I don’t

Latest Chapter

  • The rise of the lost heir   

    Chapter 156: Fire attack

    “You’re going to be our eyes and ears,” John said flatly, as he flickered his gun about. “You’ll let us know every move the Sanchez gang makes before they make it. Got it?” The man’s eyes widened in panic. “I can’t do that! If they find out—if they even suspect—I’m dead! My family’s dead!” John didn’t flinch. He lowered the gun slightly, only to press it firmly against the man’s chest. “If you don’t do what I’m telling you, you’ll be dead a lot sooner.” The man froze, trembling under the cold weight of John’s words. “It’s better you just kill me now,” he said hoarsely, his voice cracking. John sighed, the frustration was very clear in his voice. “You’re not thinking straight. This isn’t just about you anymore. It’s about your family and your life.”The man didn’t say a thing, and John leaned forward. “Don’t you get it! We are offering you an opportunity here.”“That doesn’t sound like an opportunity.” The man said in a flat tone. “Just kill me like I said before.”“For the lo

  • The rise of the lost heir   

    Chapter 155: Mission begins

    The car rolled to a quiet stop, its headlights cutting through the darkness of the neighborhood. Rusty buildings lined the empty streets. The silence was unnerving, broken only by the occasional shuffle of rats scurrying through the debris. Joe sat in the passenger seat, his brows furrowed as he stared out at the scene in front of him. “This doesn’t look safe,” Joe muttered under his breath. “Are you sure we’re in the right place?” John, sitting behind the wheel, didn’t look half as worried. He leaned back in his seat, a small smirk playing on his lips. “What, are you scared?” he teased. Joe shot him an annoyed look. “I feel like I’ve walked into the lion’s den. Don’t you think we’re being a little reckless?” John waved off the concern with a hand. “Relax, Joe. Nothing’s going to happen. Besides, if you’re scared, you can stay in the car. Hide out here while I do all the work.” Joe narrowed his eyes. “I’m not staying in the car. That’s not happening.” John chuckled

  • The rise of the lost heir   

    Chapter 154: Going south

    Joe stared at the screen, as his hands moved swiftly across his screen. Once the message was sent he turned to John. “Done!” John smiled. “Good!” “What do we do now?” Joe asked. “We wait for his reply.” John said, in a low tone. John sighed, staring at the open sky. Him and John didn’t say anything, for what felt like minutes until John decided to break the silence. “Any messages?” Joe pulled out his phone which he had kept in his pocket. The dim light from his phone screen illuminated his face as he stared at the message he had sent to Victor minutes ago. Victor hadn’t replied the text and Joe informed John about it. “We would just have to wait a little.” John said. Minutes passed. Then half an hour. Still no reply. Joe sighed and tossed his phone into his pocket , rubbing his temples. “Any word yet?” John’s voice rose. Joe shook his head, glancing up at him. “No. Nothing.” John folded his arms, leaning forward , before speaking. “Well, you texted him. That’s a fir

  • The rise of the lost heir   

    Chapter 153: Bully

    “So, where exactly are we going?” Joe asked, in a firm tone John kept his eyes on the road, gripping the wheel confidently. “You’ll see.” Joe frowned slightly, shifting in his seat. “You’ve been driving for almost an hour, John. You took the wheel like you had somewhere specific in mind.” John smirked faintly but didn’t look at him. “I do.” “And where is that?” Joe pressed, turning his head toward him. John’s jaw twitched as though he was mulling over his response. “Just wait and see how.” Joe let out a small, tired laugh. “I don’t think I have that patient.” “Well, too bad,” John said firmly. “It looks like you’re going to have to acquire a bit of patience today.” Joe shook his head, staring back out the window. “This is worse than standing in line for ice-cream.” “What a nice way to describe this moment,” John said in a corky tone and Joe wasn’t buying his corkiness in fact he didn’t like it, but he didn’t say anything. The car kept rolling, and it felt like they were dri

  • The rise of the lost heir   

    Chapter 152: A launch flop

    When Joe rounded the corner, the sight that greeted him stopped him in his tracks. Mr. Adam was there, sleeves rolled up, fists bloodied. Two men—beaten to a pulp—were slumped against the wall, barely conscious. Mr. Adam’s face was a storm of fury as he grabbed one of them by the collar and hoisted him up, delivering another brutal punch to his ribs. The man cried out, while his companion looked on with fear in his eyes. “Mr. Adam!” Joe shouted, stepping forward. “That’s enough!” Mr. Adam didn’t look up, his chest heaving as he pinned the man against the wall with one arm. “Stay out of this, Joe,” he growled. “I’m not done.” Joe, undeterred, moved closer. “I said enough!Look at them! They’re done. You’re going to kill them if you keep this up.” Mr. Adam finally turned his head toward Joe. “Maybe that’s what they deserve.” Joe stood his ground, his voice was firm as he spoke. “They’re just pawns, Adam. This isn’t going to solve anything.” Mr. Adam released the man, who dropp

  • The rise of the lost heir   

    Chapter 151: Launch party

    The days leading up to the launch party for Joe’s new corporation were filled with relentless work, late nights, and endless planning. The fact that things had been stable contributed to making Joe’s planning easier. There were no threats, no near misses, and no weird messages. Life, for a brief moment, felt… calm. This made Joe feel relaxed. A day before the launch, Joe and John drove to the new corp’s headquarters to finalize preparations. The building itself was modern and striking—sleek lines of glass and steel that gleamed in the sunlight. As Joe stepped out of the car, his gaze swept across the building, and a rare smile tugged at his lips. John stood beside him, hands in his pockets, and observed Joe’s quiet pride. “You know,” John began, breaking the silence, “your father would be proud.” Joe turned to him, a small laugh escaping. “You think so?” “Yeah,” John said sincerely. “Not just proud, Joe—he’d be impressed. You’re doing something he never could. You’re tur

  • The rise of the lost heir   

    Chapter 150: Double attack

    The day of John’s mother’s remembrance was quiet and intimate, just as John had wanted. The house was transformed into a warm and welcoming space with simple decorations—a few family photographs, candles, and flowers placed strategically around the living room. Lady Penelope was among the first to arrive, dressed elegantly in a navy blue dress. She greeted John with a tight hug, expressing her condolences. “I told you she was the best of the best.” Lady Penelope said after freeing John from her hug. Her eyes were on Joe, who immediately understood what she was talking about. “Madeline did a good job.” He said. “I’m really happy that things turned out well.” John looked between the two. “I’m lost here.” “Lady Penelope had referred me to the event planner who decorated the house.” Joe said. Without hesitation John thanked Lady Penelope, who waved off his thanks letting him know she was just helping. When John and lady Penelope stepped inside, Joe stood at the entrance, ensurin

  • The rise of the lost heir   

    Chapter 149: Stuck on

    Joe wandered aimlessly through the house the next day each room feeling more suffocating than the last. He shuffled through the house, aimlessly moving from one room to the next. He felt restless, like he couldn't find a place where he could sit still. His thoughts kept circling back to everything that had happened—his father, the gang, Hannah, the endless pressure. The walls of the house felt like they were closing in on him. As he walked into the study, something caught his eye. Tucked in the corner of the room, almost hidden beneath a pile of books, was a scarf. It was a soft, pale blue fabric. He recognized it immediately as Hannah’s. His heart lurched in his chest. He stood there for a moment, staring at it, and then the weight of it seemed to drop on him. His mind flashed back to all the time they spent together, the conversations, the moments that seemed to matter. But that was over now. He had to let go. "Roland!" Joe called out, his voice rough. Roland appeared almos

  • The rise of the lost heir   

    Chapter 147: End me

    The day started like any other for Joe, with him arriving at the office early to tackle a packed schedule. He greeted Jeremy, and moved through the lobby, his focus already on the list of meetings he had ahead. But as he approached his office, his steps slowed. Something was out of place—a box sat on the floor right in front of his door. Joe frowned. Packages weren’t unusual, but this one was different. It was unmarked, plain brown, with no indication of where it came from. His instincts kicked in, a chill creeping down his spine. "Jeremy!" he called out in a sharp voice. Jeremy appeared almost instantly, confusion etched on his face. "Yes, Mr. Whitmore?" "What is this?" Joe pointed at the box. Jeremy looked at it, puzzled. "I don’t know. It wasn’t there when I got here." Joe’s unease deepened. "Has anyone checked this? Who delivered it?" "I’ll check with security," Jeremy said quickly, already pulling out his phone. Joe debated waiting but decided against it. He cr