Becomes

Chapter 0126

Bill’s POV

I enter my office, feeling a rare bounce in my step.

Tomorrow, Serena and I are finally going on a date. Just the thought of it makes me smile.

It feels like ages since I got to take her somewhere after our divorce. I can’t wait to spend some quality time with her.

As I walk through the hallway, I notice Sarah talking to a guy at her desk. He’s dressed in an oversized suit and glasses, looking a bit out of place.

When she sees me, she waves and motions for the guy to follow along.

“Hey, boss,” Sarah greets. “Remember when you said we can hire some help for me?”

I nod, smiling. “Yeah, I remember. Did you find someone good?”

“I think so,” Sarah says. She covers her mouth to whisper, “But between us, I think he’s maybe overqualified.”

Usually, I’m super picky about choosing assistants and interns. But with work and taking care of Serena, I

let Sarah handle it this time.

After all she’s done for me, I trust her completely.

I glance at the guy and nod. “Well, if you think he’s good, I’m sure he is.”

Sarah turns to the guy and says, “Bill, this is Kevin, my protégé.”

Kevin adjusts his glasses and extends his hand. “Hi, I’m Kevin. Nice to meet you.”

I shake his hand firmly. “Nice to meet you too, Kevin.”

“And Kevin,” Sarah continues, “this is Bill, our CEO.”

Kevin’s eyes widen a bit. “Oh, it’s an honor to meet you, sir.”

“Just call me Bill,” I say with a smile. “Welcome to the team, Kevin.”

Sarah adds, “Kevin’s got a solid background in project management. He’ll handle the admin tasks so I can focus on talking to stakeholders.”

“I see. You two will be great together,” I reply.

“Oh, and Sarah… Can you book this place for tomorrow?” I ask, handing her a tiny piece of paper. “I don’t want anyone else there. Pay whatever they’re asking.”

Sarah nods. “Got it, boss. I’ll make sure the place will be all set up just for you.”

“Thanks, Sarah. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my office” I say, heading inside and closing the door behind

me:

I sit down at my desk and open my laptop, pulling up the presentation I’m working on for the shareholders‘

1/2

meeting next week.

+15 BONUS

The slides are a mix of financial forecasts, recent achievements, and future growth plans. I need to make sure everything is perfect – clear, concise, and compelling.

But I’m moving slower than usual. Every few minutes, my mind drifts to Serena and our date tomorrow. What will she wear? How will it feel to be close to her again?

After a few moments, there’s a knock at the door.

“Boss? Something just came up,” says Sarah from behind the door.

I look up from my laptop. “Come in, Sarah.”

She pushes the door open, her usual confident stride replaced by a quick, anxious step. Her brows are knitted together, and she keeps glancing back toward the hallway.

Something’s wrong.

“We’ve got a problem,” she says, her voice tight.

“Is it about the place I told you about? Is there an issue with the booking?” I ask, starting to worry about my plans with Serena.

“No, actually, it’s all set for tomorrow,” she says quickly. “I’ve taken care of everything you asked.”

“So, what’s the issue?”

Sarah sighs. “Frederick Hauser just called and he says he’s concerned about what’s happening to the company,” she says. “He says he’s thinking of selling his company shares.”

It can’t be. Frederick was my dad’s closest business associate. If he’s losing trust in the company, others probably are too.

“Who is he planning to sell to?” I ask.

Sarah hesitates. “To your uncle Calvin.”

My heart skips a beat, and a chill runs down my spine. If Frederick sells his shares to Calvin, my uncle would own the majority.

For the first time, my position as CEO of Richardson Global Enterprises is at risk.

Calvin is behind all this. He wants to take me down and make me lose everything that matters – my company, my son, and Serena.

I can’t let him win. I need to do something quickly.

D