“Oh heavens.” Adriana sighs for the tenth time that morning. She can feel the weight of the day's event bearing down on her. Her mind is a jumble of thoughts and emotions, each vying for attention. “Are you alright Miss Houston? Kat, her assistant, asks in a worried tone. “Did you miss your coffee? Morning vitamins or you didn't get enough sleep last night ???

Adrianna flashes a weak smile at her. She takes a breath trying to calm her racing heart but her nerves refuse to settle.

The incident in her room earlier that day still lingers in her mind, casting a shadow of unease over her thoughts. She recalls the cracking of the door, the soft footsteps that followed, and the eerie feeling that settled in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes had snapped open and she sat up with anticipation. But as she looked around the room, she saw nothing. No one was there. The door was still slightly ajar, but the room was empty.

“You are five minutes late, Boss!” Kat’s words interrupt her thoughts. She feels a wave of anxiety wash over her and her palms grow sweaty. “ You are overthinking this whole scenario, you're just too stressed out lately,” she assures herself.

With a final breath, she pushes open the glass door and enters the sleek and modern conference room. A sense of trepidation runs through her veins. The room is filled with the company's most influential shareholders, all of whom are eager to hear her presentation. Since this is the first meeting that will be headed by her. The walls of the room were adorned with floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a stunning view of the city skyline. The polished wooden table at the center of the room gleams in the soft lights, surrounded by plush, high-back chairs. The room falls silent as all eyes turn to her. She could feel it, the intensity of their sneaky gaze which caused the hair on her skin to stand erect.

Her eyes scan the room, her gaze sweeping across the familiar faces of the board members and shareholders.

With the formal welcome and introduction speech the meeting commences. With each passing second, Adrianna feels her pulsating veins threatening to rupture. The company almost went bankrupt five years ago. The money laundering and fraud scandal made most shareholders pull out of the company. And it hasn't been easy convincing wealthy individuals and organizations to invest in Houston groups. The crown of it all was when most of the shares were bought by Greenville Group.

Her gaze lands on Wade. His hair is sleek back in perfection. His dark eyes are filled with desperation and covetousness, as usual, her Sister is clung to him like a second skin. Adrianna watches him exchange a knowing look with a few shareholders. She isn't surprised. She has trailed his movements over the weekends and she knows he has bribed a few of the shareholders to threaten her position. “Fucking pig,” she mutters.

Soon it was time for the financial reviews. Smoothing her tailored black blazers and adjusting her white crisp white blouse. She turns to Kat, and Kat nods her head in approval.

Her Macbook buzzes from the notification from Kate. The CEO of Greenville will be a little late. She has heard rumors of the enigmatic CEO, but she has never met him in person. She wonders what he will look like, handsome. Charming? Or maybe on the bad boy line.

With a shaky hand, she begins the presentation, clicking through the slides on the projector. “As you can see the company has experienced a significant increase in profits over the past years,” she says, gesturing to the graphs on the screen. “We have also expanded our operations into new markets, and our research and development team has made a significant breakthrough in innovation.”

Adrianna pauses, surveying the room as she clicks to the next slide. "Our financial performance has been strong, with a 25% increase in revenue and a 15% increase in net income. We have also made significant investments in our infrastructure, including the acquisition of new equipment and the expansion of our manufacturing facilities."

As she speaks, Adrianna can feel the eyes of the shareholders on her, their faces a mixture of interest and skepticism. She knows that she must convince them that the company is on the right track and that the investments they have made will pay off in the long run.

Adrianna clicks on the next slide, a detailed breakdown of the company's expenses. "As you can see, our operating expenses have increased by 12% over the past year, primarily due to the expansion of our operations and the acquisition of new equipment. All the refunds of money to individuals who were scammed of their money.

The room is silent, the only sound is the soft hum of the projector and the rustle of papers as the shareholders take notes.

Adrianna explains, her eyes scanning the room. "However, I have a plan to turn things around and get the company back on track."

One of the shareholders, a middle-aged man with a stern expression, spoke up. "That's all well and good Miss Houston, but what specific steps do you plan to take to address the increase in expenses, wouldn't it affect the revenue in a short time?" he asks, his voice firm but skeptical.

Adrianna smiled confidently. "We plan to launch a new marketing campaign, targeting our key demographics and increasing our online presence," she explains "We also plan to streamline our operations, reducing costs and increasing efficiency."

The shareholder nodded thoughtfully, his expression softening slightly. "I see," he says. "And how do you plan to measure the success of these initiatives?"

Adrianna nods. "We will be tracking our progress closely, using key performance indicators such as revenue growth, customer acquisition, and retention rates," she explained. "We will also be conducting regular reviews and assessments to ensure that we are on track to meet our goals."

Despite Adrianna's confident and well-reasoned responses, the shareholders seemed unconvinced. They whisper among themselves, their voices rising in a crescendo of discontent.

Finally, one of the shareholders stood up, his face red with anger. "I think it's time for a change in leadership," he declares. "We need someone who can turn this company around, and I don't think Mr Houston is the right person for the job."

The room erupts into chaos, with shareholders shouting and arguing among themselves. Adrianna stands calmly, her face pale but composed.

The chairman of the board, a tall, imposing man with a commanding presence, stood up, banging his gavel to restore order. "We will put this to a vote," he declares. "All in favor of replacing Adrianna as CEO, please raise your hands."

The room fell silent, with the majority of the shareholders raising their hands. Adrianna feels a pang of disappointment and sadness, but she refuses to give up especially now that her eyes twitch in anger from Wade’s smirk. She knows it was all his plan. And the bastard is acting like he was supporting her.

Just as the chairman was about to announce the results of the vote, the door burst open and Lance strode in, his face commanding attention. The door swings open, and a tall and imposing figure walks into the room like a model, hands in pocket, looking elegant and confident, drawing the attention of all. Adrianna feels all her blood drain from her face. “What was Lance Fucking Hamilton doing here??? She thinks, her thinking in a haze. A man whom she assumes to be his secretary——wait a minute! She has seen him somewhere. It clicks back at the changing room.

"I apologize for the interruption," he said, his voice deep and authoritative. " I'm Lance Vallarand. The CEO of Greenville Groups. His gaze locks onto Adrianna’s. He smirks, his expression sardonic….. “So let's continue.” He asks Languorously. His icy gaze chills the room. The room grew silent like the oxygen had been sucked out.

“Uhm….. Mr V-Vallerand…. The chairman stutters. “We just concluded our voting, the majority has voted against Miss Houston.” He reports.

Adrianna looks at him with a gloomy face, while he casts an intriguing glance at her. Lance is the last person to support her.

“I believe there will be another vote session.” he curbs, a wry smile on his lips. Everybody nods like a spell was cast on them.

“As the major shareholder, I have a say in the direction of this company. And I say that Adrianna is the right person for the job." He says in a firm voice, and Adrianna gasps in shock.

The room fell silent, with the shareholders staring at Lance in shock. Adrianna's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with questions. What was Lance's motive? Why was he intervening on her behalf?