I was sitting in my office staring at my new nameplate, which said, Special Advisor to the CEO. It seemed unreal. I had no idea where my life would go after leaving the military and the identity that went along with it, and that was just a few months ago. I was suddenly advising the most powerful lady I had ever known while standing at the epicenter of one of the biggest companies in the sector.
I had been thinking about Amelia's offer for longer than I had anticipated. I wasn't prepared for her to want me to be a permanent member of her leadership team and her second-in-command. The responsibility of this role was great, and I wasn't sure I could handle how our boundaries were already beginning to blur. That meant I had made a compromise. Special Consultant. Without the impending title of second-in-command, which came with layers of business politics and personal entanglements I wasn't sure I was ready for, it seemed important, and it was.
I had not disclosed to Amelia that my reluctance extended beyond the job at hand. It was ours; it was about her. The longer we spent together, the more I could not help but be drawn to her for reasons other than just professional deference. Our bond was getting stronger every day, even though I didn't want to acknowledge it to myself. Already, the lines were becoming hazy.
But I could keep a little distance now that I was a Special Advisor. It was a position that allowed me to stay near Amelia without committing entirely to the corporate executive lifestyle. That's what I told myself, anyway.
The duties mounted up fast as I got used to my new title. Amelia didn't take long to immerse me in the heart of things. Every day was filled with strategy sessions, talks about the direction the company was taking, and late evenings spent going over private documents. I was still getting used to it as it was a different kind of warfare.
But it felt similar in a lot of ways. The business sector and the military weren't all that dissimilar. Tactical tactics, power battles, and ranks all occurred. Everyone was fighting for position, and there was always a secret purpose at play. Additionally, you have to be aware of who to trust, much like on the battlefield.
Have faith. More often than I would like to admit, that phrase was on repeat in my head. Trust was brittle, hard to come by, and even harder to hold onto in this environment. But in some way, I had won Amelia over. And in exchange, even with all of her barriers and layers of concealment, I discovered that I could trust her.
I knew that Amelia was not readily trusted. Too many times, she had been duped by those she believed to be on her side, including staff members, board members, and even intimate partners. What we had discovered about the corporate conspiracy had just made her more cautious. Still, she'd opened up to me. In a manner she hadn't with anybody else, she had put her trust in me. I wasn't sure if I was prepared for such a big responsibility, but I couldn't ignore it.
I was startled out of my reverie as my phone buzzed on the desk. It was Amelia.
Her voice, as cutting and straight as ever, came over the telephone, "Lucas, I need you in my office."
"I'll arrive immediately."
After hanging up, I straightened my shirt and picked up the folder I had been going over. She was calling me into a meeting, and I knew it was more than a routine update. It had to do with something more significant that had been simmering for weeks. Feeling the weight of the moment, I could not help but move through Prospera's corridors. I immediately felt like I belonged here. This served as my battleground.
Amelia was seated at her desk staring at the documents laid out in front of her with a look that was impossible to decipher when I walked into her office. I could feel the tension in the room, and I knew something wasn't right.
"What's happening?" I moved up to her desk and inquired.
With a glimmer of doubt in her eyes, she glanced up at me. I recently got a message from our legal department. It has to do with the inquiry of Leo's actions.
Leo Jaxon. The man who had almost destroyed the business. Even though we had managed to reveal his treachery, it appeared that the impact would take a while to fade.
"What did they discover?"
With annoyance, Amelia reclined in her chair and rubbed her temples. "It exceeds our expectations." Leo was collaborating with outside investors as well. He was establishing a whole network of fraudulent transactions, manipulating stock prices, and directing business funds into shell companies. Additionally, it appears that a few of our board members may have been involved.
I felt a wave of rage come over me. Although we had suspected corruption on the board, it became much more real when this was proved. These were the individuals Amelia had put her trust in, the people who were meant to have the best interests of the corporation in mind. It appeared that they had been involved in Leo's plan from the beginning.
"Who's in charge?" With a tense voice, I asked.
Her eyes hardened with resolution, "We're still gathering evidence." However, if the information we've gathered is correct, several important figures may be in danger. The issue is that they are all intricately linked. It will not be easy to get rid of them.
I saw the strain of the circumstances bearing down on her. It was more than just exposing corruption here. It was about surviving, for the company as much as for her. Should the board members implicated in Leo's plot succeed in hiding their activities, it might be catastrophic for Prospera. Even worse, it may ruin Amelia's reputation and everything she had devoted her life to creating.
Without hesitation, I answered, "I'll help you." "We'll gather the proof and eliminate them."
When Amelia and I locked eyes, her normally stern demeanor momentarily softened. "I'm grateful, Lucas. Without you, I don't know what I would do.
Her comments lingered in the atmosphere, laden with a feeling I wasn't prepared to acknowledge. Before I had a chance to think about it, though, she rose and put her mask back on professionally.
She went on, pacing the room and outlining the next steps, "We need to be smart about this." They will band together and defend one another if we pursue them too hard. Without giving away the game, we must figure out how to expose them.
I nodded, my thoughts already buzzing with potential. Now it was my job to plot, strategize, and shield Amelia from harm's way. Whether I liked it or not, I was developing into this role at Prospera, even if it wasn't what I had anticipated when I originally arrived.
I couldn't help but sense the mounting conspiracy bearing down on us as we went through the specifics. The corporate world was brutal, and the opponents we faced would not be defeated easily. However, I was prepared. I wasn't going to let anyone bring Amelia or the business down because I'd been through worse.
Upon concluding the meeting, I observed Amelia's weariness and the toll this battle was having on her. However, she refused to allow it to be seen by others. For that, she was too strong.
"Take a nap," I advised, gathering my belongings before I left. "We have a lengthy battle ahead of us."
She flashed me a pathetic little smile. "Yes, I will. Lucas, thank you.
I had the unshakeable impression that things were going to grow considerably more problematic as I made my way back to my office. We discovered more adversaries the deeper we explored. I wasn't afraid, though. I was prepared to go above and above in my new capacity to safeguard Amelia and the business.
Whatever the price.