At the reception desk, he was quickly directed to a complete check-up. After a few questions, quick tests and a general analysis, the doctor in charge smiled and declared:
"Everything is in order. Keep taking care of yourself like this."
"Thanks, doctor. I need to keep everything in place to deal with the daily challenges," Aiden joked, getting up to leave.
As he headed for the elevator, he heard shouting coming from the nearby reception room. A woman, clearly frustrated, was arguing heatedly with the receptionist and nurses.
"What do you mean I have to pay first? My husband is between life and death, and you're talking about money?"
The receptionist tried to remain calm. "Ma'am, we understand your situation, but the hospital can only proceed with the treatment after the hospitalization and surgery fees are paid. We are not authorized to make exceptions."
"This is absurd! He could die, and you're worried about bureaucracy?"
Aiden watched the scene from afar, crossing his arms and sighing. The woman continued to gesticulate exaggeratedly, her voice echoing through the hallways as the medical team tried to calm the situation.
"Ma'am, please, we need your cooperation to care for the patient," the nurse insisted.
Aiden, who was not a fan of unnecessary fuss, finally intervened. He walked to the counter, took out his credit card and handed it to the receptionist.
"How much is it?" he asked directly.
The woman looked at him, surprised, and began to protest. "I didn't ask for your help!"
"I know. But I don't have time to listen to you yell. The sooner this is over, the sooner your husband will get the care he needs."
The nurse told him the amount, and Aiden paid without hesitation. He took the receipt, handed it to the woman and said, with a slight smile: "Now go take care of him. And next time, take a deep breath before you start screaming."
The woman, still stunned by the quick solution, nodded her thanks and ran to follow her husband.
Once outside the hospital, Aiden activated the app again. The day wasn't over yet, and he decided to catch a few more rides.
The next passenger was a young man in his early 20s, with glasses and messy hair, holding a backpack that seemed to hold the weight of the world. He got into the car looking at his cell phone, without even saying hello.
"Good afternoon. Where are we going?" Aiden asked, used to dealing with distracted people.
"The address is in the app," the young man replied without looking up.
"Oh, so you're one of those. Okay." Aiden started the car, but couldn't resist poking it. "Do you always ignore drivers who can decide the fate of your life for a few hours?"
The passenger finally looked at him, a little confused. "What?"
"If I were crazy, I could take you somewhere else, and you wouldn't even notice. But luckily, I'm a good person."
The guy gave a nervous laugh. "Sorry. I'm just really busy."
"No problem. What's the emergency?"
"Important delivery. I work as a programmer, and I'm taking a software prototype to a client."
Aiden glanced at him through the rearview mirror. "And the client doesn't accept emails?"
"It's not safe. They require physical delivery to ensure confidentiality."
"I see. What if you trip on the way and lose everything? All that security goes down the drain."
The passenger gave an unexpected laugh. "I never thought about that."
"Yeah, man. Sometimes we worry so much about avoiding one problem that we create another."
Halfway there, traffic became chaotic due to an accident. Aiden glanced at his watch and noticed that the young man was starting to get restless.
"How long do you have to get there?"
"Ten minutes," he replied desperately.
Aiden smiled and said, "Hold on tight."
Skillfully maneuvering through side streets, Aiden managed to avoid the traffic jam and delivered the passenger exactly on time.
"You're a genius," the young man said, relieved.
"I'm not, but I accept compliments. Good luck with your client."
Later, Aiden threw his head back, staring at the ceiling of the Star Corp office as a stack of reports awaited his attention. Even with the experience he had gained in his various roles, he couldn't help but feel a slight pang of exhaustion at the corporate bureaucracy. Arthur and Ada, as always, seemed to be on a completely different pace, organized and completely at ease with the chaos.
"You two are machines, not humans," Aiden grumbled, picking up the first report and flipping through it with dismay.
"Someone needs to keep the company running while our great CEO plays chauffeur around," Arthur replied with a smile.
Ada, who always seemed too professional for sarcasm, didn't let the opportunity pass: "If you prefer, we can leave all this piled up for you to deal with on your own next time."
"Okay, okay, I get it. Get back to work before I change my mind about your promotions," Aiden replied, raising his hand in surrender.
Between one report and another, the intercom rang. The secretary announced that a group of international investors had arrived for an unscheduled meeting.
"Great. As if the day wasn't already full," Aiden muttered, rising from his chair and adjusting his tie. He looked at Arthur and Ada. "You two, come with me. We'll deal with this together."
In the boardroom, the investors sat stiffly, representing a European conglomerate that had been showing interest in partnering with Star Corp. They were known for their direct approach and aggressive ambitions.
The leader of the group, a man named Viktor Ivankov, began speaking as soon as Aiden entered. "Mr. Aiden, let's get straight to the point. We are aware of your dealings with Myt Industrial and the integration of Sys Corp. This concerns us."
Aiden arched an eyebrow, trying to decipher Viktor's aggressive tone. "Concerning? The integration of Sys Corp. is a strategic decision that benefits all parties involved. I see no cause for alarm."
Viktor crossed his arms. "We do not deny that it can be profitable, but your strategy of expanding subsidiaries is putting us at a competitive disadvantage in emerging markets. We need assurances that this will not impact our operations."
Arthur and Ada exchanged glances before Aiden calmly replied, "Mr. Ivankov, Star Corp has never made decisions that were not based on thorough analysis. Our expansion is a move to strengthen our operations, but we are open to discussing partnerships that benefit all parties involved."
Ada, taking the opportunity, added: "If there is concern about how this may impact your business, we can adjust our marketing strategies to avoid clashes in key areas."