Vivian stood frozen in the boardroom, dumbfounded. What alternate universe had she woken up in where Aaron Turner, of all people, was the CEO of a major media corporation? She couldn't reconcile this reality with the image she had of him—a freeloader married to her best friend, Sarah. To her, he was nothing more than a burden.
"Miss Carter," Natalie said, her tone sharp. "I'm afraid we have more important matters to attend to. Please see yourself out, or I'll be forced to call security."
Vivian snapped out of her daze and realized that all eyes in the room were on her. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, the situation was real. Panic set in. She couldn't afford to lose this job. Dropping to her knees, she began to plead.
"Miss Stirling, I'm so sorry for my disrespectful conduct. I swear I'm not usually like this. Please don't fire me!" Vivian begged.
Natalie's expression remained icy. "Miss Carter, you're apologizing to the wrong person."
Vivian's eyes darted toward Aaron. The thought of apologizing to him made her stomach churn, but she had no choice if she wanted to keep her position. Through gritted teeth, she muttered, "Aaron, I'm sorry for calling you an idiot. Please, can I keep my job?"
Aaron leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "Come on, Vivian. Is that the best you can do?" he taunted. "I don't feel your apology is sincere enough. Maybe your job should go to someone more professional."
Vivian's jaw clenched in fury, but she forced herself to remain composed. "I'm truly sorry, Mister Turner. I wasn't aware of your status. Please forgive me. I promise this will never happen again," she said, her voice trembling with barely concealed rage.
Aaron considered mocking her further but decided against it. He didn't want to appear petty in front of the board members, nor did he want Vivian running to Sarah with complaints.
"Fine. You're forgiven," Aaron said, leaning forward. "But from now on, call me 'boss.'"
Vivian's lips twitched into a forced smile. "Thank you, boss," she said stiffly before hurrying out of the room.
As the door closed, an awkward silence settled over the boardroom. The tension was finally broken by clapping and laughter from one of the attendees.
"Well, that was quite entertaining," someone said. All heads turned toward the speaker. It was Todd Davis, the current acting CEO.
"Miss Stirling," Todd began, "is this the man who's supposed to replace me? I didn't expect him to look like a pauper."
Natalie's gaze turned icy. "Mister Davis, I suggest you stop with your rude remarks toward the new CEO unless you'd like to lose your job as well."
"Forgive me, Miss Stirling, but you can't seriously expect me or the board to accept a random stranger as CEO," Todd retorted. "Not only does he lack a background in business, but we don't even know if he's truly the CEO."
Natalie's voice was calm but firm. "Mister Davis, let me assure you that Mister Turner is indeed the CEO. If you require proof, I can show you his 60% ownership of the company's shares, inherited from his predecessor. Now, please refrain from your childish tirades."
Todd's mouth opened to protest but quickly shut. He knew he couldn't win this battle, at least not now. Though he stayed silent, his mind was already scheming. He had allies on the board, and he intended to use them to get rid of Aaron.
"Now that the distractions have been removed, let's begin," Natalie said. "This is Mister Aaron Turner, and he will be taking over as CEO."
---
While Aaron was in the boardroom, Sarah was meeting with Marcus at an upscale restaurant. Marcus had arranged the meeting, and Sarah made her way inside, spotting him waving from a corner table. She approached him with a smile.
"Hey, Marcus. Sorry I'm late. I had a lot to do at work, and the traffic was insane," Sarah said apologetically.
"No problem at all. I completely understand. Shall we order?" Marcus replied, signaling for the waiter.
After placing their orders, Sarah leaned forward. "So, Marcus, why did you want to meet today?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Marcus hesitated for a moment. "Come on, Sarah. Do I need a reason to see you? Maybe I just enjoy spending time with you," he said, attempting a charming smile.
Sarah raised an eyebrow. "You called during work hours, so I assumed it was something important," she said bluntly.
Marcus began to panic. Realizing she wasn't buying into his flirtation, he scrambled for an excuse. "Well, it's about your company," he started, but Sarah cut him off.
"So it was you!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.
"Me? What are you talking about?" Marcus asked, confused.
"The $30 million that saved my company. You sent it, didn't you?" Sarah said gleefully.
Marcus was stunned. He hadn't sent any such amount. In truth, Marcus's wealth was largely exaggerated. Most of his assets were tied up in his father's business, and he was struggling with debt. But seeing an opportunity to impress Sarah, he decided to take credit for the mysterious donation.
"Yes, it was me," Marcus lied smoothly. "I didn't want to make a big show of it, so I kept it anonymous."
Sarah was deeply touched. Her perception of Marcus shifted; she had always seen him as just another wealthy suitor, but this act of generosity changed things. They continued their lunch, unaware of the web of lies Marcus was spinning.
---
Back at Acadia Media's offices, Aaron was introduced to the rest of the staff. Many were surprised to meet the new CEO, and they were instructed to keep his identity confidential outside the company. For the remainder of the day, Natalie explained the company's daily operations. By the end of the day, Aaron was utterly exhausted. All he wanted was to collapse into bed.
As he exited the building, Vivian appeared, seemingly waiting for him.
"Boss, are you heading home already? How about I give you a ride?" she offered with a smirk.
Aaron had forgotten he had arrived with Vivian that morning. While he had initially planned to take a cab, he decided to accept her offer. After all, who was he to refuse?