Later in the day after the information breach was contained, I called a meeting in the conference room and invited all members of the IT department and the chief officers from each department. I had my wife and Carlo sit beside me while I conducted the meeting.
As everyone settled into their seats, I stood up and said, "Good morning, everyone. I have an important announcement to make. As you all know, the recent breach in our information system caused significant harm to our reputation and finances. I want to make sure that this never happens again."
I continued, "With that in mind, I am proud to announce the appointment of a new Chief Information Officer for the IT department. Carlo, would you please come forward?"
Carlo looked surprised as he made his way to the front of the room. I then said, "Carlo had played a crucial role in resolving the recent breach. I have full confidence in his leadership abilities and am certain that under his guidance, the IT depart
Daniel Adler's POVI was raised in the poverty-stricken area of AGC known as "The Darkside", located behind the towering commercial buildings. My mother, Maria Adler, a struggling single parent, did her best to provide for me until her untimely passing when I was just 10 years old. This left me to fend for myself on the harsh streets, where I had to learn to be resilient and to never give up in the face of adversity.One day, as I was wandering the streets with my streetwise companions, I was suddenly hit by a luxurious car. I braced for the worst, but to my surprise, I found myself waking up in a hospital room, my body battered and bruised from the impact of the accident."What's your name, son?" the stranger beside me asked in a deep, raspy voice. Despite his intimidating appearance of wealth and power, I noticed a hint of solitude in his gaze. I attempted to sit up, but my injuries prevented me from moving."Daniel Adler," I r
As I delved deeper into the investigation report, a bombshell dropped. Mr. Adler was the illegitimate child of Alexander Stone, the CEO of Stonewell Construction Enterprise, a long-standing rival of the A.D. Corporation. I was in disbelief. How could my father-in-law trust someone with such ties to their rival?My thoughts started racing as I put the pieces together. Mr. Adler had gone missing just before the chaos and breach in the company. Could he be the one responsible? I had always felt a twinge of unease around him, and now, my suspicions were only growing stronger.He is Tiffany's older brother. Was Tiffany aware of this fact? Could this be the reason why Mr. Adler allowed Tiffany to cause a disturbance at my previous workplace? The report only indicated that Mr. Adler was investigating his real father.I leaned back in my chair and began to contemplate the information at hand. Perhaps, I needed to delve deeper into this matter and gather more information
Laia's POV As I sat beside my father's bed, grasping his hand in mine, the reality of the situation hit me with full force. The words Uncle Thomas and Az were exchanging faded into the background as I struggled to process what was happening. My heart was filled with pain and regret as tears streamed down my face. Az approached me, pulling me into a comforting embrace. "I know it's tough, but you need to be strong. Your father can hear you crying, and he wouldn't want to see you like this. I can tell he loves you, even though I've only known him for a little while," he whispered, trying to hold back his own tears. “What should I do? He’s the only family I have,” I asked in a low voice, trying to stop myself from crying. “I’m here for you. No matter what happens. I’ll always be here for you. Let’s not make it hard for your father anymore. Alright?” he said, trembling even though he tried to compose himself in front of me.
In the days following the funeral, Laia retreated into herself, her eyes filled with a sadness that tore my heart. She was quiet, barely spoke, and often retreated to our bedroom to lie down in silence. I tried everything I could to make her feel better, but nothing seemed to lift her spirits. Seeing her like this was unbearable for me, and I felt a sense of helplessness wash over me.On the other hand, the weight of the responsibility of taking over my father-in-law's company was still too much to bear. It seemed as though every minute of every day was consumed with trying to figure out how to keep the business afloat.The problem was compounded by the sudden disappearance of the company's secretary, who was an essential part of the business operations. I was at a loss for what to do, and the stress was becoming unbearable. I wished that there was someone I could turn to for help, but I didn't know where to start looking. The weight of the burden was almost too much t
Even with the collaboration I had with Carlo and John, I still struggled with the public's doubts about my abilities. The Public Relations Department had been working tirelessly to manage the news about our company. The workload was too much for me to handle on my own without a secretary, so I had to post a job opening for the position.With the project launch on hold until I could find a reliable secretary to represent me in case of scheduling conflicts, Carlo assisted me in reviewing the list of applicants. As he scanned through the resumes, he murmured, "Eric?""Eric?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion as Carlo placed a resume of a familiar person on top of my desk. "Eric Martinez? Why? What's wrong?""He sent his intent to apply for the position of your secretary," Carlo replied, chuckling as he tapped Eric’s resume on my table.Double-checking the list of applicants, I was surprised to see Eric's name on it."I wonder if he kno
Eric's eyes held a hint of confusion as Carlo led him to the couch, while I settled back into my own chair. "I never expected to see you here," he said, still processing the information. "I tried my best to stay out of the spotlight," I replied, flashing a smile. " I'll clarify everything after the interview. For the time being, please act as if you don't know us." Despite the perplexity in his expression, he nodded his agreement, and we carried on with the interview. During the interview, Eric displayed his in-depth knowledge of stocks and analysis of data, impressing me with his quick wit and ability to understand the necessary actions to be taken in certain situations. "I can see that you have a good understanding of the market, Eric," I said, nodding approvingly. "Tell me, how do you keep up with the constantly changing trends?" "I subscribe to financial news websites and newsletters to stay up to date," Eric replied confidently. "I also make sure to analyze past market perfo
Nina led me down the quiet corridor towards Laia’s room, while my parents were processing the papers needed to be processed. As we walked, I couldn't help but notice the small, white bundle she held in her arms. The sight of it made my heart sink—it could only be one thing. My hands shook with anticipation as Nina gently handed me the bundle, the soft white blanket warm against my skin. I knew what was inside, but I couldn't bring myself to open it just yet.Tears welled up in my eyes as I clutched the bundle to my chest, my whole body was trembling. The weight of it seemed so small, so insignificant compared to the immense grief I felt. I couldn't believe that our baby was gone forever, that we would never get to hold him or watch him grow. The sense of loss was almost unbearable.Nina gave me a sad smile before gesturing for the nurse to leave the room. “We'll leave you alone for a moment,” Nina said softly.I sank into a nearby chair,
Laia and I sat alone in the empty nursery, surrounded by the remnants of what was supposed to be our child's life. The walls were painted a soft blue, the crib neatly made with a plush teddy bear sitting atop it. But the room remained silent, empty, and devoid of the cries and laughter that should have filled it. It hadn’t been that long since Laia and my parents started to set up this room. My heart ached with the pain of loss, as I thought back to the moment when we had to say goodbye to our beloved son.After the death of our baby, the hospital room felt suffocatingly silent without the sound of our child's cries. Laia lay in bed, recovering from the trauma of her untimely childbirth, the loss of our son and the injuries she acquired from the car accident, while I sat beside her, feeling helpless and lost.Our families and friends had come to offer their condolences and support, but their presence did little to ease the heaviness in my heart. The emptiness of