Our city's sweetheart is here

"Mm." Joel remained unfazed, not even bothering to bat an eyelid.

As they reached the CEO's office, Noah held the door open for Joel, expecting him to enter. However, to Noah's confusion, Joel simply walked past him without acknowledging his gesture.

'Does he not recognize his office anymore?' Noah groaned inwardly and hurried after his boss.

Dealing with Joel was a constant pain in Noah's neck.

Joel strode into the conference room, and the officials stood up, bowing their heads as he leisurely made his way to his seat. They only sat down after he had taken his place.

Draping his legs on the long conference table, Joel crossed them and declared, "Let the meeting begin."

Noah's jaw dropped in utter surprise as he watched his boss's nonchalant behavior. He couldn't believe his eyes.

'Didn't he just tell me to cancel the meeting? This man might drive me insane. Gosh!' Noah facepalmed, trying to gather himself before taking his own seat.

Joel smiled to himself, paying little attention to the meeting happening around him. He was merely biding his time until the meeting at EWEI—their entertainment industry.

He was in charge of the business corporation while his elder brother handled the entertainment industry. Since he had a meeting to attend there, he decided to make a surprise visit to his brother as well.

Truth be told, he wasn't going to the industry for the silly meeting. He wanted to taste the food that the girl had prepared for his brother. He couldn't resist trying it.

After the meeting concluded, Joel stood up, and with his personal assistant trailing closely behind him, he strode out of the conference room. Noah announced, "We are heading straight to the industry, boss. It's already time for the meeting with the middle managers," ticking off some items on the tablet in his hand.

"Um." Joel nodded his head in acknowledgment.

Deciding to use the escalator to descend to the next floor, Joel asked, "Have you looked into what I told you about?" He put his hands in his pockets as the escalator carried them down.

Noah pressed his lips together. "Not yet, boss. I'll look into it as soon as I have the chance."

"Okay, um," Joel replied, twitching up his lips.

As they got off the escalator, Joel briskly walked towards the exit, observing the employees around him bowing and shivering due to his presence. He smirked and turned, but suddenly, someone bumped into him.

Gasps filled the entire floor.

Joel flushed with anger, looking down at his tuxedo. The cold aura emanating from him sent shivers of fear through everyone, including Noah, who felt like he might vomit.

The CEO had the power to dismiss every single employee on that floor without consequence. Empire World Corporation would continue to run smoothly.

Noah's eyes bulged as he looked at the lady who had bumped into his boss. He couldn't help but think, 'Why couldn't she have bumped into someone else? Was she blind? Did she want him to lose his job? Did she have to bump into the boss?'

"Boss, she will be dismissed from work immediately," Noah stuttered, breaking into a cold sweat. He felt an urge to knock some sense into the lady.

Joel looked down at the lady who was already on her knees, pleading and sobbing uncontrollably. She seemed familiar.

Furrowing his brows, Joel tried to recollect her face. Ah! She was in the elevator last night with the lady who was speaking ill of him. He scanned the area and spotted the other lady standing with a few onlookers at a distance. He smirked.

"No, don't fire her," he said to his assistant. Then, he turned to face the "bad" lady and nodded in her direction, saying, "Fire her."

"What?" Noah stared bewilderedly at his boss, his mouth almost touching the floor. 'Why does he want to sack someone who didn't do anything?' he blinked rapidly.

Joel glared coldly at his clueless personal assistant. "Ah, yes, sir," Noah quickly bowed, realizing he had to follow his boss's orders.

He turned toward the lady who had done nothing wrong to his boss. He felt sorry for her, but there was nothing he could do unless he wanted to risk getting fired himself.

"Report yourself to your head of department," Joel instructed, twitching up his lips, and then he turned back to face his assistant.

Joel glanced back at the lady on the floor for a moment and threw his handkerchief into her lap before walking out of the building, with his assistant trailing behind him.

That was the least he could do for her. He never interacted with ordinary people, and he never would.

Noah shook his head feverishly as he followed his boss. 'The boss is mysterious. He pardoned the person who was at fault and dismissed someone who did nothing wrong. He even gave that lady a gift—his handkerchief!'

"Kamsahamnida!!! Thank you, sir!!!" the lady on the floor cried with delight, quickly standing up and watching the CEO's retreating figure. She bowed continuously until the CEO and his personal assistant were out of sight. "Kamsahamnida!!!!"

She stared at the handkerchief in her hands, inhaling the pleasant cologne emanating from it. "Wow," she closed her eyes dreamily.

Never in her wildest imagination did she think she would ever get to touch something that belonged to the CEO. Even the employees on the top floor—the CEO's office—had never had the chance to touch any of his belongings, except for his personal assistant, of course.

Joel hadn't spoken to her, but the handkerchief he gave her meant more than words ever could.

Other employees soon gathered around her, pleading to touch the handkerchief.

The lady who had bad-mouthed the CEO the previous night cried uncontrollably as she dragged her feet to the office of her department head. She had no choice but to go. The CEO's order left no room for negotiation. But why did he fire her? Why her? Or perhaps her judgment last night was correct? Was it the CEO who was in the elevator with them?

It was indeed him. Why else would he fire her instead of firing Kim Myeong?

Either way, her career was over. Next time, she would know to keep her mouth shut.

Joel stepped into the backseat of the car while his assistant took the driver's seat.

EMPIRE WORLD ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY would be shocked to have CEO Joel Manchester pay them a visit. Noah shook his head sympathetically.

Not long after, they arrived at the industry. Joel stepped out of the car, clad in a dazzling tuxedo, with sunglasses on his face. He flicked the tip of his hair and gracefully walked into the industry.

Before he could take ten steps into the main building, the news had already spread throughout the entire industry. The filming section, broadcasting section, music section, artistic section, and others were all buzzing with excitement.

"Ohhh!"

"The CEO is here!"

"Ah, ahhh!"

"The CEO of Empire World Corporation is here!"

"Oh my!"

"Our city's sweetheart is here."

"Have you seen him?"

"Where

is he?"

"Gosh, I'm gonna faint."

"Oppa!!!!"

"I'm going crazy."

"He is so handsome!"

It was true that the higher-ups in the entertainment industry were holding a meeting and had invited the CEO, but they never expected him to attend.

He had never attended any of their meetings before.

They knew he would never attend, but they always sent invitation letters to the corporation as a way of showing respect.

But dang it! He had attended this time.

The middle management in the industry rushed down to the ground floor to welcome the CEO as soon as they heard the news.

At first, they couldn't believe it.

The CEO fluttered his eyelashes and sat on a couch, flipping through a book, waiting for the middle managers to gather before him.

"Is this how you work here?" the CEO's voice made them tremble in fear as they formed a horizontal line before him.

Employees had already gathered around, observing his every move from afar as he sat handsomely on the couch.

"Is this how you treat my brother too?" he asked, crossing his legs majestically and flipping through the book slowly.

All this while, Noah stood behind him, feeling sorry for the managers.

"You're all tired of your jobs, right?" Joel twitched his lips. He didn't even raise his head from the book to look at the trembling middle managers.

None of them could speak; they simply stood before the CEO, heads bowed and bodies shaking.

"Try this again," Joel snapped the book shut and stood up. He pointed his finger at the managers and clicked his tongue. "...and get your sorry asses fired!"

Without looking back at them, he entered the nearest elevator with his PA and headed to his brother's office.

The middle managers hastily squeezed themselves into another elevator and ascended to the top floor.