C55 The Company Should Benefit From Those Who Help It Grow

At the Wood family mansion, the atmosphere had changed completely compared to the lively dinner they once had. The house no longer echoed with laughter, but with the constant sound of a crying baby.

Monica had grown a little since her birth, but her crying seemed to have grown even louder. No matter what anyone did, she would not settle. Samantha looked completely exhausted. Dark circles had formed under her eyes, and her usually neat appearance had become messy from lack of sleep. She gently rocked Monica again, but the crying only grew louder.

Tracy, despite being experienced, also looked drained. “I don’t understand,” Tracy muttered softly, rubbing her forehead. “We’ve tried everything.” The week had been chaotic. Sleepless nights, constant feeding, and endless crying had drained everyone in the house.

Earlier that day, they had finally agreed on a solution. “We need to hire a professional caretaker,” Samantha had said firmly, her voice tired but serious. “At this rate, none of us are sleeping.” And now, as if proving her point, Monica’s crying filled the room again.

Kelvin, Ben and Sarah had just arrived back home when they entered the living room. Kelvin immediately paused at the sight in front of him. Sarah also stopped walking. Monica was crying loudly in Samantha’s arms, while Tracy stood nearby looking completely exhausted.

Sarah and Kelvin exchanged a quick glance. Without a word, both of them rushed forward at the same time. But Kelvin reached the baby first. “Careful,” Tracy said quickly. Kelvin gently took Monica into his arms. The moment the baby was placed against his chest, something changed. The crying slowly reduced. A few soft whimpers… Then silence.

Monica clutched onto his shirt lightly and eventually drifted off to sleep. The entire room became quiet. Kelvin looked down at the sleeping baby and let out a small laugh. “Well,” he said softly, “I think I still have some talent left.” He carefully sat down, making sure not to wake her. Only then did he look up at Tracy and Samantha.

“What happened here?” he asked, still smiling. “We were gone for a week, but you both look like we’ve been gone for a month.” Tracy immediately waved her hand. “You will know soon enough,” she replied tiredly, not wanting to explain everything again.

Instead, she turned the conversation. “How was the trip? Did everything go well? Did the partners recognize Sarah?” Kelvin chuckled proudly. “My daughter?” he said, glancing at Sarah. “Who wouldn’t recognize her? She was outstanding.” Sarah lowered her gaze slightly, feeling a bit shy. Even though she was confident in business settings, praise from her father always made her uneasy.

Ben, who had been unusually quiet since their return, sat slightly apart from everyone. Samantha noticed immediately. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked gently. “You’ve been quiet since you got back. Did something happen?” Ben lifted his head. “I’m fine,” he said quickly. “Just tired.”

Tracy laughed softly. “Tired already?” she teased. “After just a few days of travel? How are you going to handle real responsibilities later?” She leaned back with a smile. “Seems like you’re still going to starve for a while, Samantha.” The room filled with light laughter. Samantha forced a small smile, but her mind was elsewhere.

Sarah, however, suddenly felt her thoughts drift. How can they talk so casually about like this? Her mind briefly flashed back to everything she had been trying to ignore since returning. Chris collapsing. The strange events of that night. And most of all… Chris. Her cheeks turned slightly red before she quickly looked away, hoping no one noticed.

Ben suddenly spoke louder than usual. “Being tired doesn’t mean I can’t work,” he said firmly, smiling. Samantha blushed. The conversation paused briefly. Dinner continued in a slightly calmer tone.

After a while, Kelvin leaned forward with a more serious expression. “Speaking of work…” he began. Everyone turned their attention toward him. “Our overseas deal was a success.” “And not only that…” “We secured an additional partnership.”

The room immediately became attentive. Kelvin continued. “The three interns, Michael Smith, Alicia Mooney, and Christopher Chambers performed exceptionally well.” “They were directly involved in solving the security issue and stabilizing the system.”

Tracy’s eyes widened slightly. “Interns?” Kelvin nodded. “Yes. And not just that.” “Our international partners were very impressed.” “They actually recommended that we promote them and offer permanent positions before other companies try to recruit them.”

Silence fell across the table. The atmosphere shifted immediately. Sarah blinked. Mike... Chris… Alicia… She quietly replayed fragments of what she had witnessed during the trip. Chris lying unconscious. Mike working on the system. Alicia standing confidently beside them. Her cheeks warmed slightly as she remembered how often Mike’s name came up in the report discussions. She quickly looked away.

Samantha, however, reacted differently. Her heart tightened slightly at the mention of Mike. Her first love. The one she had walked away from. The one who now seemed to be rising far beyond what she had expected. Then another thought appeared. Alicia. Holding his hand. Always standing beside him. The image irritated her more than she wanted to admit.

Ben remained silent, but his expression tightened slightly. Not anger exactly… But discomfort. Tracy was the first to respond calmly. “If they contributed to the company’s success,” she said, “then promoting them is a wise decision.” She nodded thoughtfully. “And if there is another crisis like this in the future, we will need capable people ready to handle it.”

Kelvin smiled in approval. “I agree.” Then he looked around the table. “As shareholders, I want your opinions as well.” His gaze briefly landed on Ben, who still looked tense. Sarah spoke first. “With my twelve percent share,” she said confidently, “I agree. The company should benefit from those who help it grow.” A light laugh went around the table. Kelvin nodded. “Good.”

All eyes slowly turned toward Ben and Samantha. Sarah, unaware of the deeper emotions in the room, tilted her head slightly. Samantha immediately spoke. “I don’t have a strong opinion,” she said carefully. “I’m not deeply involved in the company yet, and I think it’s better not to interfere in decisions like this.”

She glanced briefly at Ben as she spoke. Ben exhaled slowly. Then, surprisingly, his tense expression softened. “I don’t object,” he said simply. “I’m just tired. I’ll leave it at that.” Kelvin clapped once, satisfied. “Then it is decided.” The conversation slowly shifted away from business after that, but the tension in the room did not fully disappear.

Later that night… At the Smith residence… The house was quiet. Everyone had gone to sleep. But I was still awake. Lying in bed, I stared at the ceiling, replaying everything in my mind. The party. The footage.Ben. The waiter. Chris collapsing. And Sarah... Something didn’t fit. Chris was hiding something. I was sure of it.

I picked up my phone and hesitated for a moment before typing. Finally, I sent the message privately. "Brother… what’s bothering you? I can tell you’re hiding something. Who was that girl? I know you recognized her… and she stayed in your room longer than she should have." I stared at the screen. Waiting. But the silence that followed only made the mystery heavier.

And somewhere in the distance… Chris was probably reading the same message. Trying to decide whether to answer… Or keep hiding the truth.