C96 Before The Storm

That night, after dinner, Alicia lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. Her father's words and her grandfather's expectations replayed repeatedly in her mind. "We want you to become the director." "The company will be yours when you're ready." She covered her face with both hands. "How am I supposed to do that?"

She had only recently received her first promotion at Wood's IT Company. Every day she was still learning, asking questions, making mistakes, and improving herself. Now... Her family wanted her to lead an international corporation. Lucia Goods. An electronics and logistics company worth billions of dollars. It sounded unreal. "What would everyone think?" she whispered to herself.

She imagined herself walking into the company's headquarters. A twenty-year-old girl. Standing before hundreds perhaps thousands of experienced employees. Would they respect her? Would they listen to her? Or would they secretly laugh, believing she only obtained the position because of her family's wealth?

The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. She sat up and reached for her phone. "I should tell the others..." She opened the group chat she shared with Mike and Chris. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. Then another thought interrupted her. What if I'm overthinking? What if Dad changes his mind? What if I'm not ready? One thought led to another until her mind became a complete mess.

Eventually, she placed the phone back on the bedside table without sending a single message. She had become so absorbed in her thoughts that she completely forgot why she had picked up the phone in the first place.

Meanwhile, the celebration at the Wood family mansion was nearing its end. Guests chatted freely while servants cleared away the dinner tables. Near one corner of the hall, the three team managers Josh, Joe, and Jamie stood together discussing the company's upcoming projects.

Jamie suddenly remembered something. "Oh, speaking of interesting news..." He took out his phone. "Have you two seen this?" Josh and Joe both looked over. Jamie enlarged the image. It was the photo of Mike and Laura walking through the shopping mall... Holding hands. Joe looked at it for the first time before laughing. "Look at them!"

He smiled broadly. "They're even holding hands in a public place like this. They're clearly in love." Josh's expression changed the instant he saw the picture. His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. Although the change lasted only a second, it was enough to send countless thoughts racing through his mind. Mike... Holding his daughter's hand.

Fortunately, years of management experience allowed him to hide every trace of emotion. Within seconds, his face returned to its usual calm expression. He smiled faintly. "Come on, gentlemen." He gently lowered Jamie's phone. "We're company managers, not young people gossiping about relationships." Joe laughed. "You're right." The conversation quickly shifted back to business matters.

But Josh barely heard another word. His thoughts were elsewhere. What exactly is happening under my nose? When did Mike and Laura become so close? Where did they even meet? Another possibility entered his mind, making his expression darken internally. Could Mike be approaching my daughter because I'm his manager? Is he trying to gain favor... or even a promotion?

His fists tightened slightly behind his back. And what if Laura ends up getting hurt? No. He refused to allow that possibility. By the time the gathering ended, Josh had already made up his mind. Tomorrow... He would speak to Mike personally.

As the guests gradually left, the Wood family mansion became quiet once more. Most people were smiling. Kelvin was especially cheerful. He carried little Monica in his arms as she happily reached for his glasses. "Haha... little one, these aren't toys." Monica giggled loudly. Tracy smiled while walking beside him.

Nearby, Sarah and Samantha chatted happily about Sarah's graduation and life in England. Laughter occasionally echoed through the living room. Only one person remained unusually quiet. Ben. He sat alone, pretending to check messages on his phone.

In reality, his thoughts were elsewhere. He had finally accepted Sarah becoming the company's second-largest shareholder. For now... That wasn't his biggest concern. As for Samantha becoming Vice Director... He had reluctantly comforted himself with one thought. In two weeks, she'll be my wife. Sooner or later, what belongs to her will also become part of our family.

But another problem continued bothering him. Sarah. He still hadn't apologized. Ever since their argument, a wall had remained between them. He wanted to speak to her. He wanted to apologize. Yet every time he gathered his courage, his pride stopped him. Especially in front of everyone.

Then there was Samantha. Things between them had improved slightly, but she still hadn't completely forgiven him. Now she held real authority within the company. Vice Director. That was no ordinary title. He couldn't afford to make another mistake. Otherwise... He might lose her trust forever. Ben sighed quietly. I have to fix everything... somehow. The rest of the family continued enjoying the evening. After chatting for another hour, everyone finally retired to their rooms.

The next morning... I woke up slightly later than usual. After taking a quick shower and getting dressed, I headed downstairs. The aroma of breakfast filled the house. Mom was standing in the kitchen flipping pancakes while humming softly. Dad was already dressed for work, adjusting his tie as he checked his watch.

The moment they saw me, both of them smiled. "Morning, son," Mary said warmly. "Morning, Mom." She studied my face for a moment. "You slept well?" I nodded. "Yes. Why wouldn't I?" Quinton looked at me seriously. "Because of that photo." My smile faded. He continued. "And by now... I'm almost certain Josh already knows."

At the mention of Laura's father, I froze. I suddenly remembered something. I hadn't spoken to Laura all morning. I immediately took out my phone and sent her a message. "Morning, beautiful. How are things there? Did your father say anything?"

A few seconds later, my phone vibrated. "Good morning! No, why? Is there something new?" Seeing her reply, I let out a quiet sigh of relief. "No. I was just checking on you. Have a wonderful day." She replied with a smiling emoji and a small heart. That simple response eased some of the tension in my chest.

Unknown to Laura... Josh hadn't spoken to her at all that morning. He had woken up much earlier than usual. Without eating breakfast, he quietly left for work. His destination wasn't a meeting room. It wasn't his office. His first objective was me. He had already decided. He wasn't going to allow this relationship to continue.

Putting my phone away, I looked back at my parents. "Everything's fine," I assured them with a smile. "I'll handle it." Although they still looked concerned, they nodded. After finishing breakfast, I picked up my bag and headed for the door.

For some reason... my ride to work that morning felt much longer than usual. Deep down, I had a feeling that before the day was over... Everything was about to change.