Chapter 77 - A SOLID PLAN

AIDEN.

Again with his theory with the balance! Jesus, he would not give up anytime soon.

We drove in silence for a while, the city streets blurring past as I mulled over his words. Maybe he had a point. Maybe I was letting everything get to me more than I should. But how could I not? The stakes were so high.

“Look, I get it,” Ron said after a while. “You’re doing important work. But you can’t save the world if you don’t take care of yourself first.”

I sighed.

“I know, I know. It’s just... hard to see the bigger picture sometimes.”

“Alright, time to make your grand entrance,” Ron said, giving me a pat on the back. “Go show them what you’re made of.”

The business was huge—well, at least the main office was. Moore had multiple locations and spas, making it a chain. As we walked in, unfamiliar faces greeted us, though they clearly knew who I was.

“Good morning, Mr. Roberts!” a cheerful young woman at the front desk said.

She was multitasking, with her earphones on, taking a call from a customer.

“Good morning! Which floor?” I asked.

“Top floor, please, sir,” she replied just as politely. She didn’t seem fazed by the miserable Moore who had lost the consortium. Who knew what kind of treatment he subjected his staff to?

“Got it... thank you!”

We got in the elevator and as we went up, I couldn’t help but wonder what stories those polite smiles hid. Was everyone genuinely happy working here, or was it all just a façade? Moore’s reputation didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

Ron, always observant, nudged me.

“Pretty fancy place. Think they’ll roll out the red carpet for you?”

I chuckled.

“Maybe. Or maybe they’ll just offer me a cup of coffee and a seat.”

“Hey, coffee’s a good start,” Ron joked. “But seriously, what’s your game plan for this company?”

“Stay calm, stay focused, and get the information we need,” I replied.

Ron laughed.

“If anyone can handle it, it’s you. Just remember, these people don’t know the real you yet. Show them why you’re in charge.”

The elevator dinged, announcing our arrival. The doors opened to reveal a sleek, modern office space. People were bustling about, but there was a noticeable pause as they took in the sight of us stepping out.

“Showtime,” I muttered to myself.

It really surprised me how spotless this place was. Moore’s personal assistant, who was now mine, was on the top floor. As soon as the elevator doors opened, I rushed to get there.

“Good morning, Miss...” I paused, giving her a chance to announce herself.

“Good morning, Mr. Roberts. I’m Susan, ready to assist,” she said with a wide grin.

“Great... I need two coffees, the business reports from the start, and... get rid of Moore’s name on the door!”

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Okay... sir!” she responded quietly and immediately set about following my orders. As soon as I entered the office, I heard Moore’s nameplate getting removed. I couldn’t help but grin in triumph.

“Dang, she was fast,” Ron said, grinning too.

“Yeah, she’s efficient,” I replied, feeling more confident. “Let’s see how fast we can get those reports.”

Ron laughed.

“I bet she’s already on it. So, what’s the plan once we get everything settled?”

“I want to dive into the numbers, see where Moore was taking the business, and figure out where we can make improvements,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “Plus, I need to make sure everyone here knows there’s a new boss in town.”

Ron nodded.

“Sounds solid. Just remember to take it one step at a time. You will not change everything overnight.”

“True,” I agreed. “But I need to make a strong first impression. Show them I’m serious about making changes.”

Just then, Susan walked back in, carrying two steaming cups of coffee.

“Here you go, Mr. Roberts. Your reports will be ready shortly.”

“Thanks, Susan,” I said, taking a cup from her. “And a good job on the nameplate.”

She smiled, a little more at ease.

“Thank you, sir. If you need anything else, just let me know.”

After she left, Ron took a sip of his coffee and said, “You know, she’s really on the ball. Might be a good idea to keep her close.”

“I agree,” I said, nodding. “She could be a valuable asset.”

Ron leaned in, his tone more serious.

“So, how are you feeling about all this? Taking over such a big operation?”

I paused, thinking about it.

“Honestly? Excitement, nerves, and God help me, a damn good feeling that my plan worked. There’s a lot riding on this, but I feel ready.”

“Good to hear,” Ron said, patting me on the back. “Just remember, you don’t have to do it all alone. You’ve got a team here, and you’ve got me.”

“Thanks, Ron,” I said, appreciating his support. “Let’s make this work together.”

Susan returned with a stack of reports.

“Here are the documents you requested, Mr. Roberts.”

“Thanks, Susan,” I said, taking the reports. “This is exactly what we need.”

As she left the room, Ron looked at me.

“Ready to dive in?”

I nodded, flipping open the top report.

“Let’s do this.”

Ron and I barely said anything before Susan knocked on the door again.

“Sorry to interrupt again, but there are still more documents about the company’s financial statement,” she said, stepping into the office. Since there were so many, I placed them all on a memory stick because you don’t have a work email yet. This way, you can bring it home and study it with no distractions. I hope I did the right thing. "

Efficient, I thought to myself. But she didn’t quite get it right about the no distractions thing. Sienna always messed with my head when she shook her ass in front of me, and I really wanted to...

Susan, you’re incredible. “I’ll keep you right here,” I said, stopping my naughty train of thought.

She smiled shyly and left us alone.

Ron raised an eyebrow.

“You look like you’re a million miles away, man. What were you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly, though I knew he didn’t believe me.

“Right,” he said, smirking. “Anyway, let’s get down to business. What do you think about Susan?”

“She’s sharp, and she gets things done. Definitely someone I should keep around,” I replied, plugging the memory stick into my laptop. “Now, let’s see what’s on here.”

We started going through the files, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. Financial statements, projections, expenses—everything was laid out in meticulous detail.

“Wow, Moore sure kept a lot of records,” Ron remarked, scrolling through a dense spreadsheet. “No wonder this place runs like a well-oiled machine.”

“Yeah, but it also means there’s a lot to digest,” I said, rubbing my temples. “We’re going to have to break this down piece by piece.”

Ron leaned back in his chair.

“You know, you should really take a break sometime. You’re going to burn out if you keep pushing yourself like this.”

“This again? Can’t afford to take a break,” I muttered. “There’s too much at stake.”

“There’s always too much at stake,” Ron responded. “But you need to find some middle ground. How’s everything with Sienna, by the way? Still driving you crazy?”

I sighed.

“We already talked about that. Stop distracting me. "

Ron laughed.

“I don’t. So, what’s the plan? Are you going to keep the same strategy Moore had, or shake things up a bit?”

“I think we need a mix of both,” I said, looking at the reports. “Moore had some good ideas, I give him that, but there are definitely areas where I can improve. I want to streamline some processes and maybe cut down on unnecessary expenses.”

“Sounds like a solid plan,” Ron said. “But don’t forget to enjoy the ride. It’s not every day you get to run a company like this.”

“I know, I know,” I said, though my mind was already drifting back to the mountain of work ahead.

And the hard work was just beginning!