Chapter 207 When Are We Getting Married
After Giselle left, I called Henry. He listened quietly while I explained everything, then let out a long, tired sigh.
"Alright, I got it. Just go ahead and do what you need to do. I've got your back."
"Okay."
I replied and then ended the call.
This situation might be more than just corruption. It could end up stepping on a lot of people's toes. And the timing couldn't be worse , this happened right after I took over the company's shares. If I handle it badly, it could throw the whole company into chaos.
But the damage was already there. I couldn't just ignore it and walk away.
On my way out that evening, I left a little later than usual and swung by Giselle's office. She and her team were still at their desks, working overtime.
When Giselle noticed me, she quickly got up and came over. "Ms. Lockwood, don't worry. We'll stay all night if we have to and get to the bottom of these accounts."
I nodded. "Good. Thank you for your hard work."
As soon as I stepped outside, I spotted a tall, good-looking guy leaning against a car, looking my way. It was Atlas. The moment I saw him, I felt something lift in my chest.
I walked over quickly. "What are you doing here?"
Like a magician pulling something out of thin air, Atlas produced a bouquet of flowers. "Congratulations. I came specially to take you to dinner."
I took the flowers and held them up to my nose for a long breath. Lilies — my favorite. They smelled wonderful. I smiled at him. "Thank you."
"So will you join me for dinner?"
Atlas held out his hand with a grin, opened the car door, and helped me in.
After closing the door, he looked over at me. "What are you in the mood for?"
I shook my head and just kept my eyes on him instead of answering right away. The streetlights cast a warm golden glow over him, and he looked really good. In that moment, my thoughts slowed down. The pressure I had been carrying for days started to ease.
I slowly leaned toward him and rested my head on his shoulder. "Atlas, you haven't come to see me in days."
"Oh? Did you miss me?"
Atlas asked as he placed his hand on my head and gently stroked hair, up and down. His large, warm palm felt so comforting.
I gave a small nod. "I did. You have no idea how tense I've been these past few days."
From the moment Henry handed the company over to me, I had been carrying a tight constant pressure in my chest. No one on the outside could tell, but I felt the pressure clearly. It was invisible, the kind no one else could carry for you or even fully understand. It wasn't until I saw Atlas that I finally felt some of that weight lift.
"I'm sorry, Helena. I heard you'd taken over the company and wanted to come right away, but I figured you'd have a lot on your plate, so I held off."
Atlas lifted my hand and pressed a gentle kiss to it, his eyes full of concern. "Are you exhausted?"
I nodded, then quickly shook my head. "Not exactly exhausted. Just... the pressure is a lot. And then there's my grandmother. You know she always wanted Dad's company to go to Ivan. Now that Ivan's back, she's bringing it up again. But Dad got ahead of that and gave all the shares to me. So I have to prove myself to her and to everyone."
"Even if I can't do anything earth-shattering, I at least have to hold the company together. I'm not about to give anyone the satisfaction of watching me fail."
Atlas stroked my hair, then suddenly asked, "Helena, tell me honestly, did something happen?"
"Nothing major. Just some company stuff."
I sighed. I hadn't expected the accounts to actually be a problem. Honestly, I'd already braced myself for the possibility, but when I actually heard the news, it still hit hard.
Patrick had been with the company for years. If someone like him could take money from the system, then what about the rest of the people I could not even fully monitor? People using the company's name to line their own pockets was a serious problem, and it could easily grow out of control.
Since the topic had already come up, it felt wrong to keep dancing around it. I mentioned, vaguely, that the audit had turned up some issues with the accounts.
Atlas was sharp. He understood what it meant without me saying more — corruption.
"Don't be afraid. Every company runs into this sooner or later. It's painful, but it's also the first real lesson for anyone in charge, there's no room for personal feelings in business, only interests. If you can't handle this, things will only get harder down the road."
I sighed, my fingers tracing slow circles in his palm. "I'm not worried about myself. It's just, I keep thinking there might be more people involved, not just Patrick. If I go in swinging, it could shake up the whole company. That's the last thing I want."
"I understand."
Atlas squeezed my hand. "But if a company wants to last, it can't afford to let this kind of thing fester. This is both a risk and an opportunity. Handle it well, and it'll be good for the company and for you."
I knew he was right. I'd never planned to let it slide anyway. "You're right. It'll all work out."
"Sounds like you've already made up your mind. So can we go eat now? I'd rather not have you coming after me later because you're starving."
I looked up to find Atlas grinning at me. I gave him a light punch. "Fine, let's go eat!"
The restaurant had a warm, pleasant atmosphere that made it easy to settle in. Over dinner, I also told Atlas about going to Knox to collect the debt.
He didn't say much. He mostly listened and kept putting food on my plate. Being around him made me feel calmer, and before I knew it, I was talking more than I intended.
When I finished, Atlas asked, "Are you really planning to help Natasha marry into the Pemberton family?"
I frowned. "Of course. Are you against it?"
"Why would I be against it? I'm happy for them."
He added another piece of shrimp to my plate, then said, "I'm already thinking about what to get them as a wedding gift."
I smiled at that. "I thought you might push back."
"Not at all."
Atlas set down his utensils and looked at me with a slightly wounded expression. "Helena, if they're almost getting married, when are we going to sort things out between us?"
"What things?" I played dumb.
"Our wedding, obviously."
He leaned in. "I've been waiting for this for a long time."
"Knox is marrying Natasha. We can't fall behind him, can we?"
That argument was hard to argue with.
But the moment I thought about everything going on at the company, my head started to throb. "Just give me a little more time."
"More time? Any longer and I'll turn into a monk."
Atlas gave me a pained look. "I've been holding myself back every single day. At this rate, my health is going to suffer."
This was getting more ridiculous by the second. I glanced around nervously, thankfully the piano music covered his voice before it could carry.
When I turned back, Atlas had leaned in close. "Helena, you still haven't answered me. Yes or no?"
I pushed him back, half exasperated. "Are you sure you want to have this conversation here?"
Atlas slumped back in his seat, deflated. "I knew it. Work always comes first with you."