Chapter 136 Am I Not Good?
The upper echelon of Celestial Waters Hotel was a tight circle of five major shareholders. Ranked by their stake, they were Preston, Victor Diaz, Idris Richardson, Gemma, and Xavier.
Leopold was just heading to his car in the parking garage when someone intercepted him.
"Mr. Leopold Wipere."
He looked up to see Tatum Jenkins, Victor Diaz's executive assistant. A prickle of unease went down his spine. Why was she stopping him now?
"Ms. Jenkins."
Tatum offered a polished smile, gesturing toward a sleek sedan parked nearby. "Mr. Diaz has a fresh pot of coffee waiting at a café nearby. He'd be delighted if you'd join him."
He and Victor were hardly close. An invitation for coffee definitely wasn't about the coffee. Still, refusing a man of Victor's stature was not an option.
"Please thank Mr. Diaz for me. Lead the way, Ms. Jenkins," Leopold said, following her to the waiting car.
The sedan pulled up to a quiet café tucked away on a serene side street. Tatum led him through the main area to a private booth at the very back.
She paused at the entrance. "Right this way. Mr. Diaz is inside."
The moment Leopold stepped through the curtained doorway, the soft fabric swished shut behind him.
The air was thick with the elegant aroma of freshly ground coffee. Parting the sheer inner curtain, he saw Victor Diaz seated at the table.
Victor's face broke into a welcoming smile as he rose. "Leopold. Glad you could make it."
Leopold maintained a respectful distance. "Mr. Diaz."
Victor gestured for him to sit, already pouring a cup. "Things have been hectic at the company lately. You've been working hard."
"No one's had it easy," Leopold replied. "You've been busy as well, Mr. Diaz. To be invited for coffee like this, you must be in good spirits."
From the first day he'd laid eyes on Leopold, Victor knew the young man was destined for great things. It was why he had been the most vocal opponent of Leopold joining the company in the first place. Now, only a few years later, Leopold had ascended to the role of General Manager. His future was limitless.
Since they were both sharp enough to know the score, there was no point in dancing around the subject.
Victor placed the cup in front of Leopold, his tone that of a caring mentor. "I'm aware you've run into some issues at work. If the pressure is getting to be too much, Mr. Richardson and I can help you."
'Help me?' The words hung in the air, confusing Leopold.
"Mr. Diaz, what are you implying?"
"Mr. Richardson and I hold you in high regard," Victor said smoothly, "especially your talent for management. This is not to say that Mr. Preston Wipere's management is flawed, of course. We simply feel… he's getting on in years. Many of his ideas and methods are no longer keeping pace with the times."
There it was. They wanted to push him onto the front lines, to use him as their weapon.
Leopold's expression remained a placid mask. "Celestial Waters Hotel owes its current success to the very management philosophy Mr. Preston Wipere established. You say he's out of touch? I haven't seen any evidence of that."
Victor thought. He wasn't surprised by Leopold's caution; he'd be the same in his position.
"But times are changing, and our management philosophy must evolve with them," Victor pressed. "Today's generation is different. They value freedom, innovation, and individuality. We need to adapt to this new reality, or we'll be left behind. Your presence could be the fresh blood this company needs to reach the next level."
Leopold remained silent, his face unreadable.
Victor didn't lose his patience. "I understand your concerns. I invited you here today to demonstrate just how committed Mr. Richardson and I are to reform. Say the word, and we will be your staunchest allies within the company."
So, Victor and Idris were teaming up.
Leopold decided to probe their intentions, letting a flicker of manufactured interest show in his eyes. "A management philosophy that's been followed for years won't be easy to change. It would require a great deal of effort and other things."
The implication of other things was vast, and both men understood it perfectly.
Victor nodded, refilling Leopold's cup. "Change is difficult. But not changing is even more so. If we can't keep up with the times, our company will continue its decline until it vanishes. The situation with the overseas hotels is already a warning bell."
Leopold took a slow breath. The two hotels Victor managed overseas were the only profitable ones in the international portfolio. This man was no simpleton.
"We need to start thinking about how to transform our management and business models to fit this new era," Victor continued. "This isn't just a monumental task; it's a matter that affects the interests of every shareholder in this group. For you, it could be the crowning moment of your career."
Leopold decided to test him. "And what exactly is this crowning moment you're referring to, Mr. Diaz?"
A slow, warm smile spread across Victor's face. "The Chairman of Celestial Waters Hotel. Wouldn't you consider that the pinnacle of a career?"
Leopold lifted his cup, taking a sip of water. "Mr. Diaz, have you forgotten who I am?"
At that, Victor's expression turned fascinatingly cryptic. "Leopold, perhaps that's a reminder I should be giving you."
On the surface, Leopold was calm, but inside, his thoughts were racing. Victor wouldn't say something so loaded without a reason. He must have heard something.
But he couldn't let himself be baited. Even if Victor failed to win him over, this conversation could become a weapon against him.
"Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Diaz," Leopold said, his voice steady. "But professionally and personally, I would never do anything to betray Mr. Preston Wipere. Let's consider this meeting as if it never happened. And thank you for the coffee."
He stood to leave. Just as he was one foot out the door, he heard Victor's voice from behind him.
"Mr. Richardson and I will find our own way to prove our commitment to you."
Leopold's eyes met Victor's. The older man gave a slight, formal bow. "Safe home, Mr. Leopold Wipere."
Walking down the long, narrow hallway, Leopold could feel a pair of predatory eyes fixed on his back.
When Leopold finally got home and pushed open the door, the rich aroma of food wafting from the kitchen instantly unwound the tight coil of tension in his shoulders. He saw her bustling around the stove, and the sight of her back was enough to make him feel like he could finally breathe.
Caroline was tasting a spoonful of broth when she heard his footsteps.
The next second, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, and Leopold's weary voice was a low rumble by her ear. "Honey, I'm home."
Caroline took another spoonful. "You worked hard, Leopold. I made you some chicken soup. Eat, take a shower, and then get some sleep."
He loosened his hold, and she turned to face him, lifting the spoon to his lips. "How is it?"
Leopold nodded, his eyes closing for a fraction of a second. "Perfect."
"Go wash your hands and come eat," she urged.
As Leopold devoured the tender chicken and drank the savory, rich broth, with the woman he loved sitting beside him, the exhaustion began to melt away. The simple comfort of home, of her, was his personal charging station.
Watching him eat as if he were starved, Caroline asked, "Did you even eat lunch?"
The question almost made him laugh. Now that he thought about it… a full day and night of work, followed by a single cup of coffee with a board member, he hadn't eaten a thing.
"You work overtime, and at your level, doesn't the company provide meals?"
"They do," Leopold admitted, "but I was too swamped. Didn't have the appetite then."
A knot of displeasure tightened in her stomach. She remembered Elysia's call that morning, how her mom had theatrically declared she was going to cook Leopold's boss in a stew.
"If my mom knew her favorite son-in-law was skipping meals, she'd probably storm your office and make good on her threat to stew your boss."
Leopold's lips quirked. "She'd stew my own father?"
"You could call and ask her," Caroline retorted with a smile.
"Did Mom call you?" He asked.
"Yeah, this morning. She heard you've been working nonstop and was so worried it broke her heart."
"Mom's the best," Leopold sighed.
Caroline hooked an arm around his shoulders, leaning in. "And what about me? Am I not the best?"