The next day, Gray arrived at the office just past seven thirty in the morning. It was earlier than usual, but he wanted enough time to settle things before the supplier meeting later that afternoon.Once inside his office, he took a few sips of coffee and got to work. Marcus had already sent a list of documents and talking points he'd need for the meeting.He was really thankful to the man for guiding him in this.Based on what Marcus had told him earlier, he needed to prepare five documents.The first one was a Purchase Volume Report. It was to show how much the store had been ordering in the past three to six months. The idea was to prove that volume had significantly increased to justify the negotiation for lower unit prices.The second one was a Projected Sales Forecast. It was a document to show that the increase in order volume wasn't just a one-time spike, but would be consistent in the future.The third one was a Competitor Pricing Analysis. It was a document that would show

"So you're setting me up with your granddaughter?""You can say that," Conrad grinned before nodding. "I'm just a man who believes in gratitude. And a little matchmaking."Gray stared at him."And you don't think this is a little much?""Maybe," the old man admitted. "But I'm old, Gray. I also want to watch my granddaughter be happy. Don't you pity this old man?"Gray frowned slightly, unsure of what to say. But before he could respond, something clicked in his head. The name Conrad Everett wasn't unfamiliar. And the more he thought about it, the more he began to remember something from years ago.It was a headline of a tragedy.His eyes slowly widened when it hit him.Years ago, a devastating car accident shocked the whole country. It was a high-speed collision on a rainy highway. Conrad Everett's only daughter and her husband, who were both prominent figures in the business industry, had died on the spot.It was one of those tragedies that were too sudden.Fortunately, Conrad's gran

Selina leaned back in her chair, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of her water glass."So, Mr. Gray. Since we're both stuck here having lunch, we might as well make the most of it, right?"Gray raised an eyebrow, amused by her reaction. He didn't even see the girl panic or look uncomfortable for once."You're awfully calm about being set up.""I've known my grandfather long enough to know he never plays fair," she said with a shrug. "I'm sure he'll stop once he gets what he wants."Gray chuckled. "That's good then.""Yes, so just wait a little longer and he won't bother you anymore.""I doubt that, but sure," Gray shook his head in disbelief.Because of what Gray said, the two of them fell into laughter.The two continued to talk for a few minutes before the waiter returned to take their orders. Selina ordered the grilled sea bass she'd recommended and Gray followed suit.As the waiter left, Selina looked at him again. However, this time her gaze was filled with more curiosity tha

"All right." John nodded slowly but with finality. "Give me twenty-four hours. I'll have my team review the documents. If the numbers hold up, I'll send a revised draft for approval.""That's fair," Gray replied. He let out a sigh and nodded."That's a better response than no. At least I got a chance." He thought as he continued to show a formal smile on his face.Aaron, who was still seated to the side, began collecting the pages John had looked through. His hands moved quickly. His eyes flicked between the pages and Gray like he wanted to ask something but knew better than to interrupt.John stretched his arms slightly and loosened the top button of his collar. The formal look in his posture was finally relaxing. The meeting had gone well and there was no time wasted.Now that their agenda was done, the atmosphere in the private room also became lighter."I'll admit," John said as he sat back down, this time with less formality, "it's not every day I walk into a meeting expecting a

Marcus was quiet for a moment, not wanting to give an answer in a rush. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked at Gray across the short distance between them."Well," Marcus said, his voice low but certain, "the first thing is you keep gathering everything. Even the smallest anomalies. Consistency in patterns is what gets someone caught, not just one big mistake."Gray nodded slowly, listening. He was still slumped back in his chair, but his gaze had sharpened."You also document everything," Marcus continued. "Transaction times, dates, even the vendors he works with. If something smells off, we'll trace it. You build a report that HR and legal can't ignore even if it's just policy violations."Gray exhaled through his nose, processing it all."Right...""But," Marcus said, his tone shifting a little, "if you come up dry. If you can't find anything solid that's worth looking at..."Gray looked at him then. "What happens?"Marcus held his gaze