From Mr. Nobody to Mr. Perfect!

Chapter 6

Leon stood in the empty kitchen, watching dust motes dance in the morning sunlight streaming through the windows. The house felt hollow after the morning's chaos, filled only with the echoes of angry voices and shattered expectations.

He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. The truth was a burden no one wanted to carry when lies were so much more comfortable. Every word he'd spoken had been honest, yet honesty seemed to be the one thing his wife's family couldn't tolerate.

The sound of hurried footsteps broke the silence. Mia appeared in the doorway, her purse clutched tightly in her hands and her face set with grim determination.

"I'm going to the office," she announced, not quite meeting his eyes. "I need to find contacts, research Golden Group's requirements, figure out some way to approach them."

"Mia—"

"Don't." She held up her hand, stopping him mid-sentence. "Please, Leon. I have work to do."

She turned and walked away, her heels clicking rapidly against the marble floor. The front door closed with a soft click, leaving Leon alone with his thoughts.

He looked down at his simple clothes—jeans and a plain white shirt that had seen better days. Then he glanced toward the garage where his bicycle waited. No point in drawing attention during daylight hours. Better to blend in, to remain invisible.

Twenty minutes later, Leon pedaled through the busy streets, weaving between cars and buses as the city hummed with its usual energy. The Golden Group headquarters rose before him like a gleaming monument to corporate power—fifty floors of glass and steel that caught the sunlight and threw it back in brilliant flashes.

He was still half a block away when he spotted two familiar figures walking toward the building's entrance.

Peter Marchetti strode confidently up the marble steps, his expensive suit tailored perfectly to his tall frame. Beside him, Lisa Romano clung to his arm like a trophy, her designer dress and jewelry sparkling in the morning light.

"This is it, darling," Lisa's voice carried across the plaza as Leon approached on his bicycle. "Our moment of triumph."

"Don't worry, sweetheart," Peter replied, straightening his tie with obvious pride. "After today, your family will be begging you to take over the company."

Leon dismounted near the building's entrance, securing his bicycle to a nearby rack. The simple action caught Peter's attention.

"Well, well," Peter called out, his voice dripping with amusement. "Look what the cat dragged in."

Lisa turned, her eyes widening with delighted malice when she saw Leon. "Oh my God! What are you doing here?"

Leon straightened, brushing dust from his jeans. "Good morning, Lisa. Peter."

"Good morning?" Lisa burst into laughter, the sound sharp and cruel. "Do you even know where you are right now?"

"This is Golden Group headquarters," Leon replied calmly.

"Exactly!" Peter stepped closer, his confidence radiating like heat. "This is Golden Group. The most powerful corporation in the region. What could someone like you possibly want here?"

"Maybe he's looking for work," Lisa suggested with mock sympathy. "Though honestly, Leon, even if you wanted to apply as a janitor, it would be completely useless."

"Janitor?" Peter's laugh was harsh. "Look at him, Lisa. They wouldn't even let him clean their bathrooms."

Leon's expression remained neutral, but something cold flickered in his eyes. "Is that so?"

"That's so," Peter confirmed, puffing out his chest. "You have no education, no connections, no skills. What could you possibly offer a company like this?"

"More than you might think."

The words were spoken quietly, but they carried an edge that made Peter's smile falter slightly.

"Excuse me?" Peter's voice rose with indignation. "Did you just—"

"Did I just what?" Leon's tone remained conversational, but there was steel beneath the surface.

Peter's face flushed red with anger. "You think you're clever? You think you can come here and—"

"And what? Speak to you as an equal?" Leon's smile was thin. "I suppose that must be difficult for someone with such a fragile ego."

"Fragile ego?" Peter stepped forward aggressively, his hands clenching into fists.

Lisa grabbed his arm. "Peter, don't. Not here."

Peter looked around, suddenly remembering where they were. The Golden Group plaza was busy with employees and visitors, all of whom would witness any scene he might cause. His reputation couldn't afford that kind of scandal.

"You're right," he said through gritted teeth. Then he turned toward the security guards stationed near the entrance. "Officers! This man is harassing us. Please remove him from the premises."

Two uniformed guards approached, their expressions professionally neutral.

"Sir," one of them addressed Leon, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"He doesn't belong here," Peter declared loudly. "Keep him out. My girlfriend and I have an important meeting with the company president."

Lisa preened beside him. "That's right. We're expected upstairs."

The guards positioned themselves between Leon and the entrance, their stance clearly indicating they intended to enforce Peter's request.

Leon nodded calmly. "I understand."

Peter's smile was triumphant. "Good. Maybe now you'll learn to know your place."

Instead of arguing or pleading, Leon simply pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello," he said quietly into the device. "It's me. I'm downstairs."

Peter and Lisa exchanged confused glances.

"That's it?" Lisa laughed. "You're making phone calls? Who could you possibly know here?"

Leon ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket. "You'll see."

"See what?" Peter demanded. "Some delivery friend of yours? A janitor you met somewhere?"

Before Leon could respond, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed from inside the building. Through the glass doors, they could see someone running—actually running—down the grand staircase.

The doors burst open, and a woman emerged at full speed. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with long dark hair and sharp, intelligent eyes. Her tailored business suit was worth more than most people's cars, and her presence commanded immediate attention from everyone in the plaza.

She stopped directly in front of Leon and bowed deeply.

"Sir," she said, her voice respectful but slightly breathless from her sprint. "I apologize for keeping you waiting."

The plaza fell silent. Every conversation stopped. Every person within sight turned to stare.

"Is that..." someone whispered.

"Oh my God," another voice breathed. "That's Marina Rossini."

"The president of Golden Group?"

"She's bowing to him?"

Peter's face had gone completely white. Lisa's mouth hung open in shock.

"This... this is impossible," Peter stammered.

Several people had already pulled out their phones, snapping pictures and recording videos. The image of Golden Group's president bowing to a man in simple clothes would be online within minutes.

"President Rossini," Leon said gently, "please, there's no need for such formality."

"Of course there is," Marina replied, straightening but maintaining her respectful posture. "Shall we go upstairs to discuss your business?"

She gestured toward the entrance, completely ignoring the stunned crowd around them.

"After you," Leon said.

They walked past the security guards, who quickly stepped aside with expressions of confusion and growing panic. They passed Peter and Lisa, who stood frozen like statues.

As they entered the building, Leon could hear the whispers exploding behind them.

"Who is that man?"

"How does he know President Rossini?"

"Did you get a video?"

"This is going to be all over social media in five minutes."

The elevator doors closed, carrying Leon and Marina upward while the lobby below erupted in chaos.

Marina's office occupied the entire top floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city. The furnishings were elegant but understated—everything designed to impress without being ostentatious.

"Please, sit," Marina gestured to a leather chair across from her massive desk.

Leon settled into the chair while Marina took her place behind the desk, her posture still respectful despite the privacy.

"I have to ask," Leon said, his casual tone contrasting with the formal setting. "Why did you open a branch here? This city wasn't in our expansion plans."

Marina's expression softened slightly. "I thought it would be beneficial to have a presence near your wife's family business. In case you ever needed... support."

"Ah." Leon nodded slowly. "And how long have you been here?"

"Three months. We've been building relationships, establishing connections. I wanted everything ready if you ever required assistance."

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Marina's secretary entered, her expression nervous.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry to interrupt, but there's a manager named Peter Marchetti here with his girlfriend, Lisa Romano. They claim to have an appointment with you."

Leon's expression darkened, the temperature in the room seeming to drop several degrees.

"How," he said quietly, "did garbage like that get hired here?"

Marina's face went pale, beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead. She understood immediately—Peter must have offended Leon somehow, and that was unforgivable.

"Sarah," she said to her secretary, her voice steady despite her obvious distress. "Fire Peter Marchetti immediately. Security should escort him from the building."

"Ma'am?" Sarah looked confused.

"Now," Marina's voice carried absolute authority. "And Sarah? Send word to all our partner companies and subsidiaries. Any business that hires Peter Marchetti afterward will face immediate retaliation from Golden Group. Make sure that message is clear."

Sarah's eyes widened with understanding. "Yes, ma'am. Right away."

As the secretary hurried out, Marina turned back to Leon, her expression apologetic.

"I'm sorry, sir. I should have been more careful about our hiring practices."

Leon's smile was cold as winter. "Don't worry, Marina. Some lessons are best learned the hard way."