2026-09-28 11:20:11
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The Unexpected Face — Part 2
The host announced another segment.“Before we introduce our new majority shareholder, we'd like to hear from several members of Visteria's senior management.”One by one, executives were invited to the stage.Michael watched carefully.A regional director spoke about the company's expansion.A hotel manager talked about customer service.A financial executive discussed the company's recent performance.Michael noticed something immediately.The speeches sounded polished.Too polished.Nobody mentioned the problems.Nobody mentioned the $13.7 million monthly loss.Nobody mentioned supplier complaints.Nobody mentioned inefficient management.Nobody mentioned Marcus Hale.Michael wasn't surprised.A welcome event wasn't the place where executives would openly discuss problems.Still, it told him something.People were protecting the company's image.That wasn't necessarily bad.But Michael wanted to know what they were hiding behind that polished image.Then the host said something tha
The Unexpected Face Part - 1
The host stood beneath the bright lights, holding the microphone as the entire hall waited.Michael remained seated near the back.He had been watching the room for nearly half an hour, quietly taking in every detail. The executives sitting near the stage. The branch managers speaking among themselves. The investors checking their phones. The employees trying to guess what kind of person their new owner would be.Nobody had recognized him.That was exactly what Michael wanted.But then his eyes moved toward the executive section.He froze.For a moment, he wasn't sure if he was seeing correctly.A man in a dark blue suit was standing beside one of the senior executives, speaking quietly while looking toward the stage.Michael stared at him.That face.That voice.That familiar way of standing with one hand resting against his waist.Michael hadn't seen him in years.Yet he recognized him immediately.His old college friend.Ethan Walker.Michael's expression changed slightly.The nois
Preparing for the Welcome
The host's words were still hanging in the air.Everyone in the hall was looking toward the entrance, waiting for the mysterious new majority shareholder to appear.Michael remained where he was.He stood near the side of the hall, one hand resting casually in his pocket, watching the crowd instead of the doors.The host looked toward the entrance again.A few seconds passed.Nothing happened.People began whispering.“Where is he?”“Maybe he's not here yet.”“I heard he was definitely attending.”“Then why hasn't he come in?”Michael almost laughed.I'm already here.The host cleared his throat and tried to keep the situation under control.“Please remain seated. Our guest will be joining us shortly.”The lights returned to their normal brightness.The room slowly filled with quiet conversations again.Michael looked around.This wasn't some small company gathering.Visteria had gone all out.The main hall had been transformed into something that looked more like a major corporate ce
The New CEO
The next morning, Michael woke up earlier than usual.Sunlight slipped through the curtains and spread across the small bedroom. For a few seconds, he simply stared at the ceiling, enjoying the strange feeling of waking up without the weight of prison hanging over him.Then his phone vibrated.Michael reached for it and saw several notifications.Most were ordinary messages and updates, but one caught his attention.Visteria Hospitality Group — Corporate NoticeMichael opened it.A formal announcement appeared on the screen.The company would be holding a major welcome event for its new majority shareholder.Michael leaned back against the pillow.“So they’re doing this already?”He read through the notice.The event would be held at Visteria's main headquarters in Countera City. Senior executives, branch managers, department heads, investors, and several important business partners had been invited.The reason was simple.The company had a new majority shareholder.And everyone wante
Marcus Hale
The heavy oak doors of the private dining room clicked shut behind them, muffling the low murmur of the restaurant floor. Sarah smoothed the front of her coat, still shaking her head in disbelief as they stepped toward the lobby."Honestly, Michael, that dessert alone was pure art," she said, her voice bright with genuine wonder. "I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything quite that rich."Michael offered an easy grin, though his eyes remained observant, scanning the corridor. "Really? To be frank, I thought the sauce was a little flat. It lacked balance."Sarah stopped in her tracks, giving him a look that hovered between amusement and maternal skepticism. "Flat? Michael, it’s the most expensive meal I’ve had in my entire life. If that was flat, I’d hate to see what you actually consider good.""Then next time," Michael chuckled, gently steering her toward the exit, "I’ll find a place that really sets the bar.""You will do no such thing," Sarah chided, though the warmth in her eyes be
The Name That Changed Everything
The restaurant manager walked down the remaining steps.His polished shoes touched the marble floor one step at a time as he approached the group.At first, his attention went to Nicol and his wife.Then his eyes shifted toward Michael and Sarah.The moment he saw the situation, his expression became serious.He stopped a few feet away.“What is going on here?”His voice carried enough authority that the nearby conversations immediately became quieter.The waiter who had been arguing with Michael quickly stepped forward.“Sir, these two people are causing trouble.”He pointed toward Michael.“They're claiming this table belongs to them, but Mr. Jilliam has shown us a valid reservation.”Nicol immediately nodded.“Exactly.”He adjusted his expensive jacket before continuing.“I don't know where these people came from, but they refused to leave even after we explained that this table was reserved.”His wife stood beside him with a satisfied smile.She glanced at Michael and Sarah as if
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