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Home / Urban / THE BOSS BEAST / CHAPTER 5 — THE FIVE STEPS
CHAPTER 5 — THE FIVE STEPS
Author: Lionaira
last update2026-01-15 05:49:10

The shouting started before anyone reached the boardroom. “You are a waste of resources!”

The voice cut through the corridor like shattered glass. Staff froze at their desks. Doors cracked open. “You came here talking like a savior,”

Richard Hale roared, “and all you’ve brought is bad luck!”

Inside the executive office, Dr. Adrian Volkov stood stiff, face pale but controlled.

“I followed the approved strategy,”

Volkov said carefully. “The data supported”

“The data?”

Richard snapped. “We’ve lost more money in two weeks than we lost in three months before you arrived.”

“That suggests the issue predates me.”

“That suggests you are incompetent,”

Richard shot back. Volkov’s jaw tightened. “You hired me to stabilize execution, not to rewrite leadership”

Richard slammed his desk. “Don’t lecture me in my own company.”

A long silence followed. Then Richard pointed at the door. “You’re done. Pack your things.”

Volkov stared. “You’re firing me?”

“Yes,”

Richard said flatly. “Consider this experiment over.”

Volkov exhaled slowly. “History will be very honest about this.”

Richard laughed bitterly. “History won’t remember you at all.”

Volkov said nothing more. He turned and walked out. By the time he reached the elevator, word had already spread. Minutes later, an emergency meeting was called. Again.

The boardroom filled quickly, faces drawn, eyes tired, patience worn thin. Richard stood at the head of the table, arms crossed. “We will not panic,”

he said. “We will not spiral.”

No one responded. He cleared his throat. “The so-called expert has been dismissed. We move forward.”

“With what plan?”

someone asked quietly. Richard ignored the question. “This meeting is about regaining control.”

Before anyone could speak again, A knock. An assistant entered, holding an envelope. “Sir… this just arrived.”

Richard frowned. “From who?”

“There’s no return address.”

He waved impatiently. “Give it to someone. Read it.”

The assistant handed it to the CFO. The man opened it slowly, eyes scanning the page.

His expression changed. “Read,”

Richard said. The CFO hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“Read it,”

Richard snapped. The CFO swallowed and began. The next five steps required to recover everything this company has lost in the past two years are with me.

These five steps, simple, precise, and time-sensitive, can restore stability and profit within two months. You don’t need new experts. You don’t need more meetings. You need honesty.

Ethan Blackwood The room went dead silent.

Richard’s face flushed. “Again?”

he snapped. “Why does this boy keep intruding?”

No one answered. “I don’t want his steps,”

Richard continued sharply. “We are fine.”

A woman from operations spoke cautiously. “Sir… we are not fine.”

Richard turned on her. “Did I ask for commentary?”

She lowered her eyes. The CFO folded the letter slowly.

“If he’s right—”

“I don’t care if he’s right,”

Richard said, voice rising. “I will not run my company by messages from a former junior analyst.”

“But he’s been right every time,”

someone muttered. Richard froze. The room held its breath. His hands clenched at his sides. His leg bounced, fast, restless.

“Enough,”

he said suddenly. “This meeting is over.”

“But”

“We’ll reconvene later,”

Richard snapped. “I need time.”

He grabbed his jacket and walked out, leaving the board staring at the unopened future sitting on the table. In a quiet office across the city, Ethan Blackwood closed his laptop.

“Did they read it?”

a colleague asked. “Yes,”

Ethan said calmly.

“And?”

“They’ll resist,”

Ethan replied. “That’s expected.” “So why send it?”

Ethan looked out at the skyline, unbothered. “Because now,”

he said, “when it collapses again, they’ll know it was a choice.”

He turned back to his desk. Five steps. Two months.

And a company running out of time, not because it lacked answers, but because it refused to listen.

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