THE SECRET BEHIND THE NERDY MAN

6

The cold hospital corridor turned into a battlefield the moment the emergency boardroom door opened. A long table was covered with files, laptops glowing, and stern faces surrounding it. Every pair of eyes shifted toward Kai as he walked in, stiff and tense.

“He’s here.” One of the directors spoke flatly.

Kai squared his shoulders, forcing himself not to show hesitation.

Richard rose to his feet, a crooked smile on his face. “At last. The hidden heir shows up in the middle of the storm.”

Kai stared straight ahead, silent.

“Sit down.” Dean’s voice cut in, warm and soothing, as if to calm the room. “We’re all here for the company.”

Kai pulled out a chair and sat, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

A bespectacled man—one of the senior directors—cleared his throat. “Mr. Leonard’s condition remains critical. The company needs certainty. If he cannot return, we must decide who will lead.”

“That’s obvious.” Richard leaned back in his chair. “I’m the most experienced one here. I’ve been managing the European branches for years. And this boy—” he turned to Kai with a scornful look, “just surfaced out of nowhere. What could he possibly do?”

Kai clenched his fists beneath the table. “I may not have proven anything to you yet. But I am his son. My father trusted me.”

Several directors exchanged glances.

“Trusted you?” Richard scoffed. “Trusted you enough to collapse on stage because he insisted on dragging you into the spotlight? That reckless decision nearly killed him.”

Kai gritted his teeth. “I never asked for that announcement.”

“Exactly.” Richard leaned forward. “You couldn’t even control your own circumstances. How could you possibly control a multi-billion-dollar company?”

The tension thickened.

Dean finally spoke. “Uncle, maybe we shouldn’t jump to conclusions so quickly. Kai is young. Let’s give him the chance to speak.”

Kai glanced at Dean. That smile of his… too perfect.

Dean turned to him, still smiling. “Tell us, Kai. If you were to become heir, what’s your plan? Have you thought about where you’d take the company?”

Kai paused before answering, “I don’t know every detail yet. But I know one thing—I won’t let this company fall into the wrong hands.”

A few people chuckled under their breath.

Richard clicked his tongue. “Childish answer.”

The family lawyer stood, lifting a thick folder. “There is one option. Mr. Leonard signed a temporary document last month. If enacted, Kai will remain the rightful heir, but every decision must first be approved by the board.”

Kai narrowed his eyes. “Which means I’d be nothing but a puppet.”

Another director interjected, “Or you could decline, and we appoint an interim leader. Your uncle, perhaps.”

Richard nodded, satisfied. “The most logical solution.”

Kai’s anger burned, but he kept his voice steady. “My father never raised me to be anyone’s puppet.”

The door opened again. Footsteps, slow and confident.

Zac walked in, sharp in his tailored black suit, confidence radiating from him. Catherine was nowhere to be seen.

Kai shot to his feet. “What are you doing here?”

Several directors turned, some greeting him with respectful nods.

One answered, “Mr. Zac is an investment adviser we invited. He has considerable connections.”

Zac smirked. “What a coincidence, Kai. Small world, isn’t it?”

Kai glared. “You have no right to meddle in my family’s affairs.”

Zac shrugged. “But I do have the right when it involves a company I invest in. Besides…” He paused deliberately before adding, voice laced with provocation, “Catherine’s worried about you. She wanted me to make sure you don’t destroy everything your father built.”

Kai’s breath caught. That name stung like a blade.

Richard chuckled darkly. “See? Even outsiders care more about this company than you do.”

The tension spiked again when the door swung open. This time, Leonard’s personal lawyer entered, looking weary but resolute.

“I bring direct instructions from Mr. Leonard.” He placed another folder on the table. “His official will, signed a month ago. By law, it must be read tonight.”

The room fell silent.

“What?!” Richard shot to his feet, face flushed with fury. “Why wasn’t I told about this?”

The lawyer’s gaze was cold. “Because it was Leonard’s private order.”

Dean raised an eyebrow, then cast Kai a thin smile. “Interesting.”

Kai’s breath quickened. A will? Had his father anticipated all of this?

“Read it now,” one of the directors demanded.

The lawyer shook his head. “By protocol, it can only be read once Mr. Leonard’s condition is medically confirmed. Either he recovers… or—” he paused, “he does not.”

The room froze.

When the lawyer left, the board erupted again. Directors whispered furiously, some openly discussing shares.

Richard moved closer to Kai, his voice low and venomous. “If you’re really Leonard’s son, prove it. But remember—one wrong move, and you’ll be the laughingstock of the business world. And I’ll make sure of it.”

Kai stared straight back, unflinching.

Zac chimed in, patting Kai’s shoulder mockingly. “Heavy, isn’t it? Being the center of attention? Don’t worry. If you fall, Catherine has me. She’ll be just fine.”

Kai slapped his hand away, fury simmering.

Dean stepped forward, his smile still plastered on. “Kai, if you need help, I’m on your side.”

Kai’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t need someone pretending to care.”

Before the argument could escalate, a nurse burst in, breathless. “Mr. Kai Winslow! Your father—his condition just worsened. The doctor needs you in ICU right away!”

Kai froze. Faces around him shifted in shock.

“No way…” one director whispered.

Kai bolted from the room, heart pounding so hard it hurt. The lawyer’s words echoed in his mind. The will… decisions… the company’s future…

And now, his father’s life hung by a thread.