The Astonishing Rise Of Hector Henderson

CHAPTER 11

With a grin on his face, Hector leaned back in his chair. "That's right, I will be the one taking over the company."

Sheila's brows furrowed in confusion, and she turned her gaze away from Hector, still struggling to believe that he was the one set to inherit the business.

From what she knew, only family members of the Hendersons could own the company, and Hector didn’t look like one of them.

She face-palmed. How could she have missed it? He shared the same surname as her previous boss.

"Are you sure it’s really him?" she questioned the housekeeper. "There must be a mistake. I might have picked the wrong person."

Hector frowned. He had just told her he was the person she was asked to pick up, yet she still doubted him. Was that how little she thought of him? Or was she just being cautious to avoid mistakes?

Though it bothered him, after all, he was the son who had been kicked out of the Henderson family and wasn’t known to anyone.

He could also tell that none of the Henderson family workers would recognize him unless they had worked for the family while he was still around.

The housekeeper chuckled. "There’s no mistake. He just doesn’t like to dress up much. I’ll send you a picture of him now."

Sheila nodded, sighing in relief. She wanted to be certain he was indeed part of the Henderson family and not get into trouble for picking up the wrong person.

The call ended, and a few seconds later, her phone chimed. Her fingers moved as fast as they could as she opened the message. She was greeted by a picture of Hector.

Unlike his current appearance, he was neatly and expensively dressed, with silky, styled hair. He looked much more like a member of the Henderson family. Her eyes darted from Hector to the picture.

'I can’t believe they are the same person,' she thought, peering at Hector, who gave her a questioning look. 'Maybe it’s an old portrait of him. Boss said he likes to dress modestly.'

Hector didn’t look away from her, his eyes piercing through her like he could see into her soul. Earlier, she had looked calm and collected, but now her eyes flashed with hesitation, and a guilty expression crossed her face.

Remembering how she had checked to make sure it was him, she tucked her phone into her pocket and straightened up.

"Hello, Mr. Henderson," she said, forcing a smile. "I’m Sheila Barlowe. I apologize for not introducing myself earlier and for doubting that you would become the president of the company."

Taken aback, a smile slowly crossed Hector’s lips. Although he had expected an apology, he didn’t expect her to be that direct.

Sheila pressed her lips together, thoughts racing through her mind, uneasiness filling her as the silence in the room deepened.

'Why wasn’t he saying anything?' she wondered.

Was this the end of her job? Would she need to dust off her CV and start searching for work again? She was ready to accept any punishment, even if it meant losing her job.

"It’s alright," Hector said, reading her expression. "I know what you're thinking, but I’m not the kind of maniac who goes around firing employees for a little mistake."

"Umm." She muttered, "I am sorry."

"You were only doing your job, Vice President."

His words made her snap her head up to look at him, and a smile crossed her lips.

"I’m really sorry for misunderstanding you earlier," she said, her voice warm as she tried to confirm that he had forgiven her. "You can use that chair as much as you want. It’s not just for show."

"It’s really alright," he confirmed. What she had done didn’t bother him. He was more concerned about the task at hand. "I came here not only to take over the company but also because I need you to do something."

Ecstatic that she wasn’t getting fired, Sheila's face lit up with excitement. "Of course! What do you need me to do? Do you want to see the files and how everything has been so far? I can get them right away."

"I’d like to check the company’s schedule," he said, clasping his hands together with a serious look. "And bring in as much information about the company as you can."

"Yes," she replied.

Hector's eyes swept across the expansive room, taking in the neatly arranged tables and the sleek white and gray color scheme that gave the office a clean, professional atmosphere. He watched Sheila move with purpose towards a corner of the room, her footsteps echoing in the space as she retrieved the files he needed.

The office was a picture of organization and efficiency, each element placed with care and attention to detail.

Sheila returned with the files and placed them on the table in front of Hector.

"Here are the files you requested," she said, folding her hands behind her back. "They include the names of the company's partners. If you want to add or remove a partner, that can be done too."

Hector picked up the schedule file and leafed through it. "There’s going to be a business party?" he asked, raising his head to look at her.

She nodded. "Yes, the company will announce a new list of business partners during the party."

Hector grinned. 'I just need to help them secretly,' he mumbled to himself. 'This party is the perfect opportunity.'

He glanced at the files on the table, then picked up another. The title caught his eye—Bronze-Level Partner List.

Seeing him examine the document, Sheila felt the need to explain. "That’s the list of all the Bronze Level partners of the company."

Hearing her, Hector glanced at her, waiting for her to continue.

She cleared her throat, unfolding her hands and gesturing towards the file. "The Bronze Level partners are the entry-level investors or collaborators. They usually hold a smaller stake in the company and don’t have much say in decision-making. They’re contributors but with limited influence."

Hector nodded, flipping through the pages while listening.

"The Silver Level partners," she continued, "are those who have been with the company longer or have invested more. They have more power, can participate in some decisions, and are involved in mid-level strategies."

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And the Gold Level?"