The Domination Of Young Master Luke

Chapter 5 - Caesar

“I’ve been serving your family for more than two decades.” Bernard leaned back slightly as he spoke in a steady tone. He continued. “I started out managing one of your family’s hotels. Back then, ENDX Corporation didn’t even exist. The company was only established ten years ago.”

Luke raised an eyebrow then nodded slowly. That meant Bernard had already been working for the Cruise family before Luke was even born.

As for the ENDX, he already knew a bit about it, so he was not surprised that the company was just over a decade old. Compared to other giants in the industry, it was still relatively new.

What truly impressed him was how fast ENDX had grown. It had risen through the ranks at an unbelievable speed, outperforming competitors that had been around far longer. Now it made sense. The company was backed by his family’s resources, and more importantly, by his grandfather’s influence. With Duncan Cruise behind it, success was almost guaranteed.

Luke noticed Bernard smile faintly, his head tilting as if he had been pulled into a memory.

The smile disappeared the moment Bernard realized Luke was watching him.

“I apologize, Mr. Cruise,” Bernard said. “I was just thinking about how brilliant your grandfather was when he chose the company’s name. Even I was surprised when he told me where the idea for ENDX came from.”

Luke frowned slightly. He rested his hands together under his chin.

“Really? What do you mean?” he curiously asked.

Bernard chuckled softly.

“Lord Duncan once told me that when you were three years old, you desperately wanted a dog. When your father came back from Germany, he brought home a three-month-old Great Dane puppy for you. You named him Caesar.”

Luke stiffened for a moment, then smiled without realizing it.

‘Caesar.’

Because Luke was one of the designated heirs of the Cruise family, he had been educated inside the manor during his early years. Life there was quiet, controlled, and painfully boring. His playmates were his grandparents, the butler, and the maids. No matter how kind they were, it was never the same.

Everything changed when Caesar arrived.

From that day on, the manor was rarely quiet. Luke and Caesar ran through hallways, knocked over expensive vases during their games of chase, and turned the once-serene estate upside down. Yet instead of scolding him, his grandmother only laughed. To her, Luke’s happiness mattered more than broken antiques.

When Luke turned ten, Caesar passed away at seven years old.

It broke him.

Caesar was never just a pet. He was family. A brother. Losing him felt like losing a part of himself. His grandfather offered to get him another dog, but Luke refused. What he wanted was not a replacement. He wanted those days back. He wanted to be three years old again, running around with Caesar at his side.

Luke snapped back to the present.

“But what does Caesar have to do with the company’s name?” he asked.

Bernard smiled knowingly. He picked up a sheet of paper and a pen, then wrote out the English alphabet from A to Z.

Luke watched, confused.

“I’ll explain it clearly, Mr. Cruise,” Bernard said.

Before Bernard could continue, Luke suddenly slapped his own forehead.

“Wait. I get it,” he blurted out.

‘How did I not see this earlier?’

A sense of awe washed over him as realization hit.

His grandfather had used a Caesar cipher. Caesar died at the age of seven, and because Luke had wished to return to those days, Duncan applied a backward shift of seven.

Luke.

L shifted back became E.

U became N.

K became D.

E became X.

ENDX.

The year Caesar died was also the year ENDX Corporation began construction. And because Luke had always loved cars, even as a child, Duncan built ENDX as an automotive company.

Luke leaned back in his chair, smiling widely as he shook his head in disbelief.

ENDX was never just a business. It was a memory. A tribute. A piece of his life preserved in another form.

His grandfather had found a way to keep Caesar alive, not as a dog, but as something that would grow and move forward with Luke.

‘You really surprised me, Grandpa. Thank you.’ he thought as he smiled softly.

“That is why this company truly belongs to you,” Bernard continued. “And that is also why you are set to become the President of ENDX Corporation, Mr. Cruise. Since you will be taking that position, I will step down to Vice President.”

Luke straightened.

“What about the current Vice President?” he asked.

“Ms. Reyes has already been reassigned to another company,” Bernard replied politely. “For now, I will continue managing ENDX while you undergo your training. You don’t need to worry about anything else. Focus on learning. If any issues arise, just call me and I’ll handle them immediately.”

Luke nodded.

Being handed control of a multi-billion-dollar company overnight sounded unreal, almost like a joke. But the responsibility that came with it was no laughing matter. He could not afford to fail. He would not disappoint his grandfather.

Bernard stood up and left the office briefly. When he returned, Pauline followed behind him.

She received a short but firm lecture about what had happened earlier. From the outside, they looked almost like a strict father scolding his daughter.

After introducing Pauline properly, Bernard explained that she would assist Luke during his training. He then excused himself, saying he needed to return to the main branch to deal with other matters.

Once Bernard left, the room fell silent.

“Are you alright, Ms. Lee?” Luke asked, breaking the silence.

Pauline had been standing stiffly, her eyes lowered, as if speaking would end her career on the spot.

“Yes, Mr. Cruise,” she replied nervously. “I’m really sorry about what happened earlier. I promise it will never happen again.”

While waiting outside earlier, Pauline had paced back and forth in the hallway, rehearsing apology after apology in her head.

If Bernard was terrifying, then Luke should have been even more so. Bernard had bowed to him and addressed him as young master. That alone spoke volumes. Luke was clearly an heir to a powerful family, one that even Bernard respected deeply.

“It’s fine,” Luke said casually. “Don’t worry about it.”

Pauline blinked several times.

‘He’s not angry?’

“Is there a problem, Ms. Lee?” Luke asked when he noticed her staring.

She shook her head quickly.

“No, Mr. Cruise. I’m just surprised. And relieved. Thank you.”

She let out a long breath, as if a weight had finally been lifted off her chest.

“I understand your situation,” Luke said. “And I know you didn’t want any of that to happen.”

Bernard had simply been overprotective. Pauline was not at fault.

“Thank you again, Mr. Cruise,” Pauline said sincerely.

Luke nodded.

“Shall we continue with my training?”

He was curious how Pauline planned to teach him company management. She was young for an executive manager, maybe only five or six years older than him. Still, he admired her. Most people didn’t reach her position until their thirties.

“I think we should call for a meeting with all company staff,” Pauline suggested. “Some employees don’t know you yet. It might be the most important step right now.”

She did not want a repeat of earlier events. The memory of Bernard’s furious expression still sent chills down her spine.

Luke thought for a moment.

If the employees learned who he really was, the news would spread outside sooner or later. That was exactly what he wanted to avoid.

He had extended his poverty training to keep up the illusion of being poor. He wanted to find someone who loved him for who he was, not for his money. If people knew he owned ENDX Corporation, gold diggers would surely line up at his front door.

Veronica’s face suddenly appeared in his mind.

What if he told her the truth? Would she come back to him? Would she leave Richard for him?

Luke shook his head.

He didn’t want that. If she returned only because he was rich, then nothing had changed. At least she left before learning the truth.

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Luke said. “Just inform them that ENDX has a new President.”

Pauline slightly frowned, because of worry.

“What do you mean, Mr. Cruise? Do you intend to hide your real identity from everyone?”

Luke noticed her concern and smiled.

“Don’t worry. I’ll explain it to Mr. Bernard myself. This decision has nothing to do with you.”

“O-okay, Mr. Cruise.”

Pauline did not fully understand his reasons, but she did not press further. Maybe Luke was just that type. Low-key, humble, and uninterested in showing off.

Anyone else in his position would have announced it to the world by now.

‘He really is different,’ she thought, her heart fluttering slightly.

‘Does he have a girlfriend?’