The Hidden King: Rise of Hercules

The New Manager

Alex stepped out of the sleek black cab right in front of the towering glass skyscraper of P.K. Corporation. The morning sun bounced off the huge metal sign near the entrance, casting a bright, expensive glow over the whole street. He adjusted the collar of his crisp gray shirt, took a steady breath, and walked straight through the revolving glass doors like he owned the entire block.

Yesterday, the security guards had tried to block him and Charles had laughed right in his face. Today, things were totally different.

The moment the front desk receptionist spotted him walking in, she stood up straight and gave him a polite, nervous bow. She had clearly been briefed by Jane or Alfred about the new management arrival. Alex just nodded back coolly, keeping his hands relaxed in his pockets as he headed straight for the private executive elevators.

When the silver doors slid open on the upper management floor, the quiet hum of busy workers hit his ears. People in sharp suits were rushing back and forth with folders and tablets, totally focused on their morning schedules. Alex walked down the plush carpeted hallway, taking in the grand office spaces, until he reached the door marked with a shiny gold nameplate for the senior manager position.

Jane was already standing right outside his new office door, holding a thick leather folder and looking like she had been waiting for a while. Her sharp expression softened just a tiny bit when she saw him walking toward her, though she still looked pretty skeptical about how a guy who used to deliver packages suddenly landed such a massive job.

“Good morning, Mr. Alex,” Jane greeted him, her voice professional and crisp. “Your office has been fully prepared according to Mr. Alfred’s exact instructions. I have all your initial department files ready for review right here.”

“Morning, Jane,” Alex replied smoothly, stepping up beside her and pushing the heavy wooden door wide open. “Let's see what we're working with.”

He stepped inside, and his eyes scanned the space. It was huge. A massive floor-to-ceiling glass window covered the entire back wall, giving an incredible view of the bustling city skyline far below. A heavy mahogany desk sat in the center of the room, surrounded by leather chairs, a private seating area, and shelves lined with corporate strategy books. It was a far cry from the tiny, cramped room in the servants’ quarters where he had slept the night before.

Jane walked in right behind him, placing the heavy leather folder squarely in the middle of the clean desk. “Here are the current quarter reports, the employee rosters for your division, and the pending project schedules. The department heads are expecting a quick introductory meeting in about thirty minutes so you can lay down the law.”

Alex dropped his keys onto the desk and let out a light chuckle. “Laying down the law sounds a bit intense. Let's just call it a friendly chat to see who actually knows what they're doing.”

Jane raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by his calm and confident attitude. Most newbies would be sweating bullets on their first day running a major department, but Alex looked like he was sitting in his own living room. “If you say so, sir. I’ll go inform the team that you're ready.”

She turned around and headed out, closing the door softly behind her.

Left alone in his new office, Alex walked over to the giant glass window and looked down at the tiny cars crawling along the streets below. A lot had changed in just a few days. He went from being treated like a worthless nobody by his snobby in-laws to running one of the most powerful corporate departments in the city. But he knew this was only the beginning. The opposition was still out there, and whoever had orchestrated his father's downfall was probably watching his every move from the shadows.

A sharp knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts.

“Come in,” Alex called out, turning around and leaning casually against the edge of his desk.

The door clicked open, and Charles stepped into the office. The smug, arrogant grin Charles usually wore was completely gone, replaced by a pale, twitchy expression of pure shock. He looked like he had just seen a ghost. Charles had heard the rumors buzzing around the office about a new manager taking over this specific division, but he flat-out refused to believe it until he saw it with his own eyes.

Charles stopped dead in his tracks right in the middle of the room, his eyes darting from the expensive furniture to Alex’s calm, smiling face.

“You... you actually got the job?” Charles blurted out, his voice cracking slightly as panic set in. “What kind of sick joke is this? You're a delivery driver! You don't know the first thing about corporate management!”

Alex let out a quiet laugh, pushing himself off the desk and taking a slow, steady step toward Charles. The sheer lack of fear in Alex's eyes made Charles instinctively take a step back.

“Things change fast, Charles,” Alex said softly, his voice dropping into a cool, dangerous tone. “Turns out the people running this city value competence a lot more than petty high school bullying.”

“This is insane!” Charles stammered, shaking his head in total denial. “I’ve worked my tail off for years to climb up this ladder, and they just hand a senior manager position to a broke nobody off the street? I am going straight to the board of directors to report this!”

“Go right ahead,” Alex smiled, crossing his arms over his chest. “Tell them Hercules sent you. See how fast they pack up your desk.”

Hearing that name hit Charles like a physical blow. The color drained completely from his face, and his mouth kept opening and closing like a fish out of water. He remembered the rumors, the whispers in the underground circles about the legendary heir returning to claim his throne. Could it really be true? Was this quiet kid standing right in front of him actually... no, it couldn't be.

Before Charles could stammer out another word, the office door swung open again, and Jane walked back in, holding a clipboard against her chest. She stopped when she saw Charles standing there looking terrified.

“Mr. Charles,” Jane said strictly, her voice leaving zero room for argument. “Mr. Alex’s introductory department meeting is about to start in the main conference room. Unless you are part of this specific division, you need to step out of his office immediately.”

Charles swallowed hard, casting one last terrified look at Alex. He realized right then and there that the old rules didn't apply anymore. The game had completely changed, and he was completely out of his depth. Without saying another word, Charles turned around on his heel and practically sprinted out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

Jane watched him go with a slight frown, then turned her attention back to Alex. “Well, that was dramatic. Are you ready to head down to the conference room, sir? The entire staff is waiting for you.”

Alex stood up tall, straightening his jacket with a confident grin. The in-laws back at the mansion might still think he was a parasite, and petty jerks like Charles might still hate him, but here, in his element, he was completely untouchable.

“Lead the way, Jane,” Alex said smoothly. “It’s time to get to work.”