The Mysterious Chairman Keith

Chapter 9

WORSE HUMILIATION 

Lisa and Jamie stood frozen long after Manuel disappeared into the private elevator. The echo of his footsteps still lingered in the marble hall, cutting through the heavy silence that had fallen over everyone.

Jamie’s jaw clenched, his face pale with disbelief. “What the hell was that…? Why did that old man bow to him like that?”

Lisa’s pulse raced. “I— I don’t know,” she stammered. “It doesn’t make sense. He must’ve tricked him somehow. There’s no way—”

Her words died as the senior manager, Voss, turned sharply toward them.

“You two,” he said coldly. “Out.”

Jamie blinked. “What?”

“I said,” Voss repeated, voice like a blade, “Get. Out. This is a restricted floor. You have no authorization to be here.”

Lisa recovered first, forcing a shaky smile. “Sir, there must be a misunderstanding. We’re here as guests for the anniversary—”

“Then wait in the designated lobby like everyone else,” Voss snapped. “And be grateful I don’t report you for interfering in internal affairs.”

Jamie bristled, anger overtaking his unease. “Do you have any idea who I am? I’m Jamie Darwin! My father’s company has a pending partnership with Nightingale Group. I’m a VIP guest, and you—”

“I don’t care if you’re the mayor’s son,” Voss interrupted, his tone like steel. “Right now, you’re obstructing an executive guest. That’s enough reason to have you escorted out.”

Before Jamie could retort, two guards stepped forward.

Lisa tugged on his sleeve, whispering urgently. “Jamie, stop. Not here.”

His pride burned, but the cold authority in Voss’s eyes told him he’d already lost this round. Scowling, he turned on his heel. “Fine. But you’ll regret this.”

They were escorted out through the side entrance, watched by whispering employees. The moment the glass doors shut behind them, Jamie slammed his fist against the wall. “That bastard! He humiliated us twice in one day!”

Lisa folded her arms, her face pale with anger. “He must have gotten lucky — maybe that man thought he was someone else. There’s no way Manuel could have a real connection here.”

Jamie’s phone buzzed. He looked down, jaw tightening. “Forget this. I’ll call my father.”

He dialed immediately, pacing as the line connected. “Dad, we’ve got a problem. Some idiot manager kicked me out of the Nightingale building. Yeah — the same one where the anniversary’s being held.”

His father’s muffled voice came through the speaker, filled with irritation. “Jamie, I told you not to cause trouble today! We can’t afford to offend anyone from Nightingale—”

“I didn’t! This guy accused me of trespassing. He said I didn’t belong here!” Jamie’s tone rose with frustration. “Get Mike Roddick to fix this. He owes you, doesn’t he?”

There was a pause, then a reluctant sigh. “Fine. I’ll call Mike.”

Jamie ended the call, exhaling sharply. A moment later, his phone pinged again — a text from his father: Mike’s sending someone to bring you back in.

Lisa leaned in. “See? I told you. This isn’t over yet.”

He smirked. “Not even close.”

Meanwhile, inside the towering headquarters of the Nightingale Group, the mood was entirely different. The upper atrium buzzed with anticipation. Waiters in crisp uniforms glided through the crowd, carrying trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres. Golden banners bearing the Nightingale insignia shimmered under the soft lights.

Whispers drifted through the crowd.

“Did you hear? The new chairman’s supposed to make his first public appearance today.”

“Yeah, and apparently, the Darwins’ proposal might be the first one he signs off on.”

“Smart move on their part. Partnering with Nightingale means instant elevation.”

Manuel stepped into the hall quietly, drawing only a few curious glances at first. He looked composed — charcoal-gray suit, confident stride, calm gaze. Nothing about him screamed power, yet somehow the air around him felt… steady. Controlled.

A few guests who recognized him from the city’s social circles began murmuring.

“Wait — isn’t that Lisa Stones’ ex-boyfriend?”

“The one she dumped for Jamie Darwin? What’s he doing here?”

“Probably sneaked in. Poor guy must be desperate.”

Their laughter was low, but not low enough.

Manuel ignored them. He moved toward the far side of the room, where a panoramic view of the city gleamed through the glass walls. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes held a quiet sharpness — observing, weighing.

From the entrance, the sound of new arrivals turned heads.

A small entourage entered — Jamie Darwin and Lisa Stones, walking arm in arm as though nothing had happened. Behind them trailed a middle-aged man in a dark suit — Mike Roddick’s assistant.

“Mr. Darwin,” the attendant greeted warmly. “Mr. Roddick sends his regards. Please, come in. The celebration will begin shortly.”

Jamie smiled smugly. “Appreciate it.”

As he walked through the crowd, voices rose again — this time in admiration.

“Look, that’s Jamie Darwin! His family’s company is about to finalize a deal with Nightingale!”

“They’re the ones getting the logistics contract, right? That’ll double their market share overnight.”

Lisa basked in the attention, her earlier humiliation fading under the glow of renewed praise. She shot a subtle, satisfied glance toward Manuel’s direction.

He stood near the window, unmoved. When their eyes met briefly, her smile tightened.

Jamie followed her gaze and snorted. “He’s still here? Guess the security team didn’t finish their job.”

A man beside him — a low-level manager eager to impress — chuckled. “Don’t worry, Mr. Darwin. Once the chairman arrives, riffraff like that will be cleared out.”

Jamie grinned. “You’re right. Let him stay — it’ll be more satisfying when he gets tossed in front of everyone.”

Lisa’s smile returned, perfectly polished. “Try not to embarrass yourself this time.”

Manuel overheard every word but didn’t react. Instead, he adjusted his cufflinks and looked toward the grand staircase where the event staff were preparing for the opening address. The tension in the air was building; something significant was about to happen.

Jamie’s laughter carried across the hall, loud and grating. “Some people never learn when they’re out of their depth.”

Manuel turned slightly, his gaze flicking toward them, calm, expressionless, yet carrying an edge that made Lisa’s stomach twist unexpectedly.

For a fleeting second, she remembered the faint golden light in his eyes from that night. The quiet power she couldn’t explain.

She looked away quickly, forcing a smile for the cameras as photographers began to circle the room.

At that same moment, in one of the upper floors, Dave Keith watched the feed from a private viewing suite. His expression was unreadable as his eyes followed the quiet figure of his son below.

Beside him, Laura Ivanovich stood with arms crossed, her gaze sharp.

“He’s handling it well,” she said.

Dave’s lips curved slightly. “He’s learned to be patient. But I wonder how long he’ll keep that calm once the curtains rise.”

Laura tilted her head, a faint smile ghosting her lips. “So you’re really doing it — announcing him as chairman today.”

Dave didn’t answer. His gaze remained fixed on the man below — the one who stood silently in the crowd, surrounded by doubters who had no idea who they were mocking.

Down in the main hall, the lights dimmed slightly, and the murmur of the crowd grew quieter.

The master of ceremonies took the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the anniversary celebration of the Nightingale Group of Companies. Tonight marks not only another successful year but a new chapter in our company’s leadership.”