The Silent Heir

The Bid

(The Next Day)

Rowan and Zora arrived at her company early, the building already alive with staff moving in and out, the atmosphere carrying that quiet pressure of a place trying hard to stay afloat.

Zora stepped out first, her heels hitting the ground with that same sharp confidence she always carried, while Rowan followed behind at an easy pace, his hands relaxed, expression calm as his eyes swept over the building once before settling.

He let out a small breath and glanced at her. “Not bad,” he said lightly. “Not bad at all.”

Zora scoffed immediately, not even sparing him a proper look.

“Don’t get comfortable,” she replied coldly. “Just because my parents like you doesn’t mean anything. I don’t. Not even a little.”

Rowan smiled faintly.

“And don’t misunderstand your position,” she continued, her tone sharp. “Being my assistant doesn’t change that either. You’re here to work. That’s it.”

Rowan gave a small nod, his expression easy, like he didn’t take any of it personally.

“I understand,” he said calmly.

Zora didn’t respond again and turned, walking straight toward the entrance. Rowan followed behind without a word, his gaze calm, but there was a faint trace of amusement in his eyes. For someone who claimed not to care, she was putting in a lot of effort to make it clear.

They moved quickly through the building, and without delay, Zora brought him along to the meeting room. She didn’t have the option to leave him behind. If he was now her assistant, then he stayed with her, even in internal meetings.

Inside, the atmosphere was already tense.

The company hadn’t been doing well.

Losses had been stacking for months. Investments weren’t returning. Projects had stalled. Cash flow was tightening. It wasn’t collapse yet… but it was close enough for everyone to feel it.

That was why this meeting mattered.

Zora took her seat at the head, her posture straight, expression composed, while Rowan stood slightly behind her, silent and observing everything without drawing attention.

The screen at the front displayed one name.

Aurex Biopharm.

Zora tapped lightly on the table before speaking.

“The opportunity is clear,” she said. “Aurex is about to release a new compound. It’s not just any product... it’s a high-impact medical solution with strong demand potential. If we secure the sales rights, even at a regional level, it will stabilize our revenue stream immediately.”

She paused briefly.

“More importantly, it will restore market confidence in us.”

A few people nodded, but the tension didn’t ease.

One of the shareholders leaned forward, his expression serious. “That’s assuming we can get it.”

Another added, “Aurex doesn’t hand out distribution rights easily. Their selection process is strict. They prioritize capacity, financial stability, logistics, compliance... and we’re currently failing in at least two of those areas.”

The room went quiet for a second.

Zora didn’t deny it.

“It’s competitive,” she admitted. “But not impossible.”

The first shareholder shook his head slightly. “We’ve been bleeding funds for months. Our last quarter report was already a warning sign. Why would they choose us over stronger companies?”

Another voice joined in. “Even if we somehow secure it, do we have the infrastructure to support distribution at that level? If we fail to deliver, it will damage us further.”

Zora’s fingers tightened slightly against the table, but her face remained composed.

“We’re not aiming for full-scale control,” she said. “A limited regional contract is enough. If we prove performance in the first phase, expansion becomes possible.”

The room stayed divided.

Then one of the older shareholders spoke again, his tone more direct this time. “And how exactly do you plan to convince Aurex?”

His eyes stayed on her.

“With our current numbers... we’re not exactly their first choice.”

Silence settled again.

Zora didn’t answer immediately.

Behind her, Rowan stood quietly, his gaze resting on the screen, then shifting slightly to the people in the room, listening, observing, and calculating.

He hadn’t said a single word, but his presence... hadn’t gone unnoticed.

Zora’s fingers curled tighter against the table as the voices piled up, one after another, calm on the surface, but clearly pressing her into a corner.

She kept her posture straight, her expression controlled, but the tension in her jaw didn’t go unnoticed.

“There’s no need to worry,” she said, her tone firm, cutting through the noise.

It didn’t help.

One of the shareholders leaned back with a scoff. “No need to worry? That’s what you said last quarter.”

Another followed immediately. “And the quarter before that. Look where we are now.”

The room stirred with quiet agreement.

A third voice came in, sharper this time. “At this point, it’s better you reconsider what Young Master Aiden proposed.”

Zora’s eyes hardened slightly.

“You mean selling the company?” she asked.

The man didn’t hesitate. “Yes. At least that way we cut our losses instead of sinking completely.”

Another shareholder added, “We’re not saying this lightly. The numbers don’t lie. We’re losing millions steadily. If we don’t secure a major project like Aurex, this company won’t last long.”

Someone else leaned forward, his tone blunt. “And let’s be honest... what are the chances we actually get it? Competing firms are stronger, more stable, better funded.”

Zora’s silence stretched for a second.

The same man pressed again, “If we fail to get the rights, we go bankrupt. That’s the reality.”

Another voice came, colder this time. “You’re driving this company into the ground, Zora. Pride doesn’t fix losses.”

Her expression tightened, but they didn’t stop.

“We supported you because we believed you could stabilize things,” one of them continued. “But right now, you’re gambling with what’s left.”

“Sell to Aiden,” another added. “At least he can keep the brand alive. With you... we’re just waiting for collapse.”

Zora clenched her teeth, and for a moment, she didn’t know what to say.

Every angle they pushed... was built on truth.

That was the problem.

She opened her mouth slightly, but nothing came out, and that was when Rowan moved.

He stepped forward calmly, his movements unhurried, and expression steady as he spoke.

“You’ll get it.”

The room went quiet and all eyes turned to him.

The same shareholder who had been speaking earlier frowned. “Who are you?”

Rowan met his gaze without hesitation.

“Her assistant,” he said.

A scoff followed immediately.

“An assistant?” the man said with clear ridicule. “Since when do assistants speak in meetings like this?”

Another added, “This isn’t a place for irrelevant opinions. Stay in your position.”

Rowan didn’t react to the tone; instead, he smiled slightly.

“Also her husband,” he added calmly.

The words landed, and the room froze for a split second.

Zora’s head snapped slightly toward him, while the shareholders exchanged quick glances, clearly not expecting that.

Rowan’s gaze remained steady.

“So now,” he said quietly, “do I have the right to speak?”

Silence lingered, and just as the tension began to settle, a voice suddenly came from the entrance.

“How did you get married...”

The tone was sharp and unpleased.

“And I didn’t know about it?”