Bryan was in his office. His serious demeanor created a tense, colorless atmosphere. A female secretary entered and handed him several documents that required his immediate attention.
The secretary knocked on the door.
“Come in,” Bryan said, remaining focused on his work.
The secretary, Viola, approached Bryan and handed him the documents.
“These are the documents that need to be signed today,” Viola said.
Bryan glanced at the documents Viola had brought.
“Very well. You may leave.”
After Viola left the room, John approached Bryan to report on the guests from the morning luncheon.
“They were all very surprised and curious about Miss Angeline. They sent their secretaries to inquire about Miss Angeline’s identity and background. Some of them believe in and support your marriage, Mr. President.”
“What about that old woman?”
“Mrs. Rose didn’t believe it right away, and her secretary even asked how you met Miss Angeline. Luckily, you visited California a month ago, which could serve as an alibi. Nevertheless, both you and Miss Angeline need to be more cautious and vigilant. I’m not sure how she’ll respond to your marriage to Miss Angeline. There’s a possibility that Mrs. Rose will reject the marriage and persuade the other executives to do the same.”
Bryan pondered John’s words. He knew the consequences of Angeline’s behavior at the dining table. It had been a serious mistake that could jeopardize his plans. Bryan thought hard about how to ensure that his upcoming marriage would be approved.
“Should we... offer her that?” Bryan muttered.
“Are you serious? Are you willing to sacrifice those shares just for a marriage?” John asked, understanding what Bryan meant.
“What other solution do you have? Mrs. Rose is a fearless woman who isn’t afraid of anything. As long as she controls fifty percent of the votes, we won’t be able to remove her. And if I marry a woman of her choosing, she might even pass off someone else’s child as my own. What then? Maybe you’ll be arranging my funeral a year from now.”
John fell silent as he listened to Bryan’s explanation. Bryan had always been suspicious of Mrs. Rose’s actions, especially after his father’s death. His father’s health had deteriorated significantly after marrying Mrs. Rose, and it was difficult to determine the exact cause of his decline.
Bryan had never liked Mrs. Rose from the beginning. He could tell the difference between a woman who genuinely loved his father and one who was merely after his wealth. Mrs. Rose’s two-faced nature disgusted Bryan, and they had even had heated arguments before his father married her.
As a result, Bryan had refrained from visiting the main house ever since their wedding. He didn’t care if people saw him as a disobedient son. He had even considered building his own business instead of inheriting his father’s company. However, when his father fell ill, Bryan returned to work in the family business and eventually inherited it when his father passed away. Fortunately, Mrs. Rose had been unable to conceive a child during their marriage. Still, Bryan knew she was cunning and would stop at nothing to secure her future.
“Prepare the wedding for a week from now. I’ll meet the woman and negotiate with her,” Bryan ordered, and John nodded in agreement.
Later that evening, Bryan surprised Mrs. Rose by visiting her at home, a place he had avoided for years. It had been five years since he had last set foot there—not even for his father’s funeral.
They sat in the living room while a servant brought refreshments and snacks. Mrs. Rose glared at Bryan, clearly displeased by his confident presence.
“What brings you here?” Mrs. Rose began.
“I simply want you to approve of my marriage,” Bryan replied coldly. Mrs. Rose narrowed her eyes in disdain.
“After years of never visiting, you finally come here just to marry some lowly woman?”
“You know, I never had a reason to come here. I noticed... quite a few luxury items have gone missing. Did you sell them?” Bryan accused sharply.
“Are you accusing me? What do you know about it when you’ve never even set foot here—not even when your father was dying? His company was on the verge of bankruptcy and couldn’t generate much profit. What was the point of keeping useless, expensive items?”
“Did you sell them to pay for my father’s medical expenses? You’re such a loyal wife. But why did your wealth increase after his death?”
Mrs. Rose’s audacious demand took Bryan by surprise. She wanted a high-ranking position in the company—either Vice President or Director of Finance—in exchange for approving his marriage. Bryan had never imagined that she would go to such lengths.
“What position do you want?” Bryan asked while John watched in disbelief.
“How about Vice President? Is that too high? Director of Finance sounds suitable for someone like me,” Mrs. Rose replied with an irritating laugh.
Bryan fell silent, pondering whether he should accept her condition. He knew he was running out of time and didn’t want to miss this opportunity. John whispered his disapproval, aware of the losses Bryan would incur by accepting Mrs. Rose’s terms.
Bryan was torn and growing anxious. He hadn’t anticipated that Mrs. Rose would push him this far.
“What about Director of Marketing? You can enjoy yourself without having to worry about the company’s finances,” Bryan suggested, trying to offer an alternative.
“But I have a background in financial management. How could you offer me a position I can’t handle?” Mrs. Rose retorted.
“Well, you’re not exactly young anymore—”
“We’re only five years apart. You want to get married quickly without any obstacles, right? Ten percent of the shares is worthless. If you make me Director of Finance, I’ll reject that ten percent.”
Mrs. Rose skillfully pressured Bryan, leaving him with no other choice. Bryan had come with an offer, but now he found himself cornered into making a difficult decision.
“Fine. You’ll be the Director of Finance,” Bryan finally conceded, and Mrs. Rose smiled triumphantly.