Liam tapped his pen against the mahogany desk, the rhythmic click echoing in the quiet of his office. The city sprawled beneath him, a tapestry of glass and steel shimmering under the afternoon sun. He was on the phone, his voice a low rumble that seemed to emanate from the very building itself.
“So, the acquisition of the South American branch is still on track? Good. Make sure our legal team has everything in order. I want those assets secured by the end of the week. I’m not taking any chances, John.”
Liam’s eyes flicked to the clock on the wall. His secretary, a woman named Sarah, had informed him of a meeting with a potential partner in ten minutes. He needed to wrap things up.
“Right, John, I’ll be in touch. Keep me updated.” He hung up the phone, a sigh escaping his lips. This was the life of a CEO. Never a moment to breathe.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. “Liam, you have a meeting in ten minutes,” Sarah said, her voice a gentle but firm reminder.
“Thanks, Sarah. I’m just going to grab a coffee.” Liam replied, pushing away his chair.
He walked towards the coffee machine, the aroma of freshly roasted beans filling his senses. As he was waiting for his coffee, his phone buzzed. It was Isabelle. He hesitated for a moment, surprised to see her name on the screen. He had expected a message from Kyle, his former lover, who had been making his life a living hell since he had learned about the marriage contract. But this was Isabelle. He answered, trying to maintain a neutral tone.
“Isabelle, what can I do for you?”
“Liam, hello.” Isabelle’s voice was soft, her usual aloofness replaced by a surprising calm. “I’m calling to ask you what you’d like for dinner. I want to cook something.”
Liam raised an eyebrow. Isabelle cooked? This was a first. “What are you cooking?” He asked, his curiosity piqued. He knew she wasn’t exactly a domestic goddess.
“I was thinking salmon. With roasted vegetables.”
“Salmon sounds good,” he said, a warmth spreading through his chest. He wasn’t sure why he was so surprised by her call. He had thought she would be upset with him, maybe even angry, but she seemed surprisingly…pleasant.
“Okay, I’ll start prepping. I’m also calling to tell you something. But I want to tell you in person. Can I see you later tonight?”
Before Liam could respond, Sarah’s voice echoed from the door.”Liam, the meeting is in five minutes.”
“I’ll talk to you later, Isabelle. I’ll be home as soon as possible.” Liam said quickly, a tinge of disappointment lacing his voice.
“Okay. See you then.” Isabelle said before ending the call.
Liam hung up and snatched his suit jacket from the chair where he had tossed it earlier. He headed toward the conference room, a sense of unease creeping into his mind. The unexpected call from Isabelle had momentarily disrupted his train of thought. He needed to focus on the meeting.
The conference room buzzed with activity. A delegation from a prominent tech company, led by a man named David, had arrived to discuss a potential collaboration on a revolutionary AI project. Liam was impressed by their presentation and the enthusiasm they displayed. He sat at the head of the table, the sleek, rectangular surface reflecting the city lights streaming through the large windows.
“The potential of this project is incredible, Liam,” David said, his eyes shining with excitement. “This could truly revolutionize the industry. Imagine, a self-learning AI that can diagnose medical conditions, predict market fluctuations, and even compose music. The possibilities are endless.”
Liam nodded, his mind racing. He was intrigued by the potential of this project, but there was a nagging sense of unease that he couldn’t shake. It was a project he had been developing in secret, a project that he had envisioned as a game-changer for his company.
His team was equally enthusiastic. “The AI algorithm is groundbreaking, Liam,” said Michael, his chief technology officer. “We’ve already seen amazing results in our initial tests.”
“We can also leverage our existing infrastructure to scale this project quickly,” added Emily, the head of marketing, a woman with a bright smile and a sharp mind.
Their enthusiasm was infectious, but Liam couldn’t help but feel a shiver of unease. There was something about this project, something about the way David spoke, that felt off. He couldn’t place it, but it was there, lurking in the shadows of his mind.
Just as the meeting was reaching its peak, the conference room door flung open with a bang, causing everyone to turn their heads in surprise. A young woman, Emily’s assistant, stood in the doorway, her face pale with fear.
“Liam, you need to see this,” she said breathlessly, her voice barely a whisper.
She rushed towards the table, her eyes searching for something. “The remote! Where’s the remote?”
Liam glanced around the table, seeing the confusion mirrored in the faces of his employees and the delegation. They were all looking at him, waiting for him to react.
“The remote, Liam. For the TV,” she repeated, her voice growing frantic.
Liam sighed, “What’s going on, Sarah?”
“Just turn on the TV, Liam. Please,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.
The woman, Sarah, pulled a small, black remote from her bag and pointed it at the large-screen TV mounted at the far end of the conference room. A few clicks and the screen flickered to life, displaying a breaking news report. Liam watched, his blood turning to ice as he saw Damien Russo, his bitter rival, standing in front of a camera.
“I’m proud to announce a new strategic business venture that will revolutionize the AI sector,” Damien said, his voice dripping with arrogance. “This project, which we’ve named Project Phoenix, will bring the power of artificial intelligence to millions of users, offering cutting-edge solutions for healthcare, finance, and education.”
Liam stared at the screen, his jaw clenching. He had heard that Damien had been working on a groundbreaking AI project, but he never imagined that it would be this advanced. He recoiled as he realized that the project Damien was describing was his project. Every detail, every technical nuance, was his.
How could Damien have stolen his project? Liam felt a wave of anger wash over him. He was furious. He had poured his heart and soul into developing this project, working tirelessly for months to bring it to life. And now Damien was presenting it as his own, taking credit for Liam’s hard work.
Liam slammed his fist on the table, the sound echoing through the conference room. “Get out!” He shouted, his voice thick with rage. “Everyone. Get out! Now!”
He stood up, his chair screeching across the polished floor. His employees scrambled out of the room, their expressions a mix of shock and fear.
Liam ripped the remote from Sarah’s hand and, in a fit of fury, smashed it against the TV screen. The screen shattered, sending shards of glass flying across the room. He then punched the TV, the impact cracking the frame and sending the screen crashing to the floor. He wasn’t finished yet. His rage, fueled by betrayal and humiliation, was a firestorm within him. He stormed out of the room, leaving his employees and the delegation staring at him in stunned silence.
They watched in terror as he stormed down the hallway, his footsteps ringing through the office. He slammed the door of his office shut, his fury still simmering.
He sank into his chair, his hands trembling with anger. He couldn’t believe it. How could Damien have stolen his project? It didn’t make sense. He had kept the project under tight wraps, barely even discussing it with his closest advisors. And now, here it was, on the front page of every news outlet, presented by his arch-rival. Damien Russo had outsmarted him, but how?
He grabbed his phone and dialed Sarah’s extension. “Sarah,” he growled through gritted teeth. “Find out how Damien Russo got his hands on my project. Dig deep. I want every single detail. And I want it now.”
He slammed the phone down, his mind racing, trying to make sense of the betrayal. He knew that Damien was a ruthless businessman, but he hadn’t believed that he would stoop to stealing his project. He didn’t stop to think about how his mother, who had made Damien a business partner in their latest project, could have given Damien the information. He couldn’t believe he had been so naive. He would find out who had betrayed him, and when he did, he would make sure they paid for their treachery. He would make them regret the day they crossed him…