Raymond stood by the attending physician as the doctor checked Alpha Darwin’s vital signs and pulse. The doctor, much older than Darwin, had gray hair and deep wrinkles. His vintage spectacles and old-fashioned coat made him seem like he belonged to another era.
“Doctor, how is he?” Raymond asked, pointing to Alpha Darwin, who lay motionless on the bed, eyes closed. “What’s wrong with him?”
The doctor paused before answering, “From all the tests we’ve done, it appears he has a brain tumor. It’s very serious.”
Raymond’s face fell. “A brain tumor? Are you sure?”
“Yes,” the doctor replied firmly. “He needs surgery as soon as possible.”
Raymond sighed. “Alright. I’ll inform the boss and let you know her response.”
“Very well,” the doctor nodded, turning back to check on Darwin.
Raymond left the room, deep in thought. As he walked down the corridor toward their supervisor’s quarters, he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He spun around, startled, only to find Julie smiling at him.
“Julie?” Raymond’s eyes narrowed as he quickly glanced around to see if anyone was watching them. “What are you doing here?”
“I just wanted to say hi!” Julie replied, her voice tinged with sadness. “Is that so wrong now? We can’t even greet each other anymore?”
Raymond scowled. “I told you to stop acting like you know me. You’re so stubborn! What if someone sees us? Do you want to cause more problems? Think before you act!”
His harsh words hit Julie hard, but she managed to stay composed. Raymond didn’t wait for her response and stormed off toward the boss’s office.
Julie stood frozen, hurt by his words, but she quickly wiped away her tears. Determined, she followed Raymond at a distance. After a few minutes, Raymond suddenly stopped and turned to face her.
“Why can’t you just listen to me?” he demanded, his voice cold. “Why are you following me?”
Without answering, Julie pushed past him, her face hard with anger. She stormed ahead, not even glancing back at him.
Raymond stood still, shocked. He hadn’t expected her to react like that. As he watched her head toward the boss’s quarters, his curiosity grew. **Why is she going there?** he wondered.
Shaking off his surprise, Raymond hurried after her. He caught up quickly and grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. “Where are you going?” he demanded, staring into her eyes.
“That’s none of your business!” Julie snapped, her voice filled with frustration. “You have no right to ask me anything anymore!”
Raymond was stunned by her defiance. She had always been so compliant, but now she was standing up to him. He didn’t know how to react.
“What are you talking about, Julie? I’m only trying to look out for you!” Raymond protested, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Julie glared at him. “Look out for me? You told me we needed space, remember? So why are you acting like this now?”
Raymond hesitated. “You know why I said that. It’s better for both of us in the long run.”
“Better for us?” Julie scoffed. “All you did was push me away. Now, leave me alone. I’m giving you the space you wanted.”
With that, she yanked her wrist free and started walking again, faster this time. Raymond stood frozen, still processing her words.
Suddenly, a familiar voice interrupted the tense moment. “What’s all this about space?” George’s scratchy voice came from behind Julie, startling both her and Raymond.
Julie’s eyes widened in shock. She turned slowly to face him, her voice shaky. “G-George, what are you doing here?”
Raymond stiffened, blinking rapidly as the fear of George’s reputation settled over him. George was known for causing trouble, and overhearing this conversation would only make things worse.
George raised an eyebrow, his sharp eyes darting between Julie and Raymond. “I was on my way to see the boss when I noticed you two arguing about something important.”
Julie shifted uncomfortably, avoiding George’s gaze. “It’s nothing,” she mumbled quickly. “I have to go.”
Without waiting for a reply, she hurried off, her footsteps echoing in the hallway.
George and Raymond watched her go, but neither spoke. Once she disappeared around the corner, George turned back to Raymond, his eyes narrowing.
Raymond felt George’s intense gaze boring into him, making him squirm. The silence between them stretched, thick with unspoken tension.
Finally, Raymond broke the silence, his voice shaky. “I-I need to go too,” he mumbled, turning to leave.
But before he could take a step, George’s voice stopped him cold. “Wait. You haven’t explained what Julie meant by ‘space.’ What’s going on between you two?”
Raymond froze, panic rising in his chest. He had hoped George hadn’t heard the whole conversation, but now he realized there was no escaping this. He slowly turned back to face George, struggling to find the right words.
“Uh, it’s nothing, really,” Raymond stammered, trying to downplay the situation. “Just a misunderstanding.”
George wasn’t convinced. His eyes narrowed even more. “A misunderstanding? Doesn’t sound like it. Care to explain?”
Raymond swallowed hard, feeling the weight of George’s scrutiny. “It’s… personal. Nothing that concerns you or the boss.”
George stepped closer, his presence intimidating. “Everything concerns me when it comes to the boss. So, spill it.”
Raymond’s mind raced. He couldn’t let George dig any deeper, or things would spiral out of control. “Look, it’s just about keeping things professional. That’s all.”
George tilted his head, studying Raymond’s face. “Professional, huh?” His tone was skeptical. “Doesn’t seem like that’s what Julie thinks.”
Raymond clenched his fists, his frustration building.
—
Kimberly’s POV
The vote concluded after nearly ten minutes, and I couldn’t help but smile at Sir Jethro every now and then. Seven out of the eleven board members voted for Sir Jethro to become the new CEO, while the remaining five were solidly behind Luna Catherine.
Alpha Derrick, who was only a guest at the meeting, didn’t cast a vote, and Mona, being under eighteen, wasn’t eligible to participate either. She was only there because Alpha Derrick invited her, so she sat quietly, observing everything unfold.
If we counted Sir Jethro’s and my votes against Luna Catherine’s own, it would add up to nine votes for Sir Jethro and six for Luna Catherine. This meant we had successfully secured Sir Jethro’s temporary leadership of the company.
I scanned the room, observing everyone’s reactions. No one seemed too upset that Sir Jethro had taken charge for the time being, but Luna Catherine’s face was contorted in silent fury. She was clearly dissatisfied with the outcome.
“Based on the overall results, Sir Jethro will take over as acting Chairman until Alpha Darwin recovers,” Mr. Austin announced again, prompting a round of applause and enthusiastic cheers.
As everyone clapped and celebrated, Luna Catherine suddenly stood up, her expression icy. “Since we’ve finished here, I’ll take my leave,” she said coldly, then exited the room without another word.
Alpha Derrick and Mona followed her out, not saying a thing. Their faces were clouded with emotion, clearly hurt by the outcome. But I didn’t care how they felt. All that mattered was getting the company in order before my father returned.
I knew deep down that by the time my father was well enough to reclaim his position, I might not even be around. So, putting Sir Jethro in charge now was the wisest choice I could make.
After everyone else left the room, it was just Sir Jethro and me. I stood up and walked over to him, smiling.
“Congratulations, Sir Jethro! We’re all excited to see how you’ll lead the company to even greater success!” I said warmly, extending both hands for a handshake.
Sir Jethro took my hands and smiled back. “Thank you, Kimberly. Honestly, I didn’t expect you to nominate me for this. It caught me off guard.”
I chuckled. “Come on, Sir Jethro, if I had anyone else in mind, I would’ve mentioned them. But I knew you were the right choice! I couldn’t let someone like Luna Catherine run things-she only cares about herself. We need a strong leader like you to take this company to the next level.”
He seemed genuinely touched. “I appreciate your faith in me, Kimberly. I won’t let you or the board down. I’ll do everything in my power to prove myself.”
“I’m sure you will,” I said, beaming at him. Then, I decided to ask the question that had been on my mind. “Now that you’re taking on this responsibility, does that mean you’ll finally come back to the pack house?”
He looked at me, his eyes twinkling. “Yes, dear. Starting this weekend, I’ll be returning to the pack house,” he said with a laugh.
His answer filled me with joy. Finally, someone I trusted would be around to oversee things at the pack house, especially before my father underwent surgery. I knew Luna Catherine might try something against him, but Sir Jethro would be more than capable of handling her.
“So, Kimberly,” he said, interrupting my thoughts. “Now that the company’s situation is settled, what do you plan to do next?”
The question pulled me back to reality. I felt a wave of sadness wash over me. I had no idea where my father was or what condition he was in. I just wanted to see him again before my fate with Alpha Derrick and Mona was sealed.
I smiled weakly. “I don’t have any plans yet. I’m just hoping I’ll get to see my father and my friends before Alpha Derrick and Mona’s engagement becomes official.”
Sir Jethro sighed, his expression somber. “I’m sorry, Kimberly. I wish I could’ve done more to stop it. Your father and I tried, but there was nothing we could do to break off the engagement. No one’s in a position to challenge Alpha Derrick’s decision.”
“It’s not your fault, Sir Jethro,” I said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. “It’s out of our hands now. Luna Catherine’s probably planning to speed up the engagement, so I’ll just have to deal with it.”
“You’re probably right,” Sir Jethro said, nodding in agreement. “She’ll want to rush things, but don’t worry too much about it. Just focus on staying strong.”
I gave him a determined look. “It doesn’t matter what she’s planning. My priority right now is finding my father and my friends. I’m going into the city to look for them.”
“What? Kimberly, no! That’s too dangerous!” Sir Jethro’s eyes widened in alarm. “We have people searching for them already. You don’t need to put yourself in harm’s way. I can’t risk losing you too after what’s happened to your father.”
I could hear the concern in his voice, but I was set on what I had to do. I nodded and smiled, deciding not to argue. He was right, of course, but I knew I couldn’t just sit idly by.
Just then, Sir Jethro’s phone buzzed with a new message. He checked it, his face growing grim.
I saw the change in his expression and felt a knot form in my stomach. “What is it, Sir Jethro? What did you read?”
He swallowed hard, looking at me with worry. “The engagement… It’s happening in two days.”