The boardroom hummed with anticipation as the employees eagerly awaited Nathan's big announcement. The air was electric, the kind of tension that preceded monumental changes. Rita sat quietly beside her father, Richard Moreau, whose expression betrayed a rare blend of pride and composure. Nathan, standing at the podium, glanced at his sister, silently reassuring her that everything would go as planned.
But just as Nathan opened his mouth to speak, the sound of the doors swinging open echoed across the room. Heads turned toward the interruption, and the atmosphere shifted abruptly. Strutting in with an air of unearned confidence was none other than Linet, the governor's daughter. Her heels clacked against the polished floor, her movements unapologetically bold. By her side was another woman, younger and less familiar—Anita, whose sharp eyes scanned the room as if she owned it.
Gasps rippled through the audience, followed by murmurs of confusion. Linet, oblivious to the tension in the room, strode up to the front with Anita in tow. She cast a quick glance at Nathan and smirked before turning to address the room as if she were the one who had summoned them.
"Good afternoon, everyone!" Linet declared, her voice dripping with entitlement. "I'm so glad to see so many familiar faces here. I know this gathering must have been planned to celebrate Anita's and my return."
Rita's brows furrowed, and her father's hand tightened into a fist. Linet's bold statement was so absurd, so audacious, that it momentarily stunned the room into silence. Only a smattering of claps broke through the quiet—most from employees who didn't understand the situation and assumed Linet's claim was genuine.
Richard Moreau's face darkened, his expression turning thunderous. He stood abruptly, his imposing presence sending a ripple of unease through the crowd. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, his deep voice reverberating across the room.
Linet, unaware that she was addressing the founder of the company and her former father-in-law, waved dismissively. "Oh, relax," she said breezily. "There's no need to be so formal. I'm here to announce that Anita, my dearest friend, will be joining the company as an executive. Isn't that right, Anita?"
Anita nodded confidently, though her smug smile faltered slightly under Richard's glare. "Yes," she added. "I believe this company could use fresh leadership—and Linet thought it was time for me to step in."
Rita couldn't believe what she was hearing. The sheer arrogance, the audacity to march into the company and make such outlandish claims, was almost laughable. She glanced at her father, whose hand was now gripping the edge of the table with white-knuckled intensity. His composure, usually ironclad, was on the verge of snapping.
Before he could speak, Rita reached out and placed a calming hand on his arm. "Papa," she said softly, her voice steady. "Not yet. Let them play their hand."
Her father's eyes darted to hers, his fury momentarily tempered by her quiet resolve. "Rita—" he began, but she shook her head.
"Trust me," she whispered. "Let's see how far they take this."
Nathan, clearly struggling to contain his own irritation, watched the exchange and nodded in reluctant agreement. He stepped aside, motioning for Linet to continue her ridiculous act.
Linet, emboldened by the lack of immediate opposition, turned to face the employees. "Anita has been working tirelessly behind the scenes, ensuring the governor's office runs smoothly," she said. "With her skills and experience, she'll be a valuable addition to this company's leadership."
Several employees exchanged confused glances, unsure whether to believe Linet's claims. The room was thick with tension, the employees torn between skepticism and the desire to avoid offending someone they assumed had authority.
Anita, basking in the attention, took a step forward. "I've always admired this company," she said, her voice oozing with false humility. "It's an honor to join an organization with such prestige, and I'm confident my contributions will take it to new heights."
Rita's lips twitched, fighting back a smirk. She couldn't wait to see how this charade unraveled, but she knew patience was key. Her father, on the other hand, looked as though he were barely holding back an outburst.
As Linet and Anita continued to bask in their self-made delusion, Nathan exchanged a knowing glance with Rita. He was clearly itching to put an end to this farce, but Rita subtly shook her head. The longer they allowed Linet and Anita to dig their own graves, the more satisfying the eventual reckoning would be.
Richard Moreau sat back down, though his posture remained tense. He watched the spectacle with barely concealed disdain, his eyes narrowing with each passing second. The employees, sensing the unspoken tension between the Moreaus and the uninvited guests, remained silent, their curiosity mounting.
Linet, completely oblivious to the storm brewing around her, grinned triumphantly. "So, if someone could kindly arrange for Anita's office and formal introduction to the team, we'd appreciate it."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Rita finally stood, her movements graceful yet deliberate. All eyes turned to her, the room holding its collective breath as she approached the podium. Linet's smirk faltered slightly as Rita's cool gaze met hers.
"Linet," Rita began, her voice calm but laced with authority, "thank you for your…unexpected contribution to today's gathering. But before we proceed, I think it's important to clarify a few things."
Linet blinked, caught off guard by Rita's poise. "Clarify? What do you mean?"
Rita smiled faintly, her expression unreadable. "Oh, don't worry. All will be revealed in due time."
The tension in the room escalated as Rita's cryptic words hung in the air. Linet glanced nervously at Anita, who shifted uncomfortably under the weight of Rita's gaze. The tables were beginning to turn, and Linet didn't even realize it.
Rita placed a calming hand on her father's arm as Linet and Anita continued their self-congratulatory speeches at the front of the room. Richard Moreau's frustration was palpable, his jaw clenched as if to keep his words from spilling out. Nathan, standing beside him, seemed equally on edge, his fists tightly clenched.
"Papa," Rita said softly, leaning toward her father so only he could hear. "Let them stay."
Her father's sharp gaze turned to her, his disbelief evident. "Stay? Are you out of your mind, Rita? Did you hear the nonsense coming out of their mouths? They're turning this company into a circus."
"I heard," Rita replied calmly. "But think about it—Anita wouldn't walk in here blindly, making such claims, without someone powerful backing her. Whoever's behind her has an agenda, and if we act impulsively, we might never find out what it is."