ROWON's fall

Chris stood at the edge of his office, staring out at the city skyline, the weight of ROWON Enterprises pressing heavily on his shoulders. It had been weeks since he stepped into his father's shoes, and every day felt like a battle.

The whispers of doubt from the employees, the looming presence of his uncle Eric, and the constant fear of failure gnawed at him. He wasn't just fighting for control of the company; he was fighting to prove he belonged here.

Emily and Leo had become his closest allies—or, at least, the closest thing to allies he could have in this ruthless world. Emily was his cousin, sharp and determined, a quiet force beside him. Leo, on the other hand, was unpredictable. He was brilliant, but Chris never knew where his true loyalty lay. It was a dangerous game, and Chris wasn't sure if he was playing it right.

One morning, Carla entered his office with a serious expression. She held a folder in her hands and placed it on his desk.

"There's something you should see," she said.

Chris opened the folder and scanned the documents. His heart sank. Financial discrepancies. Missing funds. Projects delayed without explanation.

"This… this is serious," he muttered.

"Yes, and I don't believe it's just a coincidence," Carla said, her voice low. "These issues started shortly after your father's passing. Someone is pulling the strings."

Chris clenched his fists. He didn't need to say the name aloud. Eric. It had to be him. But proving it was another matter entirely.

"We need more evidence," Chris said. "If we accuse him without proof, it'll backfire."

Carla nodded. "Be careful, Chris. He's dangerous."

—

The days passed, and the tension inside ROWON Enterprises thickened like a storm cloud ready to burst. Board members seemed restless, employees whispered in hushed tones, and the company's stock price had started fluctuating without a clear reason.

At the next board meeting, the tension exploded. Chris sat at the head of the table, facing a panel of seasoned shareholders, their eyes sharp with scrutiny.

An older man with graying hair slammed a report onto the table. "Chris, these numbers are unacceptable! The company's performance has been declining since your father's passing. What are you doing about it?"

Another shareholder, a woman in her sixties, folded her arms. "We hear rumors, Chris. About internal mismanagement. If you can't handle the job, maybe it's time we look at other options."

Chris fought to keep his composure. "I understand your concerns. We are investigating the discrepancies and making adjustments to improve efficiency. This isn't just about short-term losses; we need to ensure long-term stability."

Eric, seated at the far end of the table, smirked. "That's all well and good, but words aren't enough. Investors need confidence. If you can't provide that, they'll take their money elsewhere."

Chris met his uncle's gaze, refusing to back down. "ROWON Enterprises isn't just about numbers. It's about leadership, vision. And I assure you, I'm not going anywhere."

Eric chuckled. "We'll see."

The meeting ended in tension, with shareholders leaving in frustration. Chris clenched his jaw. He needed to act fast before they lost faith in him entirely.

—

That evening, Chris called for a private meeting with Emily, Leo, and two other trusted employees—Mark, a senior analyst, and Sophie, a finance specialist. They gathered in a small conference room, away from prying eyes.

Chris leaned forward, his voice firm. "We have a problem. The company's finances are being manipulated, and I suspect my uncle is behind it."

"But before that I would like to clarify this." Said Chris as he pressed a button from his table calling in his father's secretary— Jeff Ringston who was now the head of Human Resource (HR).

"Mr Rowon Chris, This is Ryan Stans, your new appointed secretary" Ringston introduced a young guy who was behind him and went in front closer in front of Chris and others.

Chris stood up and offered him a hand; "Looking forward to work with you Ryan"

Ryan seemed to be a clean guy from the top of his hair which was so damn combed and clean and also dressed in dark alluring suit.

"Hope that I will fit to your liking Mr. CEO" replied Ryan in damn straight, clean and forward voice.

"Take a seat!"

Ryan sat down closer to Leo.

"Leo Evans, You are now appointed as Head of Business Strategy and also Emily Rowon as Chief Operations Officer (COO) who is also known as Executive Director" Jeff Ringstone closed his speech as he headed outside.

Leo and Emily had no words as they were being assigned the major roles in the whole company. They were just simply staring at Chis in awe.

"I trust you guys, you are now my family, help me through this." Said Chris as he was staring at both of them.

"We promise you that we will overcome this" Said Emily as Leo was also nodding in agreement.

"If you allow me, let's start our meeting!" said Chris as all of them opened up documents and their computers and tablets.

Mark asked. "Yeah, Coming on the part of suspecting Eric Rowon, do we have any direct proof?"

Sophie shook her head. "Not yet. But the patterns suggest intentional sabotage."

Emily looked at Chris. "What's our next move?"

Chris exhaled. "We need to track every inconsistency, every suspicious transaction. If Eric is behind this, we'll find proof."

Leo smirked, arms crossed. "Sounds dangerous. I like it."

Chris narrowed his eyes at him. "We need to be careful. If we make one wrong move, he'll turn it against us."

Leo raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, boss. I'm in."

The group nodded in agreement, the stakes higher than ever.

—

Later that evening, needing a break from the endless analysis, Chris found himself in the company lounge. The dim lighting cast a warm glow over the space, offering a rare moment of peace.

Emily sat across from him, a cup of coffee cradled in her hands. She had been supportive, always at his side, but Chris sensed something more—a connection neither of them acknowledged.

Emily took a sip of her coffee, her gaze fixed on him. "You've been different lately."

Chris exhaled. "I have a lot on my mind."

"I know." She leaned forward slightly. "You don't have to carry all of it alone."

Before Chris could respond, the door swung open.

Leo stepped in, his usual smirk in place. He had the kind of presence that commanded attention without trying. Dressed in his usual sleek style, he looked like someone who thrived under pressure.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything," Leo said, eyeing them both with amusement.

Chris straightened. "Just having coffee."

Leo chuckled, glancing between them before walking to the counter and grabbing himself a cup. "Good. Because I have an idea."

Chris and Emily exchanged looks before turning back to him. Whatever Leo had planned, it was bound to shake things up.

End of Chapter 3