Chapter 107

“This isn’t Alex’s office building,” I told Victor as he pulled into a strange parking garage.

He picked me up after breakfast this morning after promising me a surprise.

Where was he taking me?

He parked in an underground parking garage that looked much like the one at Wilson, Inc’s headquarters and helped me out of the car.

“This isn’t another one of Alex’s buildings, is it?” I asked before stepping onto an elevator.

“Nope.” Victor grinned. “This is the building where I work. It’s the offices of Klein Enterprises.”

“Wow! It’s as big as Alex’s building,” I said as the elevator zoomed to the top floor. “I’m glad you’re showing me where you work, but why are we here?”

“I’m interviewing the COO of Daley’s Electronics, and I wanted you to sit in on the meeting,” Victor replied.

“What’s a COO?”

“Chief Operating Officer,” Victor explained. “They’re sometimes called the vice president of a company. They’re the second in command and work closely with supervisors and department heads during daily operations.”

“And you’re trying to decide if you want to keep him on to run the electronics company for you?” I guessed.

Victor gave me a huge smile. “That’s exactly right. I want you to listen in on my meeting with him and give me your thoughts afterward. You have a gift for seeing through people.”

Pride swelled in my chest. Victor always made me feel great about myself. And I was learning to run a business from the best.

The offices of Klein Enterprises were vast and well-staffed. All the employees, including the executives, were pleased to see Victor. He was liked and admired by everybody.

I followed him into a large office with his name on the door.

“I didn’t know you were CEO of the company,” I said.

“Dad handed it over to me two years ago,” Victor explained. “He’s still chairman of the board of directors and helps out a great deal. But this arrangement gives him more free time.”

For Victor to be this successful at such a young age was impressive. And I didn’t see his executives giving him angry, glaring looks. I should take whatever advice he offered.

“You must know your stuff,” I said. “I’m grateful to have you teaching me.”

“I am as good at business as dancing,” he teased. “Later, I have other matters to attend to here that you can observe. After lunch, we’ll go to your office for the rest of the afternoon.”

“Sounds good to me,” I said. “But I should go back to school tomorrow.”

“Yes,” Victor agreed. “You must graduate. We will try to limit your time in your office to weekends and after school.”

The current COO of Daley’s Electronics arrived ten minutes late for his meeting with his new boss. I took an almost immediate dislike to him. He didn’t have enough respect for Victor and couldn’t hide his contempt for Klein Industries.

After he left, I told Victor what I thought.

“I agree with you,” Victor said. “I need to replace him with someone I can trust. Fortunately, his contract expires soon.”

Victor went through the folders that different department heads left on his desk.

“Let’s bring your chair closer so you can see what I’m doing,” he said. “I’ll introduce you to shrinkage and waste management reports.”

After we were finished going through the reports and Victor communicated with department heads, we left his office for a quick lunch. Then we went to Wilson, Inc.

A strange feeling crept through my mind when all the executive office doors closed upon my arrival. But I tried not to let it discourage me.

This company is my birthright, and I refuse to be scared away from it. They would have to get used to me sometime.

Victor returned me to my home before dinner, but he couldn’t stay.

“I’ve got a dinner meeting with Mrs. Daley and her lawyer to firm up the sale details,” he told me. “I’ll pick you up after school tomorrow.”

Inside the mansion, I went straight to Alex’s bedside.

“From the smile on your face, you must have had a good day,” Alex said as I took his hand.

“I had a great day,” I said. “Victor is such a fantastic teacher that I have no doubt I’m going to be ready to run the company for you someday.

Alex tilted his head. “Someday?”

“I have a great deal to learn,” I explained. “But Victor says I’m learning fast.”

“I think you’re going to be the best CEO Wilson Incorporated has had since my grandfather,” Alex said.

I grinned at him. “Better than you?”

“Definitely.”

Benson peered into the room. “Excuse me, Miss Wilson. May I speak to you?”He motioned for me to follow him.

I joined him in the hallway. “Yes, Benson. What is it?”

“Several gentlemen from the company and board of directors are here to see your father,” he replied. “But I don’t think it’s wise for him to take such a meeting at this time.”

I nodded. “I’ll speak with them myself. Show them into the drawing room. It’s farther away from my father’s bedroom than his study. Tell them I’ll be right there.”

After telling Alex I would return soon, I dove into the living room, pulled my phone from my pocket, and called Victor.

But the call went straight to voicemail. I left a message telling him what was happening and hung up.

My heart was pounding, and my hands shook. What was I going to say to these men? More than ever, I felt like the green young girl they thought I was.

There was no other choice. I had to pull myself together and speak to them. I would be polite, serious, and firm.

This meeting would set the tone for my relationship with them. I wasn’t ready for it, but many things happened in my life recently that I wasn’t prepared for, and they turned out okay.

I paced the living room for a few minutes, telling myself, “You can do this.”

Then I forced myself to walk down the hall to the drawing room, where ten distinguished Alphas waited in expensive suits.

“We came to speak to your father,” one of the men snapped.

“I …I am afraid he … he is unavailable at the moment,” I said, reaching deep into myself to stay calm. “How …how can I help you?”

“I am John Cameron, a senior board of directors member,” he said. “I’m here to ask your father when he will be ready to get back to work.”

“We don’t know yet,” I told him. “But he’s getting stronger.”

“Is it true you are being trained to take his place?”

“Yes, I am being trained to run my family’s business someday,” I said, emphasizing the words, ‘my family’s business.’

“Stockholders are relying on us to do what’s best for your family’s business,” he argued. “We need to speak to your father.”

“That’s not possible at this time,” I said, trying to stay calm. “You are aware he just got out of the hospital a few days ago?”

“Yes,” he replied as he looked down his nose at me. “And we were told Alex can no longer run the company.

“He’s still recovering,” I told him as I helped myself to a glass of mineral water before offering a drink to the men.

But my hospitality seemed to make John Cameron angry. “And if he can’t recover?”

All of them stared at me as they waited for my reply.

I made them wait while I drank my water. I had to stay calm and try to speak clearly. These men would use my stutter against me.

John Cameron slammed his fist on a coffee table. “We can’t have an inexperienced young girl running a company of this size,” he insisted.

“Victor Klein is only a few years older than me, and he runs a company extremely well,” I pointed out.

“That’s a different situation,” John Cameron said.

“How?” I asked. “He learned how to run a business when he was younger than me. Now I am learning from him. Victor is a fantastic teacher and my mentor. You’re being unfair because I am a female.”

“Then prove we're being unfair,” he insisted. “Before you can take over the company, you must show us that you can run it as well as your father did, or the board will vote to replace you and your father.”

The men left, and I tried to call Victor again.

“Victor, where are you?” I whispered as the call went to voicemail again. I left a message and returned to Alex’s side.