Vengeful Takeover

The search

The early afternoon sun streamed through the tall windows of Bianca’s sleek office. She sat at her desk, reviewing a stack of documents that required her attention, but her mind kept drifting back to Lydia. It had been days since she tasked her assistant with finding the “perfect disaster” to run Carltech into the ground. Bianca’s impatience simmered beneath her composed exterior.

Finally, she decided she couldn’t wait any longer. Rising gracefully from her leather chair, she adjusted her blazer and made her way to Lydia’s smaller, more modest office down the hall.

Bianca pushed open the door without knocking, startling Lydia, who was hunched over her laptop, surrounded by a mess of résumés,coffee cups, and sticky notes. Lydia’s eyes widened, and she quickly straightened her posture.

“Bianca,” Lydia said, forcing a smile. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

Bianca raised an eyebrow, her sharp gaze sweeping over the cluttered desk. “Clearly. Tell me, Lydia, how’s the search going? Have you found me my disaster yet?”

Lydia hesitated, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “I’ve been combing through candidates nonstop. But, Bianca, I have to say—it’s harder than I thought to find someone who’s both completely unqualified and willing to take on a CEO position at a company like this.”

Bianca folded her arms and leaned casually against the doorframe. “Harder than you thought? I didn’t ask for a neurosurgeon or a rocket scientist, Lydia. I asked for someone who’s utterly unfit for the job. Surely there’s no shortage of incompetence out there.”

“There isn’t,” Lydia admitted, gesturing to the résumés scattered across her desk. “But a lot of these people are either overconfident and delusional, or they have just enough experience to get by. I need someone who’s clueless but ambitious enough to actually take the bait.”

Bianca smirked, her eyes narrowing with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. “I’m beginning to wonder if I should’ve done this myself.”

Lydia bristled slightly but kept her tone professional. “I’m doing my best, Bianca. I understand what you’re looking for, and I’ll find the right person. I just need a little more time.”

Bianca stepped closer, her heels clicking sharply against the hardwood office floor. “Time is a luxury I don’t have, Lydia. Carl will figure out my plan if I don’t move quickly. I need someone incompetent enough to drive this company into the ground before he has a chance to retaliate.”

Lydia sighed, rubbing her temples. “I hear you. But you’re asking for a unicorn here—a train wreck of a candidate who somehow still looks like a viable option on paper. I’m working on it, I promise.”

Bianca’s tone softened, though her intensity remained. “Lydia, I trust you, but I need results. This isn’t just about revenge,it’s about making Carl feel the same kind of devastation he made me feel. Do you understand that?”

Lydia met Bianca’s gaze, sensing the raw pain behind her boss’s cold exterior. “I understand, Bianca. I’ll find someone. I swear.”

Bianca nodded, her expression unreadable. “Good. Because if you don’t, I’ll have to take matters into my own hands. And trust me, you don’t want that.”

With that, Bianca turned on her heel and left the office, her perfume lingering in the air. Lydia sat back in her chair, exhaling deeply. The pressure was mounting, and she couldn’t afford to fail.

Lydia’s search was turning into a nightmare. Hours of sifting through resumes and profiles left her with nothing but frustration. Each candidate was either overqualified or lacked the audacity to take on a high-profile CEO role. Her eyes burned from staring at the screen, and her coffee had long gone cold. “Why is this so hard?” she muttered, rubbing her temples. She scoured obscure forums, irrelevant job boards, and even social media, but every lead felt like a dead end. Anxiety clawed at her as Bianca’s expectations loomed. Failure wasn’t an option, yet the perfect disaster seemed impossible to find.

A few days later, Lydia sat in a coffee shop downtown, flipping through a local newspaper. She wasn’t looking for resumes this time,she needed something different, someone outside the traditional corporate world. As she turned the page, her eyes landed on a small ad:

“Need help closing your next big sale? Call Tim Carter,the Salesman Who Delivers!”

The ad was laughably unpolished, featuring a grainy photo of a smiling man in an ill-fitted suit holding a clipboard. Lydia stared at it, her mind whirring.

“Tim Carter,” she murmured. “Salesman… no corporate experience… maybe too naive to see what’s coming.”

Intrigued, she picked up her phone and dialed the number on the ad.

The next day, Tim arrived at Lydia’s office looking exactly as his ad suggested;wide-eyed, slightly disheveled, and overly eager. He carried a worn leather briefcase and wore a cheap suit that didn’t quite fit his lanky frame.

“Tim Carter?” Lydia asked, stepping forward to greet him.

“That’s me!” Tim said brightly, shaking her hand with enthusiasm. “Thanks for reaching out. I don’t usually get calls about big jobs like this.”

Lydia gestured for him to sit. “Well, let’s just say your ad caught my eye. Tell me a little about yourself.”

Tim grinned, leaning forward. “I’ve been in sales my entire career,Door-to-door, car dealerships,sales rep for Macrotech before the massive employees dismissal,even office supplies, You name it, I’ve sold it. I’m great with people, and I’ve got a knack for building relationships. I know I don’t have any experience running a company, but I’ve always thought, ‘Why not dream big?’”

Lydia studied him closely. His optimism and lack of corporate polish were exactly what Bianca wanted. “Tim, this role is… unconventional. It’s the CEO of a major tech company.”

Tim’s smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. “CEO? Wow, that’s… big.”

“Very big,” Lydia agreed. “But the company is in a transitional phase. They need fresh eyes. Someone who can bring a different perspective.”

Tim’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know so much about tech, but I’m a fast learner. And I’ve always believed in teamwork. If I’m not the smartest person in the room, I make sure to surround myself with those who are.”

Lydia leaned back in her chair, pretending to think it over. In reality, she already knew Bianca would love him for all the wrong reasons. He was inexperienced but earnest,a perfect storm of naivety and confidence.

“Well, Tim,” Lydia said, her tone light, “why don’t you come in tomorrow to meet the owner of the company? I think you might be exactly what she’s looking for.”

Tim’s face lit up. “Really? That’s amazing! Thank you so much for this opportunity, Ms. Potts

Lydia gave him a tight smile. “Don’t thank me yet. The owner can be… intense. But if you impress her, the job is yours.”