Chapter 8–Set the ball rolling
1261 Words
Chapter 8
Kyle drove back home in silence. Pulling into the Voss mansion, he picked up the remaining bouquet from the passenger seat and stepped out. As he neared the entrance, he tossed the car keys to the butler without breaking stride.
Inside, Alex was sprawled lazily across the sofa.
"Big bro," Alex called, glancing up.
Kyle responded with a soft hum.
"Where’s Mom?" he asked, scanning the room.
"She’s… somewhere around," Alex said, clearly unsure.
Kyle shot him a mock-disgusted look before heading upstairs.
"Wait—bro, is that a flower bouquet?!" Alex’s eyes widened. "Do you have a girlfriend? No, wait—aren’t you supposed to give her flowers, not the other way around?" He rambled on as Kyle disappeared up the stairs.
Kyle walked straight to Evelyn’s room.
"Mom?" He knocked lightly.
"I’m coming in," he said after a moment of silence.
Pushing the door open, he found the room empty—until his gaze landed on her figure standing on the balcony, the city skyline glowing faintly in the distance.
He stepped beside her.
"Kyle, you’re back," Evelyn said, turning toward him.
"Mom, what are you doing out here? It’s getting cold." He handed her the bouquet.
"Wow… cream roses. They’re beautiful," she said, lifting them to her nose.
"Yeah, they are—just like you," Kyle replied.
Her eyes softened. "Cream roses. They mean gratitude, appreciation, affection… Did you visit them?"
Kyle nodded with a quiet hum. They stood there for a while, the silence unbroken.
"Make sure to cover up tonight. Goodnight, Mom," he said at last, turning to leave.
In his room, Kyle set his phone down and headed straight into the bathroom. The sound of running water filled the space.
Moments later, he emerged—towel at his waist, steam curling behind him like a shadow. His hair dripped as he towel-dried it, eyes falling on the laptop sitting on his desk.
He tossed the towel over his neck and sat down, fingers gliding across the keyboard. The screen glowed to life.
Rivera Family flashed in bold letters. His gaze sharpened as he scrolled through the files, the coldness in his eyes deepening with every line he read.
"Rivera Corps," he muttered under his breath, the words laced with venom.
Closing the laptop, Kyle stood and moved to his closet—already planning his next move.
Morning came quickly, revealing Kyle adjusting his tie in front of the mirror. He picked up his phone and suit jacket from the bed, then left the room with his usual, practiced elegance.
At the dining table, he pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Wow, big bro, you look mind-blowing! Are you sure you’re starting work at the company and not at a modeling agency?" Eva exclaimed, eyes wide with admiration.
"Little sweet mouth," Kyle said with a faint smirk, laying the napkin across his lap.
"You’re really going to work," Evelyn sighed. "Greg, make sure you don’t stress him."
Greg chuckled lightly. The rest of breakfast passed in silence.
When they finished, Greg got up, walked over to Evelyn, and pecked her cheek.
"We’re leaving now," he said, striding forward.
"Have a nice day, Mom," Kyle said, following behind.
Alex kissed Evelyn too before heading out. "Eva, come out quickly or I’ll be late!" he shouted from the entrance.
"Coming!" she called, grabbing her bag. "Bye, Mom!"
Greg and Kyle got into the Mercedes, two Audis following close behind. Alex and Eva climbed into the BMW, driving off toward school—Eva in her final year of high school, Alex in his second year of college.
The Mercedes was silent. Kyle leaned back against the headrest, eyes closed. He looked peaceful, but his presence was still as cold as ice.
"What position would you like to work in?" Greg asked suddenly.
Kyle opened his eyes slowly, the grey depths calm yet unreadable.
"As long as it’s in the corporation, any position will be fine… but one where I’d meet partners would be preferable."
Greg studied him for a moment longer than necessary.
"For someone as cold as you, that’s an odd request," he remarked.
Kyle didn’t reply, turning his gaze toward the passing streets outside the window.
"An executive role it is, then," Greg concluded after a pause.
"Thanks," Kyle said, his tone flat.
---
Hazel stepped into her office and took her seat. Powering on her computer, her slender fingers moved effortlessly across the keyboard as she organized Executive Lucas’s schedule for the day.
When she finished, she gathered a few files and walked out, her heels clicking softly against the floor. She knocked lightly on Lucas’s office door before entering.
"Good morning, sir. Your schedule for the day is ready—you have an executive meeting in five minutes."
Walking up to his desk, she placed the files down.
"These are a few documents you’ll need to go through before the meeting," she added.
Lucas took the files, scanning them quickly. He signed several pages, picked up two files, and stood.
"Let’s go."
Hazel followed him down the hall, briefing him on the previous meeting’s agenda and today’s discussion points.
At the large double doors of the conference room, they entered together. The room was filled with low murmurs as executives made last-minute checks on their reports. The chatter faded as Melvin walked in and took his seat at the head of the table.
The meeting began. Reports from each department were presented one by one.
"Why is this project still pending?" Melvin asked sharply, flipping through a report.
"Mr. CEO, that’s because Voss Inc. doesn’t seem interested in our offer," the executive replied hesitantly.
"What nonsense is that? Your job is to convince them! How can you be satisfied with such a flimsy excuse?" Melvin snapped, tossing the file aside.
"That partnership is crucial to our market expansion. I won’t lose it because of incompetence. Lucas, take this project and start from scratch."
Melvin stood and left. The room dissolved into quiet discussions before the executives began filing out.
Back in his office, Lucas sat reviewing the project with a furrowed brow. The stack of unfinished work on his desk made the situation even more complicated.
Finally, he closed the file and looked at Hazel.
"Handle this project. Make sure we secure the partnership… I trust you."
Hazel accepted the file with a curt nod. Her gaze remained steady, though a faint flicker of emotion surfaced when he said those last three words.
Returning to her office, she sat down and began reading through the proposal—a partnership with Voss Inc. She examined the former department’s draft, twirling her fountain pen absently before setting it down and turning to her computer. Her fingers began typing rapidly.
---
Greg strode into the company with Kyle following. The aura of the two men had employees bowing instinctively, greetings of "Good morning, Mr. CEO" echoing down the hall.
They took the executive elevator to the top floor, reserved for the CEO.
In Greg’s office, Kyle sat on the sofa while Greg moved to his desk. Robin, the assistant, walked in with a bow.
"Good morning, sir. All the necessary arrangements have been made."
"Good. Show him to his office," Greg instructed.
He turned to Kyle with a half-smile. "Don’t overwork yourself, or Evelyn will have my head—you know how she is."
"You don’t have to worry about that, Dad," Kyle replied before leaving with Robin.
Greg watched the door close.
"I hope I’m doing the right thing with him… brother," he murmured.
- Writer
