The Hidden King

Chapter 3: The New Owner

The next morning, the sun rose bright and warm over the city, but Laura felt completely cold inside. She had not slept at all the night before. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the ten black luxury cars. She heard the security guards bowing and calling Leo their master. The memory played in her head like a bad dream that she could not escape.

Laura sat at her small vanity table, putting on her makeup with shaking hands. She looked in the mirror and noticed dark circles under her eyes. For three years, she had felt superior to Leo. She had looked down on him because he stayed at home while she went to a corporate office. Now, the truth was out. Her broke husband was actually the richest man in the country.

"Laura, you need to eat something," Brenda said, walking into the room with a pale, worried face. The loud, arrogant attitude she usually had was completely gone. "Caleb called his office this morning. He said his boss sounded terrified. Rumors are spreading everywhere that the Global Vanguard Group is buying up smaller businesses in the city."

"I don't care about rumors, Mother," Laura said, her voice thin and tired. She grabbed her leather purse and stood up. "I need to go to work. If I stay in this apartment any longer, I will lose my mind. I need to focus on my job."

An hour later, Laura walked through the front glass doors of her marketing firm. The office was usually quiet in the morning, but today it was filled with loud whispers. Groups of employees stood near the water cooler and the copy machine, talking quickly with wide, shocked eyes.

Laura walked past them, keeping her head held high. She headed straight to her cubicle, but before she could sit down, her close friend from the design team, Sarah, ran over to her.

"Laura! Did you hear the news?" Sarah gasped, gripping Laura’s arm tightly. "Our company was sold at three o'clock this morning! The old owner sold every single share to a giant conglomerate. The new board of directors is coming upstairs right now to meet everyone!"

Laura’s heart dropped into her stomach. A terrible feeling of dread washed over her. "Who... who bought us, Sarah?"

"The Global Vanguard Group!" Sarah whispered excitedly. "Can you believe it? The biggest empire in the nation now owns us! They said the supreme leader himself is coming to look at our department. Everyone is trying to look perfect so they don't get fired."

Before Laura could even breathe, the heavy double doors of the main office floor swung open.A deep, powerful silence instantly fell over the entire room. Every single employee stopped talking and stood up at their desks.

A group of high-level executives walked into the room, expensive black suits. At the front of the group walked Marcus, the older gentleman with silver hair. He held a leather folder in his hand, his eyes sharp and serious as he looked around the office.

But Laura didn't look at Marcus. Her eyes were locked completely on the man walking right beside him.

It was Leo.

He was wearing a dark, custom-tailored suit that fit his broad shoulders perfectly. His hair was neatly styled, and his posture radiated supreme power. He looked grand, wealthy, and completely unmatched. The faded denim jacket and the old backpack were completely gone. He looked like a true king walking into a crowded room.

Laura felt her knees grow weak. She had to grip the edge of her desk just to keep herself from falling to the floor. It’s him, she thought, her mind screaming in panic. He really is the billionaire.

Leo walked slowly down the center aisle of the office, completely ignoring the shocked stares of the employees. He didn't look to the left or the right. He walked with total confidence.

Marcus stopped in the middle of the room and cleared his throat. "Attention, everyone. As of this morning, the Global Vanguard Group owns this firm. This is your new owner and supreme leader, Mr. Leo. His word is law in this building."

All the workers immediately clapped and bowed their heads politely, trying to make a good impression on their new billionaire boss.

Laura stood frozen, her hands sweating. She watched Leo step forward. As he looked across the room, his sharp eyes finally landed directly on her.

Laura felt a spark of hope in her chest. She took a small step forward, a fake, nervous smile breaking across her face. She thought that maybe, just maybe, because they had been married for three years, he would show her some mercy in front of her coworkers. She wanted everyone to see that she knew him.

"Leo..." Laura called out softly, her voice trembling. "Good morning."

The entire office turned to look at her, surprised that a regular marketing manager was calling the new billionaire owner by his first name.

Leo stopped walking. He turned his body completely toward Laura’s desk. The warmth that he used to have when he looked at her in the kitchen was entirely gone. His face was a mask of cold indifference.

"Who gave you permission to call me by my first name?" Leo asked, his deep voice ringing out clearly through the silent office. The air in the room suddenly felt freezing cold.

Laura’s smile instantly vanished. Her face turned bright red from deep embarrassment. "I... I just thought..."

"In this building, you will address me as Mr. Leo, or sir," Leo said, his voice smooth, calm, and terrifyingly absolute. He adjusted his expensive watch, looking down at her as if she were a total stranger. "You are a regular employee here, and you will follow the rules like everyone else."

Marcus stepped forward, opening his folder. "Mr. Leo, this is the marketing department. This employee is currently a junior manager."

Leo looked at Laura’s desk, seeing the messy files stacked up. "A junior manager? Her work looks completely unorganized. Marcus, demote her to a basic assistant starting today. If her performance does not improve by the end of the week, terminate her contract immediately. We do not keep lazy burdens in this company."

Hearing the word burden, Laura felt like she had been slapped in the face. It was the exact word she had used against him the night before. Now, he was using it to crush her career.

"Yes, sir," Marcus replied, writing it down.

The younger workers in the office began to whisper among themselves, looking at Laura with pity and shock. In less than two minutes, she had gone from a proud manager to a low-level assistant, publicly humiliated by the most powerful man in the city.

Leo didn't waste another second looking at her. He turned around and walked toward the executive elevator, his fleet of managers following closely behind him. As the elevator doors closed on his cold, powerful face, Laura dropped heavily into her chair, realizing that her nightmare was only just beginning.