New CEO
1028 Words
The sun was just starting to dip, casting a golden hue over the worn-down building Rein and Uwan stepped out of. Rein unlocked his sleek, matte-black SUV with a click, its polished body stark against the rundown backdrop.
As they walked toward the car, Uwan squinted at his reflection in the tinted window, then mumbled, “So... where are we going first? I mean, look at me — I’m walking trauma in sweatpants.”
Rein smirked and nudged him with his elbow. “That’s perfect for your new job. No one dares to attack someone who looks like they just ate their last opponent.”
Uwan shot him a look. “Excuse me? I don’t look that bad. Just… rugged. I used to be a celebrity, remember? Top of every magazine. Other stars used to stutter in front of me.”
Rein opened the passenger door and gestured like a chauffeur. “My apologies, Your Highness. Please, after you. I see the royal glow beneath the eye bags.”
Uwan grunted but got in, flopping into the seat like a grumpy cat. Rein slid into the driver’s seat with a grin.
“Alright, former heartthrob, step one of Operation Human Makeover: clothes.”
Uwan raised an eyebrow. “Clothes? You don’t like my ‘depression chic’ style?”
Rein started the car. “Your ‘style’ looks like it crawled out of a thrift store and gave up halfway. We’re going to the mall.”
After an endless stretch of road, they finally arrived at the mall, its bright lights cutting through the lingering fatigue of the journey.
The mall was alive — neon lights, kids running past with ice cream, music playing in every corner. Rein dragged Uwan through shops like a stylist on a mission. He threw jackets, shirts, boots into Uwan’s arms while Uwan sighed dramatically behind him.
“This is ridiculous,” Uwan muttered, holding a leather jacket. “Who wears this? Rockstars?”
Rein turned with a smirk. “Exactly. You used to be one, remember? Let’s bring back the legend.”
In the changing room, Uwan stepped out in a fresh outfit — dark jeans, boots, and a fitted jacket that actually made him look like someone important again.
Rein clapped. “Look at that! The dead can rise.”
Uwan stared at his reflection. The man in the mirror didn’t look like someone who spent two years hiding. He looked like someone dangerous… and alive.
They paid and walked back to the car, shopping bags swinging.
---
In the Car
Uwan tossed his bags in the back seat and sat down. “Alright, makeover done. What now?”
Rein buckled his seatbelt, then said casually, “Now we head to your workplace.”
Uwan blinked. “Still no job description? You know, most people interview for jobs first.”
Rein chuckled. “You’re not most people. You don’t need an interview. You need purpose. And I have just the person who needs you.”
Uwan frowned. “Wait. What kind of person?”
Rein’s voice dropped just slightly. “Someone like you. Broken... but pretending to be whole. She wears perfection like armor, but inside, she’s shattering.”
Uwan stared out the window. His reflection in the glass looked tired again. “Broken, huh… I don’t know if I’m broken or just... destroyed. My sister’s dying because of me. How am I supposed to save anyone else?”
Rein glanced at him but didn’t press further. “You don’t need to save her. Just protect her... and maybe, in the process, save yourself.”
On the Other Side of the City
The skyline glittered with steel and power. Towering above all was Eronex Corporation, a fortress of glass and chrome, its logo a swirling silver serpent wrapped around a globe. A symbol of innovation… and quiet dominance.
Inside the lobby, employees buzzed like bees, perfectly timed and perfectly dressed.
A woman in her late 40s, sharply dressed in a navy skirt suit, paced across the marble floor. Her voice sliced through the air. “Places, everyone! The Chairman arrives in three minutes. I want perfection — no excuses!”
Just then, a sleek black car glided to a stop in front of the building. The driver door opened first, and a young man in a tailored blue suit with slicked-back curls stepped out. He moved quickly, opening the rear passenger door with military precision.
From inside stepped Kayan Vairel, the towering and formidable Chairman of Eronex. Though age touched his silver hair, his posture was regal, his eyes sharp. He adjusted his watch — a custom piece rumored to cost more than some cars — and stepped forward.
Following him was Selene Vairel, elegant in her ivory dress, her arm wrapped protectively around Kayan’s. Her soft smile masked the steel behind her eyes.
Maria, the woman in the navy suit, rushed forward, bowing slightly. “Chairman Vairel, it’s an honor. It’s been… too long.”
Kayan tilted his head thoughtfully. “Maria… you’ve been here since the beginning, haven’t you?”
Her eyes lit up. “Yes, sir. Seventeen years.”
Kayan smiled warmly. “Then we must have tea soon. You deserve more than a passing nod.”
Maria bowed her head, clearly moved. “You remember me… That means more than anything, sir.”
Before Kayan could respond, Selene gently tugged his arm. “Darling, we can’t be late. Today’s presentation is vital. The board’s waiting.”
Kayan chuckled. “Right, right. My age keeps catching up. We’ll talk over tea, Maria.”
As he turned toward the entrance, his stepson Kael Vairel exited the car last, adjusting his sleeves with silent pride. Tall, cold, and impeccably dressed, Kael walked beside his mother like a shadow waiting for its moment to rise.
Inside Eronex, the storm was brewing — behind glass walls, soft words, and smiles sharpened with secrets. Something was shifting. And on the edge of that storm, Uwan — once discarded — was about to walk into it. Not as a son. Not as a shadow. But as a protector.
And maybe, just maybe… as a reckoning.
- Writer
