Pressure
When Hazel woke up, her phone had been flooded with calls from board members and
Jonah.
Before she could figure out what had happened, there was a knock at the door.
“Hazel, get up. There’s a situation at the company, and you need to handle it!”
Seeing that she wasn’t answering her phone, Jonah had shown up in person. After quickly
freshening up, Hazel followed him out.
On the way, she got a rough understanding of the situation.
After the Queen Corp’s recent CEO reshuffling, the company was already in turmoil.
Some long-term partners had pulled out upon seeing that the new CEO was just a young
woman.
Currently, the Queen Corp was surviving on small projects, and even some senior
employees had been poached. The company was barely holding together and was close to becoming an empty shell.
At the beginning, the board members had been reluctant to let Hazel take over the company. However, they couldn’t oppose her outright since she held 20% of the shares.
Now that the company was facing so many issues, this board meeting was the perfect opportunity to oust her.
Jonah, who had been frowning non-stop for days, finally relaxed. Even if they couldn’t
remove Hazel outright, they could at least make her sign a performance guarantee.
If she failed to meet her promises, she’d have no choice but to step down.
When they arrived at the company, Jonah hurriedly led Hazel to the meeting room, where she would face the board’s scrutiny.
1/5
+25 BONUS
“Hazel’s here, everyone. Please calm down,” Jonah said. “I’ve already briefed her on the company’s recent troubles during the ride. She must have come up with some solutions.
Let’s hear her out.”
The board members respected Jonah to some degree. Over the past three years, while he hadn’t managed the company brilliantly, he had at least avoided any major missteps.
In their eyes, Jonah’s age and experience made him a safer bet. After all, old ginger is spicier.
Hazel, meanwhile, lazily slumped into the chair at the head of the table. Under the watchful eyes of the board, she yawned slowly.
“So, some projects got snatched away mysteriously. That’s not a big deal. Just take them back,” she said nonchalantly.
Her carefree attitude, combined with her just-woke-up appearance, only infuriated the
board members further.
Where was her sense of responsibility? Where was the confident, strong woman who had fought tooth and nail for the CEO position? That impression had long since vanished.
“It’s easy to say ‘take them back.’ How? You go and do it!”
“Hazel, we rely on this company to make a living. Since you took over, there’s been nothing but chaos. If you can’t handle the responsibility of being CEO, give the position back to
Jonah.”
“Exactly! Running a company isn’t like shopping for clothes. You lack experience. You should work under Jonah for a while and learn first.”
Seeing someone start, the rest of the board chimed in one after another.
“One week,” Hazel interrupted, her tone calm but resolute. “If I can’t lead the company out of this crisis within a week, I’ll resign voluntarily.”
The room fell silent. This was exactly what they had hoped for.
2/5
+25 BONUS
Over the years, Jonah had built a network of allies within the company. Several major shareholders were on friendly terms with him. Since Hazel had taken over, they had been working together to undermine her, looking for any chance to remove her from the
position.
Now that such an opportunity had presented itself, there was no way they’d let it slip by.
“Since Hazel has said so, I think we should stop pressuring her,” Jonah said, his voice full of feigned sincerity. He had remained silent while others attacked her, only to suddenly play the mediator now that the room was quiet.
“She’s still young. It’s normal for her to feel overwhelmed when facing such challenges for the first time.”
“But rest assured,” he continued, glancing around the room with a genial smile. “Though she’s inexperienced, Hazel is smart. Given time, she’ll be just as capable as this old man
who’s spent decades in the business world.”
With Jonah’s placating words, the tense atmosphere in the meeting room eased
considerably. The earlier hostility subsided.
Internally, Hazel rolled her eyes. Did they think she couldn’t see through this charade?
“Since there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave. Dragging me here half-asleep to discuss pointless nonsense-honestly.”
Hazel grumbled as she left the meeting room, leaving behind a group of board members simmering with frustration.
After she exited the company, the people in the meeting room remained seated, frozen in
their earlier positions.
“Honestly, we should have forced her to step down just now. How can a giant like Queen Corp be handed over to a little girl?”
“It’s all because Jonah is too soft. If it weren’t for his intervention, I would’ve brought it up for a vote right then!”
3/5
Pret suho
+25 BONUS
Two major shareholders, both elderly men, wore expressions full of disdain. They had no
confidence in Hazel whatsoever.
Aside from Hazel’s 20% stake, Jonah held the largest share at 12%. The rest of the board
held less than 5% each.
Even though they were dissatisfied with Hazel, they didn’t dare to overstep too much. The earlier complaints were more for Jonah’s benefit, as he was the only one with the Queen last
name and the power to challenge her.
Meanwhile, in the car, Hazel sat in the back, holding a listening device, while Eddie sat in the front seat. The device broadcasted the conversation from the meeting room.
Before Hazel could react, Eddie couldn’t hold back his outrage.
“Do these people even know who built Queen Corp from the ground up? Yet here they are, kissing Jonah’s feet!”
“If it weren’t for personal gain, who would bother flattering anyone? They’re all opportunists, shifting loyalty to whichever side benefits them the most,” Hazel replied calmly, turning off the device.
She then sent an address to Eddie on her phone. “Drive here. I’ve arranged to meet
someone.”
The address led to a luxury resort on the outskirts of the city. Though far from the bustling downtown, its business was booming. Only influential figures dined or vacationed there, and deals struck within its walls often exceeded tens of millions-enough to resolve Queen Corp’s current crisis with ease.
After about a 30-minute drive, they arrived at the resort’s entrance. Hazel instructed Eddie to raise the divider between the front and back seats, taking her time before stepping out.
Standing a short distance away, Eddie caught sight of Hazel as she emerged. His eyes lit up
with admiration.
She was dressed in a black, high-slit gown that exuded elegance. Her makeup had
4/5
+25 BONUS
transformed, too-light eye makeup paired with bold red lips that were both striking and
refined.
Her hair was styled into a high bun adorned with a diamond crown hairpiece, and her pearl earrings and necklace were understated yet radiated sophistication.
The deep V neckline of her gown added a touch of maturity to her aristocratic aura, a stark
contrast to the casual outfit she wore to the board meeting earlier that day.
Eddie clapped in admiration. “Boss, your transformation is unreal! It’s like watching a
movie where actors change outfits in the middle of the street.”
Hazel bent down to retrieve a white clutch from the car. The clutch, adorned with pearls, perfectly complemented her ensemble.
“Well? Do I look mature and composed enough?”
“Mature and composed? Boss, if today’s client is a man, there’s no way he’ll leave without signing the contract!”
Eddie never held back when praising his boss.
“Alright, enough exaggeration,” she said with a chuckle. “There’s an outfit prepared for you as well. Go change; I’ll wait here.”
Not long after, Eddie reappeared, dressed sharply in a bespoke suit. A velvet bow tie graced his collar, and the ruffled cuffs added a touch of refinement.
With his tall, well-built physique, as long as he didn’t revert to his usual carefree
demeanor, he could easily pass for an aristocratic young master.
Hazel was admiring her handiwork when Eddie couldn’t resist speaking up.
“In such a polished outfit, anyone would look amazing. Boss, do I look like a noble heir now
or what?”
***
5/5
Conest People
+25 BONUS
