No Appointment

The following morning, Lily woke up an hour earlier than usual to get ready for work. Since she hadn't been going to the office much for the past month, she decided to leave a stronger professional impression in front of her staff. Compared to her previous attire, she chose a business suit her mother had purposely sent to her from overseas.

Matching the outfit with a pair of her favorite heels, she then collected her hair into a ponytail. Like her regular routine, she applied minimal cosmetics after applying her daily moisturizer. After double checking the documents in her bag and her overall appearance, she headed out of her apartment.

There was no traffic on her way to work. Therefore, she arrived at the company half an hour earlier than expected. From the moment she walked in, almost everyone exchanged morning greetings with her. There were new employees and interns who she interacted with as she made her way to the top floor of the building.

Even though she was taking over her father's place as CEO of the company, she did not act cold towards her employees. Instead, she would thank them for their hard work and speak a few words with them when she had time. In contrast to how her workaholic father, her relationship with most staffs are considered decent.

Although she was an affable type of boss, staffs knew when they should be working and chit-chatting around. It's not like she hadn't visited the company alongside her father before. In the past, her father had personally trained her for business management. While observing her father's relationship with the staff, she didn't like the way everyone gave off a fearful look as if they were facing a mighty emperor. Since then, she would greet everyone and thank them for their efforts.

Of course, she was also lenient to a limited point. If a staff member commits a major mistake or fault that leads to a loss to the company, they would still be held accountable for it. The secretaries she had hired knew their positions well and never gossiped. Her office could be noted as calm and peaceful.

Her secretaries, Ashley Samire and Michel Ali smiled when they saw her stepping out of the elevator. Ashley quickly collected the documents needed for review and reminded her of upcoming appointments for the afternoon. She spoke fast, but at a comprehendible pace. Meanwhile, Michel had gone to the pantry to make her a cup of coffee.

While she sat in her chair and started flipping through pages of the stack of financial reports, her brows furrowed.

Ashley asked in concern, "Miss. Jiang, is there something wrong with the reports?"

Circling a few numbers that didn't add up from the report in front of her, Lily started skimming through other pages. Even though she didn't read the content thoroughly, she picked up areas that required more work and changes.

"Have the financial advisor who was in charge of these reports to come up to me within half an hour. I want to hear his explanation for many areas." Lily checked the time before deciding to call the advisor to her office.

Ashley nodded and immediately informed the finance department. Within half an hour, the advisor showed up to the office. Facing Lily's rather displeased expression, the advisor gulped upon entering her office.

Placing the document with many circled numbers and red marks on the table, Lily crossed her leg and asked for an explanation. "You've been working here long enough to understand that each document requires at least three reviewers before sending it to me. Correct?"

"Yes." The advisor lowered his head as he squinted at the mistakes he made.

"Very well. Take a look at the areas I've circled and let me know if I made any mistakes in pointing out the flaws. If you don't have any questions about why I marked those areas, then make the changes with corrections. I haven't checked the rest of these, but I want you to carefully read through them before submitting it to me again. No next time."

Lily wasn't the type of dwell on reasons for the mistakes. Instead, she'd rather her staff make corrections in the shortest amount of time to avoid any delays. Cold sweat drenched the advisor's body as he felt her pressuring aura. He was about to come up with excuses when she brushed it off and told him to hand the reports in by lunch time.

Relieved, he took the stack of reports and excused himself out of her office. Michel walked in with the cup of coffee and served it after testing the temperature with a thermometer. He knew Lily's habit very well and made sure the coffee wouldn't burn her tongue.

"Miss. Jiang, your coffee." He stood at the side of her desk as if he was waiting for her to give him specific orders. Her lips curved satisfyingly after drinking the first sip of her coffee. Gradually, the crease between her brows disappeared as she relaxed.

" Follow up on Chu Entertainment's rejected proposal and let me know if anyone from that company visits later." An obvious grin curved as she drank her morning coffee, but only she knew what she had in mind.

" Alright. Is there anything else you need?" He asked before exiting her office.

"Review the documents for the upcoming meetings. If there are any mistakes or unclear areas, inform the departments to make adjustments to it. I don't want to see another mistake on any reports." After hearing her words, Michel proceeded with his tasks.

An hour before her first meeting for the day, Michel told her that Director Chu has come to discuss about the rejected proposal. With a smirk on her face, she took a vogue magazine on her desk and started flipping pages of it. Folding corners of the magazine, she said, "I'm busy at the moment. If he doesn't have an appointment, tell him to wait until I am finished with all my meetings. He may leave if he wants to, but my schedule is full until after project decisions are made."

"Alright." Michel's expression was indescribable when he saw how she purposely made Director Chu wait. Shrugging his shoulders, he approached Director Chu who was already in a sulking manner to notify him about what she had said.

"Good morning, Director Chu. Our CEO is currently unavailable to speak to you. If you wish, you may stay and wait until our CEO finishes with her appointments." Michel said with a poker face.

Hearing Michel mention the gender of the CEO in the room, Director Chu smiled wickedly. "Only men know how to deal with real business. I want to speak with Lawrence Jiang and not whoever is in that room. Women don't know a tad about doing business."

After he spoke in an arrogant manner, he dialed Lawrence's number on his phone and turned it on the speaker mode. As if Lawrence had expected his call, he picked it up after the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, CEO Jiang! This is Director Chu from Chu Entertainment. I'm sorry to bother you, but I have received a rejection notice for the upcoming investment proposal project. We've worked together for the past years harmoniously. May I ask why you decided to discontinue investing in our company?"

Lawrence smiled at the other end of the call, but only Toby could see it. She silently finished her breakfast as she listened to her husband's words. "Director Chu, did you call me just for this? I'm not the one currently in charge of the company, so whatever decisions made are by my daughter. If you want to talk about business, you will be discussing it with her and not me. I've given her full authority to do what she thinks as right. I support whatever decisions she makes."

"CEO Jiang, there are some things meant to be spoken after work hours. Maybe you'll change your mind after meeting some potential artists whom I've groomed personally. Perhaps there was some type of miscommunication between us." Director Chu failed to pick up the warning tone from Lawrence's voice.

"Exactly as I have already said just now. If you have any business discussions, please set up an appointment and persuade my daughter with your sincerity. Since your proposal was rejected, you should figure out why that is the case. I still have a meeting to attend. Excuse me."

Beep.

"Hello? Hello?!" Director Chu's face burned from embarrassment.

Lawrence hung up on him and shook his head in disappointment. If it weren't for Lily's career, he would probably never choose to invest in Chu Entertainment.

Toby took a bite of her toast and looked at her husband for a split second. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah. Just putting someone back to his place. Lily will handle him." Lawrence poked the sunny side up egg and let the egg yolk flow on his toast.