Ch 659 - A Dinner Celebration

Alex signed the papers, which were quickly removed by the legal team. Maryann poured two glasses of champagne and they clinked their glasses.

"News travels fast at this company," she said. "It won't be long until they are lining up to congratulate you."

"Please ask your team to keep my identity secret for now," he instructed. "Of course, they'll need to be informed of the changes in our business line. But I would like to keep our circle of trust small for now. We'll also need to draw up contracts for all staff to ensure that they maintain full confidentiality."

"Of course," she said. "First thing tomorrow, I'll brief all the necessary personnel." She put down her champagne and called Julie, asking her to set up a meeting with all the department heads.

The meeting went smoothly, and before long, everyone was aware of the changes and had signed their confidentiality agreements.

"Is anyone hungry?" Maryann asked, looking around the room.

"I'm actually starving," Alex confessed. "Is there anywhere nearby we can go?"

"Just a second," she said, picking up the phone again. "Julie, could you please call Loco and ask them to set my usual corner for eight people? We'll be there soon."

Ten minutes later, Alex followed Julie and the other executives up the stairs of an elegant restaurant. "It's the best tapas place in town," Julie told him. "It's usually booked out months in advance. But I've been a regular from the day it opened, so they'll always fit me in."

The menu was extensive, but Alex didn't have to ponder the options for long. Maryann ordered a whole table of dishes for everyone to share. Each one was colorful and beautifully presented. The atmosphere was warm, and Alex felt he could finally relax. Once the champagne had been poured, the group raised their glasses to welcome the new chairman.

Alex had no fear of getting drunk; he knew he could empty every glass on the table and not feel in any way tipsy. Still, he felt himself blush at the attention of these people. He was also tired and hungry after the last few days in the police station, so he picked up his knife and fork and began to dig into the closest dish.

"Take your time, Alex," Maryann said. "You must savor every mouthful."

Immediately after she spoke, she regretted her words. She had never cooked a meal in her life and was used to being waited upon. They had come from very different worlds, and she hadn't meant to ridicule Alex in front of the board. He's probably not eaten in many restaurants like this, she thought.

She picked up her napkin, dabbed at the corners of her mouth, and reached out a hand toward him.

He gently pushed her hand away and said, "Of course. I'm sorry. Where are my manners?"

She had to cover her mouth to hide a smile. There was something endearing about the new chairman eating like a starving child.

"What do you think Tom will do next?" she asked seriously, hoping to restore his confidence.

Alex shrugged, more interested in his food than Tom's prospects. His expression remained calm as he said, "I really don't care what he does."

"Do you think he's off our backs now?" she asked. "And that he'll get rid of all that trouble for us?" She was a little worried because she knew how fickle Tom could be.

He sipped his champagne and said, "You don't have to worry about him. If he doesn't take care of it, someone else will."

"Alex, how are you not afraid of anything?" she asked. "And how is it so easy for you to scare off others? Tom couldn't get away from you fast enough, and he seemed terrified you'd kill him."

He didn't respond. He merely took another mouthful of food and chewed slowly.

"I'm really worried about you," she said, frowning at him. "You've had some lucky escapes, but I'm not sure you can keep this up indefinitely. Sooner or later, you'll run into serious trouble. Besides, won't this kind of conflict affect the business?"

"I understand your concerns," he said, "but you don't have to worry about me. I don't mean to inflict harm on anyone, but Tom is a bully. Had I let him get the upper hand, then he would have come back stronger and walked all over us. At the end of the day, I need to protect our business from people like that."

He sighed. "They don't leave me much choice. If I'm too tolerant, then that only encourages them to do worse next time." He shrugged. "Sometimes, I have to send a message."

She knew that he was right. "I understand. I'm just afraid that someday, it'll be you that gets hurt."

Alex snorted. He wasn't worried about his safety. He knew exactly how strong he was, and he knew he could deal with almost anything.