Chapter 1

"That will be $100.99." Amanda said with a smile.

The old lady frowned. "I better have my bags doubled or there's going to be trouble."

"Your bags will be doubled if it's necessary." She began packing the goods in a plastic bag

"I want my bag doubled because the last time I bought stuff they scattered around the parking lot, I'm pretty sure you were the one who attended to me."

"Right." Amanda replied not paying attention to her words.

She had worked in different stores long enough to know to ignore customers who come looking for trouble unprovoked.

"Are you paying with cash or card?" She asked.

"I won't pay until you double my bags." The woman said defiantly.

"It's so easy for you to fight for stupid things when you don't have real problems to deal with." Amanda muttered with an eyeroll.

The old lady scoffed. "How dare you speak to me that way. Where's your manager? I'm going to make sure you get fired."

"You're the third person to do this today, don't you have any other important stuff to do than argue with a cashier." She shoved her goods in front of her. "It's doubled, now card or cash."

"Why, you rotten…"

"Good day madam, how may I help you?" A young lady about the age of Amanda showed up.

The woman eyed her slowly. "Are you the manager?"

"Our manager is out for today but I can help you with your complaint."

She pointed to Amanda. "This rotten brat is saying rude things to me, I want her fired."

Amanda sighed. "She keeps nagging for a plastic bag , Daphne."

"Me?! Nagging!" The old lady shrieked

"Oh would you look at the time, it's my lunch break. Good luck with this Daphne." Amanda took off her apron and headed to the locker room.

"And you better learn some manners!" The lady yelled after her.

Amanda took out a lunch box from her locker and settled down on one of the benches.

"You should really work on your people's skills." Daphne said as she entered the room.

Amanda grinned. "Is she gone already? That was quicker than I thought it'd be."

"I had to give her a complimentary coupon." She settled down on the bench beside her. "Is that bacon sandwich?"

"Yeah, you want some?"

"It's my favorite, is that supposed to be a question?" She picked one from the bowl and took a bite. "This is so good!"

"Amanda." Daphne mumbled, her mouth stuffed with food.

"What's up?"

"Let's go to the beach this weekend" Daphne asked.

Amanda cocked her head to the side. "I'm sorry Daphne but I have work."

"Can't you just put off work? You are the most hardworking person I know and you definitely need a break, we both do."

Amanda sighed. "I'd really love to Daphne, but I have to work, I really can't afford slacking around right now."

Daphne clasped Amanda's hands in hers. "Taking one day off won't kill you or anyone else, yes we might lose a couple of dollars but Amanda, we need to live. Think about it, you and me laying in the sand sunbathing. Just imagine it."

Amanda was quiet for a moment, taking in Daphne's words. Since her father had died, all she ever did was work, she never went out or took day offs or even had times for friends; the only reason she was friends with Daphne was because they worked together.

"I guess I could take a Saturday off to go to the beach with you." She finally said.

"Yes!" Daphne squealed and pulled her into her embrace. "We are going to have so much fun."

"Amanda!" Her boss's voice boomed, breaking them apart. "You have a call from the hospital."

"The hospital?!" She let go of Daphne's hands and walked to where her boss stood. "Did they say what they want?"

His face looked grave. "Something happened to your mother."

"What?" She grabbed the phone from his hands. "Amanda Diez speaking."

"Amanda Diez we're going to need you at Southside hospital now, your mother fainted at her workplace and was rushed to the hospital."

Amanda gasped, "Is she okay?"

"She has regained her consciousness but we are going to need you here to sign some documents and take her home."

"I'll be right there." She handed the phone back to her boss and ran out of the store.

****

The conference room was filled with loud murmurs by the gathered the executives. They discussed why they had all been summoned by the vice president on a short notice.

Suddenly the two large wooden doors were pushed open and the vice president of M&A Corporations, Kain Adams walked in. Silence descended the room as he made his way to the head of the table.

Kain Adams was a tall and muscular man who exhumed an air of authority wherever he went. He was dressed in a tailored suit that blended into his frame, showing off his broad shoulders and complimenting his grey piercing eyes that stared deep into a person's soul.

He settled into his chair and cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Thank you all for gathering here on such short notice." Kain said, his voice powerful yet controlled.

The room was filled with the top executives of M.A Corporation. Kaim had summoned them at the last minute for a debrief.

"As you all very much know, we have been experiencing certain challenges with our latest acquisitions," he continued, his gaze intense as he spoke. "Our only way out now is to strategize and find our way out of this rut."

The executives whispered to each other, wondering what was going through Kain's mind. If there was one thing about the young leader, it was that he was a master strategist who used different setbacks as an opportunity to push M&A to greater heights than it already was.

"With that said, I'm going to need you all to give me a current run down of your respective departments."

The murmurs got louder as the executives shifted nervously on their seats. This wasn't the first time this had happened but Kain had always managed to catch them by surprise each time.

Kain glanced around, his gaze cold. "Do you want me repeating myself?"

"Of course not sir." Damian Adams said nervously. He was the head of M&A trade and also Kain's cousin. "I'll go first."

Kain listened intently to each of the reports, his mind processing the information quickly and creating a better solution. By the time each of the executives were done, he had taken down mental notes to go back to.

"I'm sure you all don't want me stating the obvious." He said. "Damian, why is it that in a span of six months M&A trade has a return of over six thousand goods?"

Damian glanced down, "We are currently working on a solution to that sir"

"A solution that you haven't figured out in six months." Kain snapped. His eyes swept across the room as he spoke. " I want each of you to review your budgets and streamline our operations. We also need to review our portfolio. If any of our businesses are not meeting expectations, cut them off quickly. The company doesn't need burdens."

The meeting went on for another hour before being adjourned, his final words echoing in the minds of the executives as they dispersed out of the room.

Suddenly his phone buzzed. It was a text message from his grandfather:

'Dinner at six, be there.'