CHAPTER 3 A Stressful office day

"Helena, wake up! It's almost time for college," Sarah said excitedly, shaking her sister's shoulder.

"I don't want to go. You should go and manage your so-called Neil Corporation," Helena replied coldly without even looking at her.

Ever since Helena's last suicide attempt, she had been permanently confined to a wheelchair. The tragedy had turned the once warm, cheerful and loving Helena into a cold, proud and spoiled girl.

"Go to hell! You can do anything you want, even if you die, I don't care," Sarah said angrily before storming out of the villa.

"Like you didn't care when our little brother died," Helena said with tears in her eyes.

"Little brother, we miss you so much. If you were here, we three would be living a good life," Helena said, looking up at the sky.

It had been almost five years since that fateful night, and both sisters had lost their support. The tragedy had destroyed the once happy family of three.

But as the sun rose on a new day, Helena knew deep down that it was time to move forward and try to make the best of what was left of their shattered lives. It wouldn't be easy, but with time, patience and support, she knew that healing was possible.

She was stepping out of her black Mercedes, her heels clicking on the pavement as she walked towards the entrance of the high-rise building. It was an ordinary day, but she knew that anything could happen in the business world. As she walked into the building, she was greeted by the receptionist, who gave her a warm smile.

"Good morning, Ms. Johnson," the receptionist said.

"Good morning," she replied.

She walked towards the private elevator and pressed the button. As she rode the elevator up to the 108th floor, she reviewed her schedule for the day. There were a few meetings and presentations, but nothing major. She knew that it was the calm before the storm.

The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. She stepped out and walked towards her office, greeted by her assistant along the way.

"Good morning, Sarah," her assistant said.

"Good morning, Jenny," Sarah replied with a smile. "What's on the agenda for today?"

Jenny handed her a folder, "You have a meeting with the investors at 10 am, followed by a presentation on the new product line at 12 pm, and then a team review meeting at 2 pm. Oh, and the marketing team wants to have a quick chat with you about the campaign for the new product line."

Sarah nodded, "Perfect, let's get started."

As she walked into her office, she took a deep breath. It was time to tackle the day head-on and make things happen. With a cup of coffee in hand, she settled down at her desk and began reviewing reports, preparing for the day ahead.

(Sarah is sitting in her office and her assistant, Jenny, is standing in front of her desk)

Jenny: (Handing Sarah a stack of reports) Here are the latest sales reports, Ms. Johnson.

Sarah: (Taking the reports) Thank you, Jenny. (Sarah glances over the reports briefly) Everything looks good. (Pauses for a moment) I wanted to discuss a business idea with you.

Jenny: (Curious) Sure, what is it?

Sarah: (Explains) I was thinking of launching a new product line. Our competitors have started to expand their product line, and I think it's time we do the same.

Jenny: (Nods her head) That sounds like a great idea, Ms. Johnson. Do you have any specific product ideas in mind?

Sarah: (Smiling) I do, and I am excited about it. We can discuss it further later today.

Jenny: (Agrees) Absolutely.

Sarah: (Contemplating for a moment) What about the meeting with the investors? (Pauses) Are we prepared?

Jenny: (Assuring) Yes, we are. I've created a detailed presentation for them, outlining our future plans and growth strategies.

Sarah: (Impressed) You always come through, Jenny. (Smiling) I'm lucky to have you on my team.

Jenny: (Grateful) Thank you, Ms. Johnson. I strive to make everything a success for our company.

Sarah: (Thinking) Speaking of success, have you heard anything about our competitors lately? How are they doing?

Jenny: (Responding) Yes, I've been keeping an eye on their market strategy, and they've been making waves in the market. But I think we can still beat them. (Confidently) Our company has the capability to outsmart and outperform them.

Sarah: (Eagerly) I completely agree. We're in this to win, and nothing will stop us from achieving our goals. (Chuckles) It's good to know I have you by my side, Jenny. You're always on top of things.

Jenny: (Proudly) Thank you, Ms. Johnson. I am always here to help.

(Sarah smiles as she finishes her cup of coffee)

Sarah: (Standing up) Well, let's get to it. We have a big day ahead of us.

(Jenny follows Sarah out of the office and they make their way towards the conference room)

(Sarah and Jenny entered the conference room with a sense of determination. They were ready to present their ideas to the shareholders).

Sarah: (Addressing the shareholders) Thank you all for coming. I am happy to report that we have seen significant growth in the company this year, and it's because of each and every one of you.

(There were some nods of agreement and a brief murmur of appreciation from the shareholders).

Sarah: (Continuing) I have a few ideas today that I would like to present to you all. We've been doing well, but we need to stay ahead of our competitors. That's why I believe we should launch a new product line.

(The shareholders listened intently, intrigued by the prospect of expansion. However, one shareholder stood up and spoke up).

Shareholder: (Opposing) Ms. Johnson, I don't think we need to launch a new product line. We are doing well as it is. In fact, I think it's time we change the CEO.

(There were gasps and whispers in the room. Sarah's face briefly showed shock, but she quickly regained her composure).

Sarah: (Defending) What are you talking about? I've been leading this company successfully for years.

Shareholder: (Arguing) I understand, but I believe it's time for a change in leadership.

(The discussion became heated, with some shareholders agreeing with the opposing shareholder and others defending Sarah's leadership. It was starting to become a battle of power and influence).

Sarah: (Calling for calm) Please, let's not get carried away. We are all here to make the best decision for the company.

(Despite her constant attempts to reason, the argument continued for a while. However, after some time, half of the shareholders sided with Sarah. The meeting ended peacefully, and Sarah and Jenny left the conference room).

Jenny: (Supporting) You did well, Ms. Johnson. We're halfway there.

(Sarah let out a sigh of relief, glad that the chaos had come to an end. However, as she was leaving the office building, she received a threatening message).

Unknown caller: (In a menacing tone) I don't think you're going to be the CEO for much longer, Ms. Johnson. Watch your back.

(Sarah shuddered, realizing that not everyone had accepted her as a leader. She knew that she had to be cautious moving forward).

assistant Jenny returned to Sarah's office and found her asleep on the couch. Jenny was concerned and approached her carefully, trying not to wake her.

Jenny: (placing a hand on Sarah's shoulder) Ms. Johnson, are you alright? What happened?

Sarah: (slowly waking up) I'm sorry, Jenny. I must have dozed off.

Jenny: (concerned) Is everything okay? You seemed upset earlier.

Sarah: (hesitantly) I received a threatening call after the meeting today. It's been a stressful day.

Jenny: (worried) Oh my. Did you report it or inform the authorities?

Sarah: (sighing) No, I didn't. I don't think there's much they can do at this point. But I appreciate your concern.

Jenny: (sympathetic) I'm sorry, Ms. Johnson. I know how hard it can be sometimes. But you're strong enough to handle this. You've always been.

Sarah: (smiling weakly) Thank you, Jenny. You know me too well.

Jenny: (giggling) Of course, I do. And remember, we still have half of the shareholders on our side.

Sarah: (nodding) Yes, that's true. We'll focus on that and come up with another strategy.

Jenny: (encouragingly) That's the spirit. And if you don't mind me saying, I think you need some rest. You haven't slept well in days.

(Sarah nods and lays back down on the couch)

Sarah: (admitting) Maybe you're right. I just hope I can get some sleep tonight.

Jenny: (smiling) I'll make sure of it. You can count on me.

(Sarah falls asleep, her mind still fraught with worry, but somewhat comforted by the presence of her trusted assistant, Jenny).

going to do? She was worried that they might try to undermine her position.

Sarah: (thinking to herself) My brother was a force to be reckoned with. He was cold, supreme, and dangerous, except when it came to me and our sisters. He would do anything to protect us.

(Sarah's thoughts turned to memories of her brother and how he always had her back. He was fiercely loyal and protective, and Sarah felt safer with him by her side)

Sarah: (thinking) If only he were here now, he would make sure that no one dared to cross me. But I know that he would want me to fight my battles on my own.

(Sarah took a deep breath and steeled herself for the challenges ahead. She knew that her brother would want her to be strong and unwavering in the face of opposition)

Sarah: (thinking) I will honor his memory by being the best CEO that I can be, and by fighting for what is right. I will not let anyone undermine my position or my authority.

(Sarah felt a sense of determination and resolve, knowing that her brother's spirit was watching over her. She would do whatever it takes to protect her company and her legacy, just as her brother would have done)

Sarah: (thinking) My brother may not be here with me physically, but his memory will always be with me. He was the most important person in my life, and I will never forget the sacrifices he made for me and our sisters.

(Sarah stood up from her chair, feeling stronger and more confident than ever. She was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that her brother's spirit was by her side).

As the day came to a close, the CEO, Sarah, let out a deep sigh of relief and closed her laptop. It had been a long and stressful day, but she knew that she had done everything in her power to protect her company and her position as CEO. Tomorrow was another day, and Sarah was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. With a sense of determination and resilience, she left her office and headed home, knowing that she had done her best.