Later That Day
That evening, Jennifer Walters sat on her couch with her tablet.
Curiosity had won.
She typed:
Ashborn House
The results loaded.
And she froze.
Global assets.
Political influence across multiple countries.
Silent shareholders in governments.
Industries spanning medicine, energy, technology, finance.
"This is…" Jennifer whispered.
Not just rich.
Untouchable.
Across the city, Helen Cho stared at her screen in disbelief.
"So that's why…" she murmured.
The Ashborn family wasn't just backing nations—
They shaped them.
Both women leaned back.
Instead of fear—
They felt excitement.
This wasn't a job.
This was history.
The Next Morning – Ashborn Group
Ashborn Tower gleamed under the morning sun.
Jennifer and Helen arrived early.
Professional.
Focused.
Nervous—but eager.
They were escorted straight to the Chairman's Office.
Alex stood when they entered.
"Good morning," he said, smiling.
Both women froze for half a second.
Then—
Blushed.
"Good morning," Helen replied quickly.
Jennifer cleared her throat. "Morning."
Alex gestured to the table.
He placed two massive books down in front of them.
The weight alone made the table creak.
He slid one toward Jennifer.
"This is yours."
She opened it.
Her eyes widened.
Every company.
Every share.
Percentages.
Hidden ownerships.
"…This is the entire market," she breathed.
Alex nodded. "Correct."
He pushed the second book toward Helen.
She opened it.
Medical formulas.
Cosmetic recipes.
Perfectly documented.
"…All of this works?" Helen asked softly.
"Yes," Alex said calmly.
"Every medicine. Every cosmetic."
Helen stared at the pages like they were sacred texts.
Their First Assignments
Alex spoke evenly.
"Helen—filter the best medical and cosmetic formulas. Prepare them for market release."
Helen nodded immediately. "I'll do it."
"Jennifer," he continued, "focus only on companies with over a hundred million market cap. Identify legal vulnerabilities or conflicts."
Jennifer straightened. "Understood."
Alex looked at both of them.
Their eyes were bright.
Excited.
He smiled slightly.
"Good luck."
They nodded at the same time.
Gwen Enters
A knock came.
"Come in," Alex said.
The door opened.
A blonde woman stepped inside—confident, sharp, beautiful.
"Alex?" Gwen asked. "You called?"
Alex gestured toward Helen.
"This is Dr. Helen Cho. She's the new Director of Ashborn Labs."
Gwen's eyes widened.
"…Finally."
She turned to Alex with a grateful smile.
"Thank you for finding her."
Alex rubbed the back of his neck slightly.
"…You're welcome."
Helen noticed.
And smiled.
Alex turned back to Helen.
"Gwen will show you the labs."
Helen nodded. "Of course."
She followed Gwen out, excitement practically radiating from her.
One Last Moment
The room quieted.
Only Alex and Jennifer remained.
Alex looked at her.
"If the workload becomes stressful," he said calmly,
"tell me. I'll assign you an assistant."
Jennifer paused.
Warmth spread through her chest.
"…Thank you."
Alex nodded.
He walked with her to her office—just one floor below his own.
Spacious.
Clean.
Elegant.
"Welcome to Ashborn Holdings," he said.
Jennifer smiled softly.
"I think," she replied, "I'm going to like it here."
Alex left.
Jennifer sat at her desk.
Heart steady.
Mind sharp.
A new chapter had begun.