RiverStyle

Chapter 9

 The buzzling and busy road miraculously switched to a cold and quiet one as our car pulled into the Rivers garage

Swift opening and closing of car doors followed.

Stepping out of the car, I adjusted my black German suit, poise and ready to take charge.

 My eyes searched through the tall building, tender memories wailing at the back of my mind.

      “It's been a while here” Brain grinned beside me, his earlobe quivering with electric excitement. It always happen when he's excited.

        “Yeah… a long while” I admitted 

We haven't been here since after grade six. Father always dumped us here over the weekends. It has always being his dream to drag us into the familys business.

The thought brought back slight feelings of pleasure. 

I'm sure Brain has the same smirk as me. This memories are hard to forget, I must admit.

  The hard sound of our shoes filled the hall, erupting the bodied men lined up ahead. All in suits. Probably the executives.

    ‘Well seems I am really doing this shit… Taking up this responsibility... Becoming RiverStyle director overnight… Insane, well thanks Brian’, I rolled my eyes at the face behind me. 

He seems to have read my mind as a slight smile formed his lips.

Asshole

   “Welcome Mr River…” the first man greeted. Handshake and silent bows follows

     “Mr Ken would have been here to welcome you Sir… but he's stuck at the conference room” he continued as we all headed for the elevator. “Today happens to be the welcoming conference day for the new employees.. Sir”

“Hmm”

The elevator doors slid open on the executive floor.

Glass. Steel. Precision.

RiverStyle.

I stepped out first.

The conversations around me softened, then stopped. Not because I asked for silence. It happened because I was there. I didn’t hurry. I didn’t look around like a visitor. I moved forward like the floor already knew my weight.

Brian followed half a step behind me. Exactly where he liked to be.

The hallway opened into the executive wing. The assistants straightened immediately. One reached for a tablet. Another moved for the office door.

No introductions were necessary.

“Director River,” one of them said.

I acknowledged her with a nod and kept walking.

The office was exactly as I had imagined it.

Minimalist. Expensive. Deliberate.

Floor-to-ceiling glass overlooked the city. A desk sat perfectly centered, untouched. No personal effects. My father never believed leadership needed comfort.

The room felt cold by design.

I placed my hand on the desk.

Solid.

“This stays,” I said.

Brian smiled slightly. “I figured.”

I moved behind the desk and sat. The chair fit. No adjustments needed.

Through the glass walls, movement picked up. Phones rang. Orders were passed. The rhythm shifted.

They had already adjusted.

“Schedule the department heads,” I said. “Thirty minutes.”

Brian checked his watch. “They’re already waiting.”

Good.

I stood, straightened my suit. “Then let’s not keep them.”

The meeting was short.

No speeches. No ceremony.

I didn’t introduce myself. I didn’t explain my vision. They didn’t need motivation. They needed direction.

We talked timelines, budgets, supply chains.

I asked for numbers. I dismissed opinions.

Proposals heavy with words were rejected. The ones that made sense were approved.

When it ended, they left differently than they arrived.

Straighter. Faster.

Brian closed the door behind the last of them.

“You didn’t break anything,” he said with a smile.

“Yet.”

A knock came almost immediately.

A senior executive stepped in, careful with his posture, careful with his tone.

“Your father requested this be given to you when you assumed the position.”

He placed a slim folder on the desk and left.

No explanation.

I opened it.

Inside was a single document—unsigned, undated.

A move my father had prepared but never executed.

Hostile. Strategic. Ruthless.

Brian leaned in just enough to read the header. His smile disappeared.

“So,” he said quietly, “you’re really stepping into this.”

I closed the folder and set it aside.

“No,” I said calmly.

“I’ve already arrived.”