Chapter 1

Before my grandpa, Gary Langford, passed away, he went against the entire extended family and drew up a will, bypassing everyone else and leaving me a 60% stake in Langford Corporation.

I became the company's largest shareholder overnight, but I had no idea how to run a business, and couldn't even understand basic financial statements.

My parents, Rick Dunn and Beth Langford, didn't want to put too much pressure on me, so they got Lila Langford to temporarily run the business Grandpa left behind on my behalf.

"Theo, you lived a hard life. Now it's time to enjoy life. Lila will manage the business, so all you need to do is go play with cars, hang out with your friends, and learn how to be an heir."

My parents' words made sense.

We should leave the professional matters to the professionals.

And so, Lila handled the negotiations, met clients, and talked to the media for me. She was on her feet all day in high heels, running from one thing to the next.

As for me, I took the black card Grandpa left me and spent my days at various luxury menswear boutiques and supercar clubs, learning how to spend money and be a proper figurehead.

As time went on, Lila gained more and more respect within the company. Before long, everyone only knew the no-nonsense female CEO. No one even remembered me, the chairman who owned 60% of the shares.

Rumors began to spread, saying that Langford Corporation couldn't afford to lose Lila, and that I, who returned to the family from a small town, was just a freeloader.

I didn't think too much of them.

It was true that I didn't know how to manage a company, but I knew how to be grateful.

Lila worked for me, and I got the dividends.

It was a fair deal.

Everything was going fine until one day, Lila hired a newly graduated intern named Daniel Wagner.

Daniel graduated from a top college and was stubborn and proud, always claiming he couldn't tolerate even the slightest injustice. He'd only been with the company for a few days when Lila promoted him to special assistant for daring to speak his mind.

That afternoon, I left the car dealership and stopped by the office to drop off some soup my parents had made for Lila. I'd barely passed the lobby outside the CEO office when Daniel suddenly strode over, a thick stack of documents in his hands, and blocked my way.

It was the end of the workday, and executives and employees were everywhere.

His expression cold, Daniel suddenly raised his hand and threw a stack of reimbursement forms and expense statements down at my feet.

The papers were scattered across the floor, detailing my spending that month on haute couture suits, limited-edition watches, and supercar parts.

Everyone went quiet, their eyes locked onto us.

I narrowed my eyes at the papers on the floor.

Daniel had already started berating me, looking utterly indignant. "Mr. Langford, the company isn't your ATM! Just look at how much you've spent. A single suit costs hundreds of thousands, and a watch can cost over one million dollars. Have you ever made even a penny for the company?

"Ms. Langford is a woman, yet she stays up until midnight negotiating deals every day and even has to entertain clients while suffering from gastric bleeding! You're a grown man who hasn't done a thing. How can you spend the money she works so hard to earn without the slightest bit of guilt?

"You're nothing but a parasite sucking the life out of Langford Corporation!"