CHAPTER 7 The Biggest Headache

　　The meeting went on for the next hour, and after a while, it came to an end. From their discussion, Sophia was able to fully understand the operation of the company, what she needed to do, and where she had to start to make everything better. Though it was her first time there, she found the current situation of things at the company appalling.

　　One after the other, the men left. When they had all left the room, Sophia looked at Gerald who was sitting beside her. An irritated look appeared on her face, and no one needed to tell Gerald that she was about to make a complaint.

　　Gerald rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. "Say it all out. I know you're about to accuse me of something. Do it already." He folded his arms and placed one of his legs on the table.

　　"No wonder grandma wanted me to come here!" Sophia exclaimed and slapped her right palm on the table, making Gerald jerk a bit backward. He didn't drop his leg from the table though.

　　"If you keep going on like this, I guess this will become the first branch of our Blake-Peterson family to close down!" A firm look appeared on her face as she stared at Gerald.

　　He let out another sigh before giving a reply. "Deep down, you know I tried my best."

　　"Well, I don't see any change here, Gerald. Are you telling me your best isn't enough?"

　　Gerald didn't like being scolded, especially by someone like Sophia, but this had started already, and he knew there was nothing he could do about it. So, he just sat there and let her words fly by him. "I tried. You know I did," he replied again.

　　"Shame!" Sophia said and gave him a supercilious look, before slowly turning her face to a couple of files on the table in front of her.

　　"You can't blame me for this. When I came to take over, the situation was even worse than it is now," he defended himself.

　　He then placed down his leg from the table and turned on his chair to face Sophia squarely. "Besides, that group of old guys is more difficult to deal with than the others. Although they respect me when I'm with them, when they're among themselves in private, none of them take my words to heart." He shrugged. "And I can't possibly trouble myself all day because of some old men who have lived life to an extent, yes?"

　　Sophia rolled her eyes at his nonchalance and facepalmed herself, while Gerald continued ranting and defending himself.

　　"They have been entrenched here for many years, and they have already held the real power in their hands. Think about it, how can they easily delegate power to me?" He paused, a serious expression now occupying his face as he stared at Sophia, who was still looking at the files on the table.

　　"What's more? I'm not like you, and deep down, we all know I can never be like you. I'm just a bare-bones commander and you're well aware of that. It's not easy to spend like this with them." Gerald said with resentment on his face.

　　From the way his voice sounded, Sophia could tell that he was beginning to get in his feelings with his rants, so she sighed and tried to calm him down in her way. "Okay, you seem to be getting me wrong, Gerald," she dropped the files on the table and turned to face him on her seat, her arms folded.

　　"Look, don't sell me badly here. During the training camp, if you hadn't spent all your time chasing after female classmates, you wouldn't be what you are now." Sophia shrugged, hitting him in the chest with her words.

　　Gerald rolled his eyes at her and looked away. She had just stated a fact about him that he couldn't help, and she was aware of that.

　　Things have gotten better between them now, because back then during the training camp, Sophia disliked Gerald so much because of his flirting personality. She was always so disgusted to identify with him or let people know they were cousins.

　　"I can't help it too," Gerald muttered softly.

　　"Of course!" Sophia raised her hands, showing she was right after all. "Yes, you can't help but fall in love with every good-looking woman. Now, look where it got you, perv." Sophia spat at him and rolled her eyes.

　　"Hey!" He yelled as he looked at her. "It's also a man's nature!" He defended, making Sophia directly shoot a glare at him and he cleared his throat and looked away quickly.

　　He straightened his waist on the chair, trying to ease the tension in the room from their heated discussion. "Well, about that. . ." He cleared his throat and faked a cough. He then turned to look at her confidently. "I've restrained myself a lot now!"

　　"Really?" She asked with raised eyebrows.

　　"Yes, trust me!" He tried to convince her, hoping she'd believe him.

　　"Give it time and I'll know if that's true or you're just bluffing," she paused and he smiled a little before she added, "which I think you are."

　　"Hey!"

　　Ignoring him, she changed the topic from her cousin to the situation at hand in the company. "What is the most troublesome problem for you right now?" Sophia asked.

　　"Uh, me?" He asked her with raised eyebrows, a bit confused about the question. "Well, I think it's this flirting issue—"

　　Sophia cut in. "I don't care about your flirting skills, Gerald. I don't have much leisure time to discuss your romantic life with you. I'm asking about the company!"

　　"Oh," he mouthed in retaliation. Seeing it had come to business, he restrained his playful look to a serious one.

　　"The biggest headache now is your fiance,"