Chapter 4

Mia’s POV

“Eliana will be resuming work at the company on Monday. Any objections?”

Grandfather declared the decision, sitting back in his throne-like chair. The rest of us sat before him like a bunch of obedient, fucked-up puppies.

“Does she have the knowledge? Yes. But the experience?” Uncle Arthur asked, turning toward me. 

I let out a loud chuckle right to his face. “It seems you don’t see me fit enough, Arthur.” I gave him a sweet smile, and a faint smirk appeared on his rough, ugly face.

“Calling me by my name isn’t the right thing to do, Eliana,” he corrected, his tone tight.

“And calling me by my name is right? Aren’t you supposed to be working for me? And sitting in that chair, is that really your place?” My smile stayed sweet, but his face darkened instantly. “Mind you, I don’t mean to be rude. I just hate being overridden by people who claim seniority.” 

I turned back to the front and crossed my legs. 

“I love when you bite back. Not acting like a lovesick puppy,” Grandfather acknowledged, a proud smile stretching across his face.

A quiet smirk tugged at my lips. Crazy how the old man was this pleased, even after I just ridiculed his own son in front of everyone.

“Lovesick? Grandfather, we’re married. It’s only right that she—”

“Shut your mouth,” Grandfather cut in, slamming the door shut on Angelo’s words before he could finish. I stifled a laugh, blinking fast and fanning my face with my hand. 

“Grandfather, I feel you love Eliana more than the rest of us. She isn’t special,” Aunt Gianna spat, her voice dripping with venom. “Isn’t she the exact same person who let herself get walked all over just to buy things for her lover? Have you forgotten everything she did for love? Just for a nobody?”

I didn’t say a single word. 

I felt every eye in the room burning into the side of my face. Yeah, fuck it. The real Eliana would have jumped up to defend him immediately. 

But I wasn't her.

“Is this over? If yes, then excuse me.” I stood up, adjusting my outfit, and began walking away.

“Four will be working by your side,” Grandfather called out. 

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around to face him. Now where the hell was that coming from? Did I miss this part in the novel? Didn’t Four have his own company to run?

“He’s good. He proved himself worthy,” Grandfather added, clearing the air. My gaze flickered over to Four, who was already pushing himself up from his seat.

“I didn’t prove myself worthy just to get dragged into family property. I don’t plan on getting stained with venom,” Four said, his tone icy as he walked straight toward me. 

He stopped right in front of me, locked eyes with me for a brief second, and then walked past without another word. 

Ignoring the heavy stares pinned on my back, I turned and headed back to my room.

***

“What time does the meeting start?” I asked my assistant, flicking my wrist to check my watch. 

Ten minutes to eleven.

“By eleven, ma’am,” she replied, keeping pace right beside me.

Heels clicking sharply against the polished marble floor, I moved down the corridor in my sharp black suit. 

Every worker we passed froze, pulling back against the walls and bowing their heads as I walked by. I kept my chin up and my spine straight, letting the loud, rhythmic thud of my heels command the entire floor. 

Truth was, my stomach was twisting in knots. I felt a slight wave of nausea hitting me inside, the sheer weight of stepping into a viper's nest, but I forced my expression into cold, unshakeable stone. 

I can’t give them a single inch to read me. I reached the double doors of the executive suite, pushed them open, and stepped inside. 

My eyes swept across the serene, high-end office before landing on the sleek glass nameplate resting on the dark oak desk: 

Eliana Salvador — CEO

A slow smirk curled the edge of my lips. I walked over to the floor-to-ceiling glass window, staring down at the sprawling city below. 

It was almost funny. In my real life, I never got to be a CEO or a boss. Yet here I was, running the show inside a novel I transmigrated into.

A sharp knock broke the silence. 

“Come in,” I called out, turning around. The door clicked open, and my assistant walked in. 

“Ma’am, the board members are assembled in the conference room.” I smoothed down my blazer, and followed her out.

When we reached the board room, my assistant opened the heavy wooden door for me. I stepped through the doorway and froze.

Uncle Arthur was sitting right in the center seat, my seat. My gaze scanned the long table. The board members shifted in their chairs, a heavy cloud of discomfort hanging over the room. 

Sweaty brows, avoided eye contact, tight jaws. They were all terrified. And why wouldn't they be? Their cover was about to get blown sky-high.

I walked straight toward the head of the table. Arthur just sat there with a smug grin plastered across his face, looking up at me.

“Isn’t that my seat?” I asked, my voice dangerously cold.

He sneered, leaning back comfortably. “You’re an acting CEO. You don’t deserve this seat.”

A low chuckle escaped my chest. I held my hand out to the side without taking my eyes off him. My assistant instantly placed a thick folder onto my palm. 

I flipped the folder open. A slow smirk grew on my face as my eyes skimmed the highlighted numbers. I snapped the file shut and threw it onto the table right in front of his face.

“Why is a massive amount of money missing from the company’s account? Why are our stocks dropping?” I demanded, leaning over the table. “What significant value have you brought to this company since you stepped in as CEO? Grandfather had you kicked out because you had nothing to give, and yet you’re still sitting here acting arrogant?” I snickered. 

Arthur’s face flushed dark red, his eyes narrowing into slits. Around the table, the board members started whispering nervously, shifting around like trapped rats. 

I snapped my head toward the rest of them. “Give me one good reason why we shouldn’t cut off business with every single one of you sitting in this room.”

The entire room went dead silent. 

You could hear a pin drop.

I turned back to Arthur, my eyes turning to ice. “Get the fuck up before I have security throw you out, Uncle.” I remarked, my voice sweet. 

Arthur’s jaw clenched so hard the muscles jumped. Reluctantly, he pushed himself up from the head chair and shoved his way into an empty seat beside it. 

I took out a tissue, dusted off the leather seat, rolling my eyes, and sat down. I crossed my legs, resting my hands on the table.

“Now, let’s begin with you, Mr. Hudson,” I said, turning my gaze to a middle-aged man down the line. “Tell me why those specific funds are being transferred into your shell company every single month. Are you an asset to us?”

Mr. Hudson’s throat hit a hard gulp, his hands trembling as he gripped his pen. My smirk deepened. 

I didn’t spend hours reading through financial files for nothing. I didn't go through years of schooling for nothing. 

And Brandon back in the modern world certainly didn’t pick me as his top assistant for no damn reason. 

“I repeat,” I leaned forward, letting my voice ring clear across the silent room. “In one word, explain why we shouldn’t freeze your shares right now.”

***

I collapsed back against the soft leather of my office chair, closing my eyes and letting out a long, exhausted breath. 

My whole body was aching. That fucked-up meeting had dragged on for hours, and it was almost four in the afternoon by the time I walked out. 

It was the longest, most draining meeting of my life, but I had to do it. I had to put every single one of those bastards in their place. 

Arthur had already done enough damage to this company, and I wasn't going to let him ruin anything else.

A quiet knock echoed from the door. 

“Come in,” I called out, rubbing my temples. The door creaked open, and my assistant walked in holding a large red box. 

“This was just delivered for you, ma’am,” she said.

My brows furrowed in confusion. “Drop it on the floor and leave.”

She nodded, placed the box carefully on the tiled floor, and walked out, closing the door behind her. 

I sat there staring at the red box. A sudden, cold feeling of dread pooled deep in my stomach, making my heart beat faster. 

Skeptical, I pushed myself out of the chair and walked over to it. I didn't want to touch it with my hands. Reaching out, I used the heel of my shoe to hook under the lid and pop it open.

The cover fell back and my breath caught in my throat, my jaw dropping as the air choked right out of my lungs.

The actual fuck?