The polished oak door of the Headmistress's office felt like a gateway to another world. I pushed it open without knocking and stepped inside. The air was calm, smelling faintly of old books and expensive tea. Amelia Watson sat behind her large, immaculate desk, the picture of cool, matriarchal power, a pen poised over a student file.
"Should we go?" I asked, my voice cutting through the quiet.
She looked up, a flicker of surprise in her sharp, blue-green eyes. "Go where, Adam?"
"Your new office," I said with a grin.
She let out a small, exasperated sigh, though I could see a hint of an amused smile playing on her lips. "Adam, I can't just leave. I'm the Headmistress. I haven't appointed a successor. There are protocols."
"You can handle the protocols later," I said, walking towards her. "Right now, our new board members need to meet their Chief Strategic Officer."
"But—"
"I'm not taking no for an answer," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument. She knew she couldn't win this one. A look of profound, almost thrilling resignation washed over her face.
"Fine," she said, standing up and smoothing down her professional suit. "Let's go. I must admit, I'm also curious to see my old teacher, Lily, in her new role as Head of HR."
"You'll be surprised," I said. "And you'll be closer to Tiffany, too. She is, after all, a co-founder."
A genuine, proud smile finally broke through her composed exterior. "I am so happy for her success," she said. "Alright, Adam. Let's go."
We went down to the private garage, where her dark green Rolls Royce waited like a silent, patient beast. As we settled into the plush leather seats, she gave the driver a single, crisp command: "To the Phoenix Capital Group tower."
As the car pulled out into the city traffic, I turned to her. "I might not be available for a few days, starting tomorrow."
She looked at me, her curiosity piqued. "Where are you going?"
"A recruitment drill," I said vaguely. "Some business work that needs a personal touch. That's why it's important I introduce everyone to you today. The ship needs a steady hand at the helm while I'm away."
We reached the Phoenix Capital tower. The last time I had been here, it was a ghost town, an empty shell filled with potential. Now, it was alive. The lobby was a bustling hub of activity, filled with young, ambitious employees moving with a sharp, focused energy. As Amelia and I walked in—her in her powerful business suit, me in a light blue tux I'd had tailored for just such an occasion—a wave of respectful greetings followed us. "Good morning, Chairperson."
We moved together, a silent, powerful duo. Amelia looked around, a look of genuine awe on her face. "I really feel like I'm a queen," she murmured, her voice a low, intimate whisper, "and you're my king."
I just gave her a smirk. "That's true."
We took the private elevator to the top floor and walked into the main boardroom. Everyone was already there: my mom, my aunt, Isabel, Tiffany, Anna, Stacy, Marilyn, and Aila, all seated around the massive mahogany table. They looked up as we entered, and a stunned silence fell over the room. Tiffany's eyes went wide, her usual cool composure completely shattered at the sight of her mother walking in beside me.
I walked to the head of the table, a confident, easy smile on my face. "Everyone," I began, my voice ringing with a new, undeniable authority. "Please meet our newest board member, Mrs. Amelia Watson. She will be serving as our Chief Strategic Officer, and the head of the newly formed Office of Strategic Integration. Please, give her a round of applause."
The room erupted in a wave of polite but confused applause. I could see the questions burning in their eyes.
Stacy was the first to speak, her voice a low, intrigued purr. "Adam, darling, another brilliant move. But I must admit, I'm curious. What specific... talents does the Headmistress bring to our very unique table?"
Before I could answer, Tiffany spoke, her voice sharp and clear, a direct challenge to her own mother. "My mother is a formidable woman, but her expertise is in academia. This is a different kind of battlefield. She will have to prove her talent."
Amelia, who had been observing the scene with a calm, serene smile, finally spoke. Her voice was a cool, elegant melody that instantly commanded the attention of the room. "A fair point, Tiffany. And a valid concern. My talent, as you put it, is in seeing the whole board. Not just the pieces, but the patterns, the hidden moves, the wars that will be fought ten years from now. I am here to ensure that every brilliant, individual talent in this room is moving in perfect harmony towards a single, unified victory." Her words were a masterpiece of calm, unshakeable authority, and I could see a flicker of grudging respect in Tiffany's eyes.
"That's all fine," I said, cutting through the tension. "But we have other matters to discuss. Tiffany, I believe you have some information for the board."
Tiffany nodded, her professional persona taking over. She opened a sleek, black folder in front of her. "As you all know, our operational security is a top priority," she began. "Recently, we... acquired... a number of new, highly specialized assets. I won't bore you with the details of their acquisition, but their potential is significant."
She looked around the table, her gaze lingering on each of the new department heads. "First, for our new charitable medical foundation. We have secured a team of three: a brilliant surgeon, Dr. Aris Thorn, a master pharmacist, Sarah Vance, and an expert trauma nurse, Diana Wayne. They will give Phoenix Capital an unparalleled advantage in biotechnology and a sterling public image."
She then turned to my aunt. "Christine, for 'Allure,' we've found a young woman named Grace Clive. Her potential as a model and actress is, according to our initial assessment, off the charts. She will be the perfect face for your new brand."
Next, she looked at Marilyn. "Marilyn, we have also acquired an expert accountant named James Allen. He has... unique experience in creative financial management. He will be a valuable asset to your team."
Her gaze shifted to Amelia, a new, more intense focus in her eyes. "And for our new CSO, a special project. We have acquired a chemical engineer named Marcus Thorne. His expertise is in neurotoxins and psychoactive compounds. He is a high-risk, high-reward asset with a deeply unstable psychological profile. His potential for weaponizing pharmaceuticals—or creating revolutionary new medicines—is unprecedented. He will require… careful management."
Finally, she looked at me. "And for you, Adam, something a little more... ambitious. A racetrack driver named Francesca Hemsworth. She has the raw talent to become an F1 champion. A Phoenix-sponsored racing team would be a global marketing coup."
I listened, a slow, satisfied smile on my face. Then I looked at the board. "These are the assets," I said, my voice a calm, confident declaration. "If anyone has a strategic objection to their potential, now is the time to voice it. If you think these people are not resourceful enough, if you think they are a liability, we don't have to accept them. It's fine."
The room was silent for a moment, and then the excitement began to build.
"An F1 team," Stacy breathed, her eyes shining with a predatory, capitalist glee. "The sponsorship potential is astronomical. We can use it to launch our brand into the global market."
"And a charity hospital," my mom added, her own voice full of a genuine, heartfelt pride. "We can do so much good with that. It will be the heart of our company's public image."
The rest of the meeting was a blur of high-level, ambitious planning. The energy in the room was electric, a symphony of brilliant minds all working in perfect harmony. We discussed our first-quarter profit targets, with Tiffany and Marilyn laying out an aggressive but achievable plan for market capture. Stacy proposed a series of strategic acquisitions to weaken our competitors before they even knew we were a threat. Christine presented a detailed timeline for the launch of "Allure," complete with a plan to make Grace Clive an overnight sensation. My mom, in her new role as CEO, spoke with a quiet, firm authority about building a corporate culture that was both ruthless in its efficiency and fiercely protective of its own people.
Amelia, the new CSO, was the conductor of it all. She listened, she questioned, she found the connections between their plans that no one else could see. She pointed out how the F1 team's technology could be adapted for military contracts, how the hospital's research could lead to patents worth trillions, and how Allure's celebrity endorsements could be used for political leverage. She was a grandmaster, and this was her board.
The future of Phoenix Capital Group was no longer just a dream. It was a detailed, step-by-step blueprint for conquering the world.