One day, Lily called Mr. Charles to her house, her mind racing with thoughts of her father's business. She had been thinking about it a lot lately, and she wanted to discuss it with him.
When Mr. Charles arrived, Lily greeted him warmly. "I'm so grateful for everything you've done for me so far," she said, smiling.
Mr. Charles smiled back, his eyes filled with kindness. "I just wanted to do something for you. I am so sorry for your father's death. I couldn't save him."
Lily's eyes welled up with tears, but she blinked them back. "It wasn't your fault at all," she said. "But you have done so much for me."
Mr. Charles nodded, his expression somber. "You can call me uncle. Since, I was your dad's best friend."
Lily smiled, feeling a sense of comfort. "Okay, uncle."
Mr. Charles smiled back. "By the way, Lily, why did you call me here today? Is there anything I can help you with? Just tell me."
Lily took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "Uncle, I thought about this a lot. Now that my father is gone, I have to take over his business and all the hard work he has put in till now. I need your help in this matter. I hope you will support and guide me."
Mr. Charles nodded, his face lighting up with enthusiasm. "Lily, sure. It'll be my pleasure if I'll ever be able to do anything for you."
Lily felt a sense of relief wash over her. So when should we start?" she asked.
Mr. Charles thought for a moment. "Well, why don't we start tomorrow? I'll ask Luca to drop you off at the office and support and guide you if you ever need to."
Lily nodded, her expression serious, "Okay."
The next day, Luca dropped Lily off at the office. "Lily, if you need anything, just ask me anytime. I'll take care of it," he said, smiling.
Lily smiled back. "Luca, thank you so much. I just want a cup of coffee to start working. Can you bring me one?"
Luca nodded. "Sure, it's my pleasure."
As Luca left, Lily walked into her father's office, determined to uncover the truth. She began to sift through the files on his desk, searching for any clues. The office was quiet, the only sound the rustling of papers and the hum of the computer.
Lily's mind wandered back to her father as she searched through the files, the pain of his loss still fresh. But she was determined to make him proud, to take over his business and make it thrive. As she sifted through the documents, her fingers moved with a sense of purpose, her eyes scanning the pages with intensity.
Just as she was getting into the rhythm, the door snapped open and a figure strode in. "Who are you?" Lily asked, taken aback by the woman's abrupt entrance.
"I'm Victoria," the woman replied, her expression stern.
Lily's curiosity was piqued. "So, why are you here, Miss Victoria?" she asked, her voice firm.
Victoria's expression turned cold. "I'm not answerable to you." she replied curtly.
Lily's annoyance grew. "Excuse me?" she said, her voice rising. "I am Mr. Henry's daughter, and I'll be running this business from now on. You'd do well to show some respect."
Victoria snorted, her lips curling into a sneer. "You shouldn't be poking around in things you don't understand. You're not equipped to handle this business." her words were laced with venom, and Lily felt a spark of anger ignite within her.
As Victoria turned to leave, Lily reached out, her hand grasping for Victoria's arm. "Wait," she said, trying to stop Victoria from walking away.
But Victoria was having none of it. With a swift motion, she pushed Lily's hand away, her eyes flashing with anger. Lily stumbled backward, her balance wavering. Just as she was about to fall, Luca appeared out of nowhere and caught her, his arms wrapping around her waist.
"Whoa, be careful," Luca said, his voice low and soothing.
Victoria didn't even glance back, her expression unyielding as she turned and walked out of the room, leaving Lily and Luca alone.
Luca's grip on Lily's waist remained firm, but gentle. "Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes searching hers.
Lily nodded, feeling a bit shaken but grateful for Luca's quick reflexes. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks to you."
Luca smiled and released his grip on her waist, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Anytime, Lily. I'm here to help."
Lily stood upright, her eyes wide with surprise. "By the way, Who was she? How rude!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with shock and indignation.
Luca's expression turned gentle. "I don't know," he said softly. "Just forget about her." he said, looking at her.
Luca then asked, "So, what's the plan for today?"
Lily took a deep breath and looked around the office. "I think I need to get familiar with this place. Can you show me around?"
Luca nodded. "Of course. Let's start with the conference room."
As they walked, Luca explained the different departments and roles within the company. Lily listened intently, determined to learn as much as she could.
They eventually arrived at the conference room, where Luca introduced Lily to the rest of the staff. The atmosphere was tense, but Lily's presence seemed to ease the tension slightly. Just as the introductions were finishing up, Lily's phone buzzed. She excused herself and answered the call.
"Lily, it's Mr. Charles. I hope you're doing well. I just wanted to check in and see how your first day is going." Mr' Charles said, his voice sincere.
Lily smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Mr. Charles. "It's going well, thank you. Luca's been showing me around and introducing me to everyone."
Mr. Charles's voice warmed up. "That's great to hear. I'm glad Luca's been helpful. If you need anything, don't hesitate to reach out."
Lily thanked Mr. Charles and ended the call. She felt a sense of determination wash over her. She was ready to take on this new challenge and face whatever lay ahead.
As the days passed, everyone in Lily's dad's company started to take her as their boss. Everyone cooperated with her and helped her understand her dad's business. The staff was friendly and supportive, and Lily was grateful for their warm welcome.
A few days later, someone from the staff came to Lily and told her, "It'll be a meeting in a few days, and all of the shareholders will be there too. So, you have to be there." Lily's eyes widened slightly as she processed the information. She looked at Luca, who was standing nearby, observing the conversation.
Luca stepped forward, his expression thoughtful. "Lily, you're new here, and you don't know much about the people or the business. It's okay if you don't want to attend. My dad and I can handle it, and you won't need to worry."
Lily's face set in determination. "No, I really want to be there. Anyways, if I won't be there, they'll think of me as an ignorant heiress who doesn't care about others. And if I'll go there, I'll be able to learn more from them, and it's good for me too. So, I'll surely go."
The staff member nodded, taking note of Lily's decision. "Very well, I'll make sure to add you to the attendee list. You'll receive the meeting details and agenda shortly."
Lily turned to the staff member and said, "Thank you. Please let them know that I'll be there on time."
The staff member smiled and nodded before leaving. Luca turned to Lily, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "If you want to be there, it's good. I'll go with you there, so you won't have any trouble talking to them or about anything." Lily smiled, feeling grateful for Luca's support.
"Okay, thank you," she said. "What would have happened to me if you weren't there?"
Luca's lips curved into a gentle smile. "It's my pleasure."
The atmosphere was relaxed, and Lily felt a sense of relief knowing that Luca would be by her side during the meeting.
Lily sat at her desk, surrounded by stacks of files and papers. She was determined to learn as much as she could about the company and its shareholders before the meeting. Luca walked in, carrying a tray with two cups of coffee. "Thought you could use some caffeine," he said, setting the tray down.
Lily smiled, grateful for the distraction. "Thanks, Luca. I'm trying to learn as much as I can before the meeting."
Luca nodded, taking a seat beside her. "You're going to do great, Lily. Just be yourself and show them you're committed to learning."
Lily nodded, feeling a sense of reassurance. "I'll try. But what if they ask me something I don't know?"
Luca smiled. "Then you can say 'I don't know, but I'll find out.' It's okay to not have all the answers, Lily. It's how you respond that matters."
Lily nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. She felt a sense of gratitude towards Luca for his support and guidance.
Just then, her phone buzzed. It was Mr. Charles, calling to check in. Lily answered, feeling a sense of calm wash over her. "Hi, Uncle. I'm getting ready for the meeting. Luca's been helping me a lot."
As Lily chatted with Mr. Charles, Luca sat beside her, quietly observing. After a few minutes, Lily wrapped up the call and turned to Luca with a smile. "Thanks for being here, Luca. I feel much more confident about the meeting now."
Luca smiled back, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You're welcome, Lily. I'll be right there with you, every step of the way."
With a sense of determination and newfound confidence, Lily stood up, ready to face whatever the meeting had in store for her.
"Let's get ready to face whatever comes next," she said, her voice firm and resolute.
As Lily stood up, Luca nodded in approval, his eyes shining with admiration. "I'm right behind you, Lily. Let's do this"....