Chapter 5 Ivan Barnes

Six months flew by. I officially became a shareholder of Young Corporation, inheriting my mom's 20% stake. The paperwork was all done.

I stepped foot back into the Young Corporation headquarters. This time, I went straight to Dad's office. The door was open.

Dad was signing some papers. He looked up, his eyes burning with anger and hatred.

"What now?" he asked flatly, tossing his pen onto the desk.

I walked in, not alone. Ivan Barnes, my lawyer and a friend, followed behind me.

"I'm here to claim what else is mine," I said, stepping closer to his desk. My gaze was steady, unwavering.

"What *else* could you possibly want?" Dad snorted. "You already got your mother's shares. What more do you need?"

"A position," I said curtly. "Financial Manager. The one Sarah currently holds."

Dad's eyes bulged. His face instantly turned crimson. His right hand shot up, ready to strike.

But Ivan moved fast. His hand clamped around Dad's wrist, stopping him just before his hand reached my face. Dad was stunned, turning to Ivan with an angry glare.

"Please control yourself, Mr. Young," Ivan said. "Actions like this could lead to serious legal trouble."

Dad yanked his hand away roughly. "Who are you?! How dare you interfere in my family's business!"

"Ivan Barnes, Miss Scarlet's lawyer," Ivan introduced himself, remaining calm. "And also a witness to this inappropriate behavior."

Dad snorted, then sat back down, trying to compose himself.

"You think you can just waltz into that position, Ice?" Dad asked, sneering. "You have no experience. You're still wet behind the ears."

I smirked. "I hold 20% of Young Corporation shares. To secure the Financial Manager position, I only need the support of 35% of the board's votes." I looked at him haughtily. "So, I suggest you arrange a board meeting as soon as possible. Next week, at the latest."

Dad's face went pale. He knew I wasn't playing around. My shares gave me the power to force his hand.

"Fine," he said, once again through clenched teeth. "I'll arrange it. But don't expect the board to agree so easily. They know Sarah's capabilities."

"That's my problem. You just set up the meeting," I said, then turned around. "I'll expect results next week."

I walked out of the room, Ivan following close behind me. Dad's office door closed after us.

In the parking lot, Ivan immediately opened his car door for me. Today, I was riding with him. "Are you sure you'll be alright, Ice?" he asked.

I nodded. "Of course. This isn't the first time I've faced Dad. And it won't be the last." I got into the car.

Ivan got into the driver's seat. "We need to talk. How about we grab some coffee? There's a quiet cafe nearby."

I didn't argue. My mind was still reeling. I could act tough in front of Dad, in front of everyone. But in front of Ivan, that mask loosened a bit. He was the only person who knew almost all my secrets.

We arrived at a cafe that wasn't too crowded. The entire way there, I could see women's eyes around us captivated by Ivan.

He was handsome, alright. Tall, well-built, with dark hair and those distinctive gray-green eyes. His athletic physique perfectly matched the mysterious aura that always clung to him.

We ordered coffee. I sat across from him, trying to keep my composure. But Ivan, it seemed, could read my uneasiness.

"You're anxious," Ivan said, looking straight at me.

I sighed. "Just a little," I admitted. "This is an important position. I can't afford to mess up."

Ivan gave a slight smile. "Your reputation's solid, Ice. Your work on previous projects has been great too. And I'll help you handle this. You don't need to worry."

I nodded, trying to reassure myself. Suddenly, a warm trickle ran beneath my nose.

Ivan's eyes widened. "Ice! You're bleeding!" He immediately pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to me. "You're too hard on yourself. I've told you countless times, you shouldn't be this tough."

I took the handkerchief, wiping away the blood that had started to drip. Then, I laughed. "Couldn't do a thing without you."

He looked at me, his eyes filled with something more than just a friend's concern. "Why have you never seen me as anything more than a friend?"

I avoided his gaze.

"Find a better woman. I just want to spend the rest of my life on revenge."

Sadness became even clearer in his eyes. He looked down. "You never change."

Seeing Ivan upset made me angry. I hate it when people look at me with pity. "Don't look at me like that," I snapped.

Ivan looked up, his eyes a little surprised by my angry reaction. "My bad," he said.

Silence fell between us. We both just stared at our steaming coffee cups.

...

A week flew by. Monday morning, I arrived at Young Corporation. I wasn't alone. Two burly bodyguards escorted me. In one of their hands, there was a new nameplate with my name engraved: 'Scarlet Young - Financial Manager'.

I went straight to the executive floor, to what used to be Sarah's office.

Sarah had just arrived at her office. She was arranging her desk, unaware of her impending doom. Her face was shocked when she saw me walk in, followed by the bodyguards and Ivan.

"What are you doing here?!" Sarah demanded, her voice high and angry. "How dare you walk into my office!"

"Your office?" I smirked. "Looks like you missed the memo, Stepmom. This office is mine now." I extended my hand, and my bodyguard placed my nameplate on the desk.

Sarah's eyes bulged at the nameplate. "You're insane! Your father would never let this happen! I'm going to talk to him!"

"Go ahead," I said indifferently, stepping forward and sitting in her chair, the Financial Manager's chair. "But you'll just be wasting your time. Because now, *I* own this position. Not you."

I showed her the job transfer documents. Dad had arranged this himself so Sarah had no idea she'd been fired.

Sarah looked at me, eyes blazing with fury. I'd taken everything from her. "You demon!" she screamed. "You witch! I'll kill you!"

I just leaned back in the chair, enjoying the look of defeat on her face. "Go on, try," I whispered softly. "And see what happens to you."

Sarah was still silent. I casually said, "Why are you still standing there?"

Sarah's mouth hung open.

I waved my hand, as if shooing a chicken. "Now get out, you're ruining my view!"

Sarah pointed at me. "I'll get my revenge on you. Just you wait!"