Chapter 3 THE CEO'S ARRIVAL

In a spacious office that resembled a room, filled with rows of books and stacks of documents, a man in his early thirties sat at a cluttered desk, his expression icy. He scribbled furiously on a paper, his eyes darting to the clock every few seconds. The weight of his responsibilities seemed to bear down on him, and the monotony of the task at hand had clearly taken its toll.

With a sudden movement, he picked up the landline phone and barked a command into the receiver: "Come to my office now." The abruptness of his tone was matched only by the swiftness of the response. Barely five seconds passed before a knock echoed through the room, followed immediately by the sound of the door opening.

A man entered, clutching an iPad and attempting to maintain a composed demeanor despite the evident nervousness that seemed to grip him. "You sent for me, sir?" he stammered.

The boss's gaze narrowed. "Any report from Mr. Perez?" he asked curtly.

The subordinate swallowed hard before responding, "No, sir. Not yet. He said they should be on their way by now."

The boss's expression remained unyielding. "It's 10:45 AM. Go and tell the driver to start the engine. I'm leaving immediately."

The subordinate nodded hastily. "Yes, sir." He beat a swift retreat, relieved to escape the oppressive atmosphere that seemed to permeate the office whenever the boss was around. As he exited, he couldn't help but think, "The boss's aura is suffocating. One minute longer in there would have been lethal." As he walked down to the car park, he relayed the boss's instructions to the driver and head guard, who were already on standby. They sprang into action, their movements swift and precise, knowing that any mistake would be met with severe consequences. The boss's reputation for ruthlessness was well-known, and they couldn't afford to incur his wrath. As he walked down to the car park, he relayed the boss's instructions to the driver and head guard, who were already on standby. They sprang into action, their movements swift and precise, knowing that any mistake would be met with severe consequences. The boss's reputation for ruthlessness was well-known, and they couldn't afford to incur his wrath. As they worked, they caught sight of the boss approaching. Immediately, they fell silent, their demeanor shifting to one of respect. In unison, they greeted him with a crisp "Boss," their voices firm and deferential. With the bodyguard's assistance, the boss settled into the car, his expression unreadable. The occupants of the vehicle knew better than to attempt conversation, instead maintaining a tense silence as the boss reviewed a proposal from the automobile engineering department.

His brow furrowed in displeasure as he discovered errors in the document. "Incompetent fools," he muttered under his breath, his frown deepening. I'll need to fire some incompetent animals, the prospect of addressing these issues in the next board meeting was clearly not sitting well with him.

The car's sudden stop broke the silence, and Nick, his PA, promptly opened the door. The boss exited the vehicle, his stride purposeful as he headed toward the entrance. The manager, already aware of the CEO's arrival, stood waiting, his head bowed in respect.

"Welcome, sir," the manager stammered, his voice trembling slightly.

The boss's response was curt. "Is everything organized?"

The manager's reply was swift. "Yes, yes, sir."

A nod of approval followed. "Good. Take me to my floor."

Without hesitation, the manager scurried ahead, leading the way to the elevator as the boss followed closely behind. "Okay, sir," he said, his movements rapid and precise.

Just as Ava was busy inspecting the room she heard sound of footsteps echoed outside the suite, and she straightened her posture. This was it. The CEO was here. She took a deep breath, pasted a professional smile on her face, and turned to greet him.

The door to the suite swung open, and a tall, imposing figure strode in. His piercing gaze swept the room, and Ava felt a shiver run down her spine. This was Nathaniel Perry, the CEO she had heard so much about. His presence commanded attention, and she couldn't help but feel intimidated.

"Good morning," he said curtly, his voice low and authoritative. Ava's eyes met his, and she nodded respectfully trying to sound calm.

. "Good morning, sir. Welcome to the Perry Hotel."

He barely acknowledged her greeting, his focus already shifting to the documents in his hand.

He walked over to the window and looked out. "I trust that everything is in order?" he asked, his voice dripping with expectation.

She nodded, seeming confident. "Yes, sir. Everything is ready."

The CEO turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "I hope so," he said. "I don't tolerate mistakes." He added.

She felt a shiver run down her spine as she met his gaze. She knew that she had to be perfect today.

Ava's instincts told her to stay alert, to anticipate his needs before he even asked. She knew that one misstep could mean trouble.

As she stood poised to serve, Ava couldn't help but notice the aura of power that surrounded him. He exuded confidence and control, and she wondered what it would be like to work closely with someone so commanding.

Ava's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Nathaniel Perry's voice, crisp and commanding. "Where is Mr. Perez?" he asked, his eyes scanning the room as if expecting the man to materialize out of thin air.

Ava's training kicked in, and she responded promptly, "I'm not sure, sir. But I can check with the front desk to see if he's arrived yet."

Nathaniel Perry nodded curtly, his gaze still sweeping the room. Ava took the opportunity to discreetly check her notes, her eyes flicking to the schedule on her pad. "According to the schedule, Mr. Perez's meeting with you was supposed to start at 11 am, sir," she informed him.

The CEO's eyes narrowed slightly, and Ava sensed a hint of irritation. "Very well," he said. "See that Mr. Perez is informed of my arrival as soon as he arrives. And bring me a cup of coffee, black, no sugar."

Ava nodded and quickly made her way to the phone to call the front desk, while also signaling to one of the other staff members to bring the coffee. She knew that getting this right was crucial, not just for her own job security but for the reputation of the hotel.

As Ava placed the order for the coffee, she couldn't help but notice the CEO's intense focus on the documents in his hand. He seemed completely absorbed in the content, his brow furrowed in concentration. She wondered what kind of business dealings he was involved in, and what kind of pressure he was under to be so focused.

The coffee arrived promptly, and Ava poured it into a delicate cup, careful not to spill a drop. She approached Nathaniel Perry with a smile, "Your coffee, sir."

He looked up, his eyes locking onto hers for a brief moment before he took the cup from her. his attention was already returning to the documents.

Ava nodded and stepped back, aware that she was dismissed. She took a position a few feet away, ready to respond to any further requests. As she stood there, she couldn't help but notice the way Nathaniel Perry's eyes scanned the pages, his lips pursed in thought. He was a man of great intensity, and Ava felt a sense of awe mixed with a touch of fear.

Few seconds after she left Nick, the CEO's personal assistant, rushed into the suite breathing heavily Boss, he said.

"Where are they now?" the CEO asked immediately. Nick hesitated before speaking. "Mr. Perez's PA just informed me that they were attacked on their way here." The CEO's expression darkened. "What? Where?" he demanded. Nick swallowed hard. "Close to the hotel, sir." He sneered at Nick "Send our men to rescue them and get me the CCTV footage of the surrounding area." Nick nodded, scribbling down notes. "Yes, sir."

As Nick was about to leave, his phone rang. Picked up immediately, listening for a moment before speaking. "You're at the entrance of the hotel? Oh Okay, come in. My boss is waiting for you."

He turned to the CEO. "Sir, they're here. It seems they don't need our help anymore."

The CEO nodded. "Just get me the footage."

Nick nodded and left, leaving the CEO alone in the suite.

The CEO stood by the window, his eyes fixed on the city skyline as he processed the news. Attacked? Close to the hotel? His mind was racing with questions and concerns. Who would dare to attack Mr. Perez's team? And why?

As he waited for the CCTV footage, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. This wasn't just about Mr. Perez's team; it was about the security of his own hotel and guests.

The door opened, and Nick walked in with a laptop. "Sir, I've got the footage," he said, setting up the laptop on the desk.

The CEO walked over, his eyes fixed on the screen as Nick played the footage. The grainy images showed a black SUV blocking Mr. Perez's car, and then several masked men rushing out to surround the vehicle.

The CEO's face darkened as he watched the attack unfold. He could see the fear in the eyes of Mr. Perez's team, and the desperation as they tried to defend themselves.

Just as the attackers seemed to be gaining the upper hand, a group of men in suits arrived, taking down the attackers and escorting Mr. Perez's team to safety.

The CEO's eyes narrowed. Who were these men? And how did they manage to intervene so quickly?

He turned to Nick. "Find out who these men are and how they knew about the attack," he ordered. "I want to know everything."

Just then, the phone on the table rang, shrill in the silence. Ava's instincts kicked in, and she quickly answered, "VVIP suite, this is Ava."

The voice on the other end informed her that Mr. Perez had arrived and was on his way up. Ava relayed the message to Nathaniel Perry, who nodded curtly, his eyes never leaving the documents. "Very well," he said. "Show him in as soon immediately," he said.

Ava nodded and took a step back, her eyes fixed on the door as she waited for Mr. Perez to arrive. She could sense the tension in the room, the air thick with anticipation. Nathaniel Perry's demeanor was imposing, and she wondered how Mr. Perez would react to his commanding presence.