Page 10 of The Next Door Billionaire's Deception

She shakes her head. “About the merger. She knows we're coming back with a bigger offer.”

I exhale in relief. At least she doesn’t know about the investigation.

“But I doubt they'll take even a quadruple of the first offer.”

“She said that?”

“She believes so.”

“She can influence it. Can't she?”

She looks away sharply. “Melissa is more like a ceremonial CEO.”

A Ceremonial CEO?

“A figurehead.”

“The board does the actual job?”

“They've got the biggest share of the bidding. She dances to their tune and does little decision-making. She can’t influence the least, procurement or payrolls.”

“Wow.”

Anna exhales through pursed lips. “Can’t imagine what a woman like that feels about being in a position of power without actually having that power.”

Does she even know about the dark games in the firm?I don't have to ask Anna that. Whatever question Melissa asked her must have dwelled within the context of gathering information about my identity and affiliation with Vibrant Corp.

Anna leaves her seat and heads for the coffee machine. I pore over the conversation while she makes coffee. The plan to re-fire our merger offer is deep-laid propaganda within the Vibrant Corp team.

“Relax, Richard,” Anna says, returning to her seat with a steaming mug of coffee. “She knows nothing about you beyond your name and as a next-door neighbor who hates noise.”

“She told you that?”

“Maybe. But there’s one last thing she knows but is yet to spill.”

I lean forward. Anna takes a slow sip of her coffee. She always relishes keeping me in suspense.

“What?”

She drops her mug. “Blueband Technologies.”

“Howard Chan?”

“She knows about his watchlist.”

Chapter 4

Melissa

Ashiverrunsthroughmy spine at the sound of a sharp knock outside my window. After the first, two other harder knocks follow even before I can cover the distance from my study to the window. I have a beef burrito in the microwave, but it has to wait.

My lips curve into a smile when my eyes land on the source of the knock.

Silly me.

I chuckle, shaking my head. The knocks are made by the insistent pecking of a tiny bird with a beak that might never leave a crack on my smoked-glass window even after its hundredth peck. It’s a beautiful robin. And it’s alone.

The sight strikes a memory. It’s a story I read aloud to the ecstatic kids at the orphanage after my second week in office as CEO of Emerald Inc. The beautiful storybook contained a story about the funny window-pecking behavior of birds in urban areas. According to the story, birds get tricked by flashy ceramics and glasses: it could be windows, mirrors, or doors. The reflection of themselves on the object will make them want to strike a series of pecks, thinking it's another bird of their species that they can fight or interact with. I enjoyed the story just like the kids, but I never saw it myself until now. Or maybe I just never paid attention.

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