Chapter 6 Six

“We could expand the area you chose, sir, as long as you approve,” Ruel Lumberton said from across the large screen, where several other executives from around the globe were tuned in.

Arthur nodded; his sharp gaze fixed on the files before him.

“Expansion is a good idea, Ruel, but it's unnecessary in Canada. The land there is covered in ice for most of the year. There’s little demand for housing in that region, right?”

His cold hazel eyes flicked back to the screen, where some executives sat in their offices while others attended from home, given the time differences.

“You’re right, sir,” Ruel replied, though uncertainty flickered across his face.

Arthur leaned back slightly, his tone cooling further. “So why suggest expansion when you know it would be a financial loss? Worse, it would put people at risk. Who in their right mind would buy property in an area barely liveable for half the year?”

The shift in his tone sent a ripple of tension through the virtual meeting. The others exchanged wary glances, clearly uneasy. Some already pitied Ruel, knowing how little patience Arthur had for incompetence.

“I—I’m sorry, sir,” Ruel stammered. “I didn’t think it through before proposing it.”

Arthur exhaled; his expression unreadable. But those familiar with him knew this wasn’t understanding—it was him deciding whether Ruel was worth keeping.

“Sorry wouldn’t have mattered if I had already approved the purchase. Then what? You’d be sorry while lives were endangered? You’d be sorry while I absorbed the losses?”

“I’m so—”

Arthur raised a hand, cutting him off. “You know what to do, Ruel. But don’t leave until you find someone more competent to replace you.”

“Sir—”

“You’re dismissed.”

Arthur ended Ruel’s session, his face vanishing from the screen, leaving five others who were too stunned to speak.

“So,” Arthur said, his voice deceptively calm. “Who else has a proposal worth defending?”

Silence. Then, his phone buzzed. His father’s name flashed on the screen, and he sighed.

“The meeting is dismissed. Prepare for the virtual session in Australia, and make sure your proposals are worth my time.”

“Yes, sir,” they chorused, relief washing over their faces as Arthur ended the call. He swiped to accept his father’s call, bringing the phone to his ear.

“Arthur, your birthday is next week. You’ll be thirty before you know it!”

Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose. “Good morning to you too, Dad.”

“There’s nothing good about the morning when Ethan is getting married.”

Arthur’s jaw tightened. This again. It had always been a competition—him against Ethan. And now, Ethan was marrying Madelyn, the woman Arthur had loved for five years, only for her to leave him for his cousin.

“Dad, I don’t care if Ethan is getting married,” Arthur said, keeping his tone even. He had work to do.

“You don’t care?” His father scoffed. “You know what that means, right?”

Arthur already knew where this was going. His father had long stopped pushing ‘eligible wives’ toward him, but he never let go of the pressure to marry before thirty.

“I know. You’ve reminded me countless times,” Arthur said dryly.

“And you have just one year left! One week from now, you’ll be twenty-nine. If you don’t marry soon, Ethan will inherit the company. Do you really want that?”

Arthur rubbed his temple, suppressing his frustration. He already had plans. He had waited for the right moment, for the right woman—Sheila Grey.

When he returned from Australia four years ago, he’d learned about Sheila’s parents’ deaths. He had wanted to pursue her then, but before he could, she vanished—only to resurface married to a man he knew would disappoint her.

Out of curiosity, he had bought shares in her company, hoping to stay close. But Sheila never showed up. It was always her husband mismanaging everything, running the business into the ground. When things started collapsing, Arthur had stepped in and bought the largest share—not because he wanted to, but because he had to. It was still Sheila’s company, after all.

And now, she had finally taken back control. She had cut her husband loose, reclaiming her identity. For the first time in years, Arthur felt something close to pride.

His father’s voice dragged him back to the conversation. “Do you want Ethan to take the company? You know how his father and I have fought over Wilson Enterprises for years. Ethan has always acted like it’s his birth right.”

“I’m busy, Dad,” Arthur said, exhaling.

“Busy with what? Ethan is about to take everything from you, and you’re sitting there doing nothing.”

Arthur gritted his teeth. “Congratulations to him.”

“Congratulations?” His father’s voice rose. “He stole your girlfriend and now he’s marrying her!”

Arthur clenched his jaw. He didn’t want to think about Madelyn. A woman he had loved, a woman who had left him because he refused to propose. A woman who had accused him of being impotent as her final excuse to walk away.

“If you don’t get married soon, I’ll—” His father hesitated. “Arthur… you’re not hesitant because of that ridiculous rumour, are you?”

Arthur smirked, leaning back in his chair. “The claim that I’m impotent?”

His father coughed awkwardly. “Well… you never touched that girl in five years?”

Arthur chuckled, deciding to mess with him. “Not even once, Dad.”

A strangled gasp came through the receiver. “You—you’re not—”

“What if I am?”

His father sputtered, struggling to find words. Arthur would have laughed if not for the soft knock on his office door. He looked up, his teasing smirk fading into a more serious expression as his assistant, Fleur, walked in.

He placed a small envelope on his desk.

“You’re invited to the Miss Grey ‘Single Again’ party,” he said.

Arthur’s father’s voice boomed through the phone. “Are you impotent or not?!”

Arthur smirked. “You want me to get a wife, right?”

“What? That doesn’t answer—”

“For a wife, you need a child to be convinced—”

“I’ll call you tomorrow, Dad.” Arthur ended the call and turned to Fleur. “What did you say?”

“Sheila Grey just finalized her divorce. Her friend is throwing a party to celebrate.”

Arthur raised a brow. “And I was invited?”

“Yes, sir. I can discard the invitation if you want.”

A slow smile spread across his lips.

“No… we’re going.”