Chapter 62: First Day As A CEO

Natalie arrived at the office of her newly acquired company, her heels clicking sharply on the polished floor. The entire floor had been designated for the company’s operations, but it had the air of a place that had seen better days. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, a middle-aged man approached her in the reception area.

Dan Fletcher, one of the long-standing employees, had been appointed by her mother, Caryn, when she first started the company. He had remained loyal to Caryn all these years and was clearly waiting for Natalie’s arrival.

The receptionist, recognizing Natalie, quickly moved forward to greet her. "Ms. Ford, welcome to the company."

Natalie offered a light nod in return, acknowledging the greeting before turning her attention to Dan, who gestured for her to follow him. "Ms. Ford, let me show you to the office."

As they walked, Natalie inquired, "How many employees does the company currently have?"

"Around thirty," Dan replied, his tone hinting at the company’s struggles. "The business hasn’t been doing well lately, so..."

"I understand. I’ve reviewed the details you sent me," Natalie said, keeping her tone professional and calm.

They moved deeper into the main working area, a space divided into various sections for accounting, planning, and finance. Natalie’s presence immediately drew the attention of the employees.

They knew she was the new owner, but no one seemed particularly eager to welcome her. Instead, she could sense the weight of their judgment, the whispers and gossip about the "fallen" daughter of the Ford family hanging in the air.

Dan, sensing the tension, decided to address the room. "Everyone, please pay attention," he called out, prompting the employees to reluctantly stand and face them.

"This is our new CEO, Ms. Natalie Ford," Dan introduced her formally. "Her mother, Caryn Ford, was the founder of this company, and I believe Ms. Ford will lead us back to where we used to be. Just as her mother did. From now on, we’ll be following her lead."

Everyone simply heard but no one really showed any excitement as if they had nothing to do with it.

Natalie could feel the resistance and the skepticism, but she didn’t let it faze her. Her challenge had just begun.

A middle-aged man with a potbelly and an air of false warmth approached Natalie next. "Ms. Ford, welcome. I’m Ken Ralph. Chairman Ford informed me that you’d be taking charge of this company and specifically asked me to take care of you," he said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. His gaze held a mocking glint.

Natalie concluded as she observed the pot bellied man.

Ignoring Ken entirely, Dan stepped forward. "Ms. Ford, let me show you your office," he said, leading her away from the man and into the CEO’s office.

As Natalie entered the office, she immediately felt a connection to the space. Though not particularly large, it was well-organized, comfortable, and had a stunning view of the city, with a river splitting it into two halves. It was a place that reflected her mother’s taste, making it all the more special.

Natalie walked behind the desk and sat in the chair, her eyes falling on the nameplate already prepared for her:

, with the title of CEO beneath it.

"Dan, please change this. I want my name to read ," she instructed.

"Yes, Ms. Ford," he replied, clearly pleased with her decision.

Out of everyone here, Dan seemed to be the only one genuinely welcoming her presence. Natalie picked up a file from the desk and flipped through it, frowning as she scanned the documents.

"This company was built as a PR and artist management firm, but I don’t see any significant work happening in that regard," Natalie’s tone displeased.

Dan sighed, his voice laced with regret. "After Ms. Caryn passed, Chairman Ford moved most of the company’s resources to Ford Group and created their own artist management company—Spotlight Management. This company is mostly a name now, performing minor manual tasks for Ford Group."

Natalie set the file down, her eyes sharp with determination. "That changes today. Call everyone to the meeting room. We need to restructure everything."

Dan nodded, a look of relief crossing his face, and hurried off to carry out her instructions.

When Natalie entered the meeting room a short while later, she found only Dan, Ken, and three other department heads waiting for her. Her face darkened.

"I said ," Natalie stated firmly. "I don’t believe only you five are working here."

Dan opened his mouth to respond, but Ken spoke up first, "Ms Natalie, Having us five here is enough. Not like on the first day there is anything more important we are going to do. It’s not good to disturb the employees when they are doing important work. It’s your first day as well, so I believe you would like to know more about this company first."

Natalie sat in her chair, ignoring Ken entirely and she looked directly at Dan. "Go tell them that whoever doesn’t show up here in two minutes is fired from this company."

Dan left immediately, and when he returned, with no one with him. His face showed his disappointment.

Ken leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Ms. Natalie, as I said, they’re doing important work. I told you. We’re more than capable of handling things. You can tell us whatever you need to, and I’ll make sure to pass it along."

Ignoring him again, Natalie turned her attention to the three employees in the room. One was a woman in her late twenties, and the other two were men in their thirties.

"Do you three agree with Ken? Do you think it’s acceptable for people to ignore my orders?" she asked, her voice calm but with a clear edge of authority.

The woman hesitated, glancing nervously at Ken, while the two men spoke up without hesitation. "We do think Mr. Ken is right. It’s not good to disturb employees when they’re working."

"You’re new here, Ms. Natalie. You’ll learn in time."

Natalie’s gaze shifted to the woman. "Do you need a special invitation to speak, or would you like to share your thoughts as well?"

The woman, clearly uncomfortable under Ken’s watchful eyes, swallowed nervously before speaking. "I think... it’s the CEO’s first day in the office. It’s not wrong for her to want to meet everyone in person. Taking five minutes to stop work and meet her shouldn’t be a big deal."

Natalie’s expression softened slightly. "Hmm," she mused, before turning her attention back to the two men and Ken. "The three of you can leave. Dan and Ella, stay."

The two men and Ken exchanged glances, clearly displeased but unwilling to challenge her openly. They left the room, and as soon as they were outside, their voices could be heard, mocking her.

"She really thinks she’s in charge now, doesn’t she?"

"She’ll learn soon enough and be wagging her tail like the rest of us."

"No one here moves without our say-so."

Inside the meeting room, Natalie remained calm. ’They’ll see soon enough who’s really in