Corporate Secrets

Corporate Secrets An Opposites Attract Best Friend’s Billionaire Brother Romance Ava Bailey Copyright © Copyright 2023 - All rights reserved. The content contained within this book may not be reproduced, duplicated, or transmitted without direct written permission from the author or the publisher. Under no circumstances will any blame or legal responsibility be held against the publisher, or author, for any damages, reparation, or monetary loss due to the information contained within this book, either directly or indirectly. Legal Notice: This book is copyright protected. It is only for personal use. You cannot amend, distribute, sell, use, quote, or paraphrase any part of the content within this book without the consent of the author or publisher. Disclaimer Notice: Please note the information contained within this document is for educational and entertainment purposes only. All effort has been executed to present accurate, up-to-date, reliable, and complete information. No warranties of any kind are declared or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaged in the rendering of legal, financial, medical, or professional advice. The content within this book has been derived from various sources. Please consult a licensed professional before attempting any techniques outlined in this book. By reading this document, the reader agrees that under no circumstances is the author responsible for any direct or indirect losses incurred as a result of the use of the information contained within this document, including, but not limited to, errors, omissions, or inaccuracies. Contents 1. Cole 2. Anne 3. Cole 4. Anne 5. Cole 6. Anne 7. Cole 8. Anne 9. Cole 10. Anne 11. Cole 12. Anne 13. Cole 14. Anne 15. Cole 16. Anne The End. Chapter 1 Cole“We are here, sir," Tim says, making me glance up. And just in time too. I've been staring at these files for the past three hours. My brain feels like sludge. As I glance around, I'm disoriented. Why have we stopped in front of this building? Then I remember this is Chicago and shake my head slightly. "Thanks, Tim." Stacking up the paperwork, I slip them into a file and put that in my briefcase.Then I grab my jacket and put it on. The sharp twinge in my side and neck reminds me of how I haven't slept well enough in weeks. My insomnia is returning, and I'll probably need to get on medication once more. It's not a cheerful thought."I'll see you tomorrow, Tim. You give my regards to Teresa. And give Katie a kiss from me. Tell her I'm proud of her and to break a leg.""Will do," my driver says as I step out of the car. His daughter has a ballet recital this evening, so he must return to New York. I wish I could go back to New York. But I have a job to do.I pause on the sidewalk, take off my glasses, then look up. I have only been here once, about eight years ago.We had just signed the dotted line for the acquisition of the company. It used to be Manning Inc., Then we bought it, and it became part of the Charlton Group. Then, it had been a small investment firm. It occupied the ninth floor of the building.Now, we owned all twenty-six floors. We poured money into it and managed it from afar. And never realized what was going on until it was too late.I glance at my watch as I head into the building. It's only a quarter past seven. In our New York office, the building would already be bustling by now. Here though, it's still mostly silent.The lobby is nondescript. The floors have dark carpets, and the walls are cream. All the furniture I see is wood. A few tired-looking people are making their way toward the doors. One or two fresh faces are getting on the elevators.My eyes catch on the worn carpet in the lobby and the peeling paint on the walls. Those signs of disrepair make me look closer at the lobby.Security guards should be stationed here day and night for a building that runs around the clock. There should be a receptionist sitting behind that worn desk. The place doesn’t look very clean. Two of the elevators have 'Out of Order' signs on them.I head over to one of the good elevators and wince at the cranking sound that starts as it moves. A lot more is wrong than I had imagined.Instead of going straight up to the twenty-fourth, I take the elevator to the twentieth floor. I want to see the other parts of the building, not just the ones that we use.A law firm occupies that floor. The place is well maintained, but I'm sure it does not result from our efforts. The floor above has another law firm, a smaller one. It also houses a temp agency. It looks to be in as much disrepair as the lobby.The stairwell has a musty smell like it was flooded recently. The Charlton Group logo is emblazoned on the glass doors leading into our offices. The employees here work nine to five, so it's empty, just as I expected. Getting into the office should require a key card. There should be a guard stationed here as well.Instead, I walk easily through doors that aren't even locked. The place is a security hazard.There should be so many things here that are not. It's difficult to walk through the space, noting how disorganized and haphazard things are.The more I look around, the angrier I get. By the time I get to the top floor, I'm sure I've seen the worst of it. Then I open the door to the office Saul Manning used to occupy.For a second, I felt confused. I almost step outside to see if I'm in the right place. I should be in the right place. And yet, it feels wrong.The rest of the building is in a bad state, but this room takes opulence to another level.Stepping on the blue rug that lines