The Plan

“I don’t have to know every detail of the business to be effective. What I do know is that I’m here because my husband trusts me to act in his place. And if you think I’ll let anyone question that, you’re mistaken,” Carmen retorted, her voice steely.

Several shareholders and board members exchanged uneasy glances, but Pérez wasn’t finished. He slammed his hand on the table. “This is nonsense! We need a real leader, someone who understands the company’s history and its future. Not someone who’s been here for five minutes, playing Romero’s wife.”

Carmen’s patience snapped. She leaned forward, her eyes locking on Pérez with fiery intensity. “You’ve made your opinion very clear, Mister Pérez. But let me make something equally clear, this is happening. Whether you like or not. I’ve been appointed by my husband, and I’ll be running the board as its chairperson,” she said, her tone dripping with authority.

Pérez opened his mouth to argue, but Carmen raised a hand, silencing him. “This meeting is not a debate about my qualifications or my experience. I am the active chairperson. End of discussion.”

The room fell into a stunned silence. Pablo stared at Carmen, with his jaw dropped to the ground.

“And for the rest of you,” Carmen continued, her gaze sweeping across the table. “I suggest you get on board quickly. Romero may not be here in person, but trust me when I say, I will not hesitate to enforce his will. We are not here to bicker about personal opinions. We’re here to ensure the continued success of KRM. If anyone has a problem with that, they’re free to leave now,” she added.

Pérez glared at Carmen, but he said nothing. One by one, the other shareholders and board members lowered their heads, unwilling to challenge her any further.

Carmen gave a curt nod. “Very well then. This meeting is adjourned,” she said, standing, and turning sharply on her heel, leaving the room before anyone could say another word.

Pablo snapped out of shock and hurried after her as she made her way toward the elevator. “Whoa! I didn’t see that coming!” he exclaimed, his voice filled with admiration. “How did you manage to handle yourself well in there? Have you done something like this before?”

Carmen shook her head, leaning against the elevator wall as the doors closed. She breathed out heavily, holding her chest. “I can’t believe…I did that,” she muttered, her lips quavering.

“Wow! You were so cool in there! I almost thought I entered with the wrong person. You acted so confident. If Mister Monteiro was here, he’d be so proud of you. Shit! I should have recorded it!” Pablo grumbled, tapping his forehead.

Carmen gave him a look that said ‘are you kidding me?’ and she shook her head, straightening up. “That was pretty intense. I was so nervous, but I’m amazed how confident I sounded.”

“You were superb! I loved how you challenged Mister Pérez. Well done, Missus Monteiro,” Pablo beamed, giving Carmen a warm squeeze on her shoulder.

Carmen nodded, smiling softly. “Speaking of that man, what’s up with him? Why is he so aggressive?”

Pablo sighed heavily. His eyes narrowed to the figure displayed above them. “Oh shit, I forgot to input the floor we’re going to.” He quickly hit the button on the elevator wall to take them to the twentieth floor. “I’ll tell you more about that man when we get to your new office.”

While back in the boardroom, everyone else had left, except for Pérez and two of his closest allies. Pérez sat fuming, glaring at the empty seat Carmen had vacated. His knuckles were white as he clenched the edge of the table.

One of his allies, a gray-haired man named Gustavo, leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. “She’s got fire, I’ll give her that,” Gustavo admitted, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Pérez slammed his fist on the table. “Fire? She’s just a child! And we’re supposed to let her lead us? Romero has lost his mind, parading that… girl in here as if we’d fall in line without question.”

A third man, Salvador, nodded in agreement, his lips pressed into a thin line. “I’ve never seen Romero act so irrationally. Bringing in his wife like this is reckless. She’s too young, too inexperienced.”

Pérez shot to his feet, pacing back and forth, his anger swelling. “This is not how we built this company! KRM doesn’t run on vanity projects or sentimental whims. We need strength, strategy, and wisdom at the top. And that girl has none of that,” he bellowed.

Gustavo shrugged, though his brow furrowed. “She did hold her ground though. You saw how she handled herself. That was no small feat for someone in her position. I’m not saying I agree with this, but we might need to see how things play out in the long-run,” he aired his opinion.

Pérez turned on him sharply. “Are you out of your mind, Gustavo? She humiliated us here! A woman who waltzes in, dressed up, acting like she knows what’s best for this company. He should have chosen among us to represent him, but he chose her. Romero put her there because he knows he can manipulate her like a puppet. And if we don’t push back now, we’ll lose control of everything,” he criticized.

Salvador rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Maybe it’s not about her. Maybe it’s about how we handle her. Romero might be testing us; seeing if we’ll bend or break. She could be temporary,” he said quietly.

“Testing us? We’re not children in some corporate game. This is about power, and we’re about to lose it if we don’t act fast. She may have the title now, but mark my words, I’ll make sure her reign is short-lived,” Pérez sneered.

Gustavo sighed, leaning forward. “I’m not saying we should back down, Perez. But we need to be smart about this. If we challenge her too openly, Romero will see it as a direct threat. He’s still the real power behind her, and you know how he is when it comes to people questioning him.”

Perez shot him a hard look. “Romero isn’t here. She is. And I won’t stand by while a child plays with our company,” he remonstrated.

“Then what’s the plan?” Salvador finally spoke again, his tone dark.

Perez’s eyes gleamed with cold determination. “We’ll find her breaking point. Everyone has one. She’s new to this world, and sooner or later, she’ll slip. And when she does, we’ll be ready,” he glowered.

Gustavo exchanged a wary glance with Salvador, but neither man spoke against him.

Perez sat back down, a smirk curling on his lips. “Let’s see how long she can play this game.”

Back at the elevator, it ascended to the twentieth floor with a loud ding, notifying Pablo and Carmen they'd arrived. The doors slid open to reveal the pristine top floor, where Romero’s office was located. Pablo gestured for Carmen to follow him as they stepped into a wide corridor.

“This will be your office,” Pablo said, opening a door that led to a spacious room with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city. The room was elegant with a large desk, fabric chairs, and a conference table in one corner.

Carmen hesitated as she stepped inside. The room smelled faintly of Romero’s cologne and wood polish. She inhaled sharply, taking in another whiff.

Pablo opened his bag and handed her a thick file, filled with financial reports, contracts, and company records. “These are all the documents you’ll need. It’s a lot, but take your time going through them. The most important thing is to familiarize yourself with KRM’s current financial standing and any upcoming meetings. Romero wants you to handle everything as if he was the one here,” he explained.

Carmen took the file, her fingers tightening around the edges. “I might not be perfect as him, but I’ll do my best while I’m here.”

Pablo gave her an encouraging nod. “I trust you’ll do great, Missus Monteiro. I know this is overwhelming, but you’ve already proven you can stand up to people like Perez.”

Carmen's eyes flickered with curiosity at the mention of Perez. “You said you’d tell me about him. So, what’s the deal with Mister Perez? He seemed particularly hostile.”

Pablo exhaled deeply, taking a seat on the sofa, and gesturing Carmen to do the same. “Perez is one of the older shareholders, had been with KRM for decades. He’s a traditionalist, one of those people who believe the company should be run by someone with years of experience. Romero’s father used to rely on him quite a bit, but ever since Romero took over, Perez has been sidelined. He’s never been happy about it,” Pablo narrated.

Carmen frowned. “So, he’s bitter because Romero doesn’t rely on him?”

Pablo nodded. “Partly. It’s more than that, actually. Perez sees himself as someone who deserves power. He’s been angling for a leadership role for years, but Romero’s father never gave him a chance. Instead, he gave it to his son, who rightfully deserves to be the CEO. With Romero’s father out of the way, and Romero unable to play his leading role, he had expected to be the one leading. But your appointment… well, that’s a slap in the face to someone like him.”

Carmen processed the information quietly, her fingers absently twisting the ring on her finger. “So, he’s not just questioning me because of my lack of experience, but because he feels slighted.”

“Exactly. In my opinion, he’s a dangerous one, though. You handled him well today, but don’t let your guard down. Perez isn’t the type to let things go easily,” Pablo warned.