Chapter 10

The morning after the chaos at the production facility, Billy Roy sat at his desk, staring blankly at the piles of reports before him. His head throbbed, his eyes burned, and the coffee in his hand was doing absolutely nothing to revive his spirit.

He groaned, rubbing his temples. "You know, I always dreamed of running a massive company, but somehow, my dreams didn't include late-night sabotage investigations and catastrophic stock crashes."

Rin, standing by the window with her arms crossed, raised an eyebrow. "What exactly did you think running Roy Industries would be like?"

Billy leaned back in his chair dramatically. "I don't know—expensive suits, fancy boardroom speeches, occasional dramatic rooftop monologues about my success. Not... this."

She smirked. "Well, if you want, I can set up a rooftop monologue for you, but I can't guarantee the weather will cooperate."

Billy sighed. "Tempting, but we have more pressing matters. Ron has officially gone full 'evil corporate spy,' and now Victor is running around pressing mysterious buttons like a cartoon villain. What's next? Will they tie me to the train tracks while twirling their mustaches?"

Within a few days, Roy Industries was shrouded in a dark cloud of several problems. Rin sat in her office chamber, meticulously analyzing the series of unfortunate events, trying to pinpoint the root cause of their sudden downfall.

Rin Roy (Inner Thought): Our suppliers have backed out of their contracts, our shares are plummeting, and now Victor's true nature has been revealed.

Just then, Billy entered the room after knocking. He collapsed into the chair in front of her, looking exhausted.

"Sis, we have to do something soon, or there won't be a way out for us. The situation is spiraling out of control. I confronted Victor earlier, but he deceived me and ran away. And do you know what he told me before vanishing? He said, 'It's too late, Ron has already won. There is nothing more we can do.'"

Rin's gaze sharpened. "It's not too late. We'll sort this out. Listen, Billy, you'll talk to the suppliers."

Billy sat up straighter, alarmed. "Me? No, no, sister, I can't. We have to approach them strategically. I'm new to this. I won't be able to handle negotiations like that right now."

Rin's tone hardened. "When I said you have to talk to them, I meant it. No more excuses. This is your test—to prove yourself, your worth, not just in front of me but in front of Ron, in front of William, in front of everyone. How you handle this situation will define you. This has to be resolved by tomorrow at any cost, or we will pay a price far greater than we can afford."

Billy gulped. "And you're giving such an important, complicated task to someone like me? A total rookie? Is that really okay?"

Rin's eyes bore into his. "Don't overthink it. Just do it. I'll handle the shareholders, the dealers, and the media. You deal with the suppliers. Now get out of here and start working."

Billy sighed, running a hand through his hair, before dragging himself out of the office.

The next morning, the suppliers were called in. As they filed into the meeting room, Billy took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and put on his most confident expression.

"Come in, have a seat," he said, gesturing towards the chairs. "So, you're all our suppliers—or should I say, contracted suppliers. We have a legally binding agreement that remains valid for another six years. So tell me, what exactly possessed you to make such a foolish decision? How could you just back out like this? Explain yourselves."

A tall, stern-looking man stepped forward. "It's not possible for all of us to talk at once," he said. "So I'll speak on behalf of everyone. My name is David Ochi. And let me make one thing clear: we did the right thing. You fooled us once with that agreement. We won't be fooled again. That's why we made this decision."

Billy folded his arms. "Oh? And don't you realize that your decision is illegal? That you can't just break a contract on a whim? Do you even understand the consequences of this? Do you have any idea how much your actions will cost Roy Industries? Do you know that we can sue you at any moment for breaching the contract?"

David Ochi scoffed. "Don't try to intimidate us with legal threats, Mr. Roy. We're prepared to face the consequences. But we will not do business with you any longer."

Billy studied him for a moment, then smirked. "You're intelligent enough to realize the legal risks, which means you're confident in your position. But tell me—have you forgotten who Rin Roy is? Have you forgotten what she's capable of? It would take her less than two minutes to destroy you all if she wanted. Have you really thought this through?"

The room tensed. The atmosphere became charged as the suppliers shifted uncomfortably. Then, murmurs of frustration and anger filled the air.

"You always use threats like that to keep us in line! We're done being afraid!" one supplier shouted.

Another supplier stepped forward. "You think you can buy cheap and sell high while we suffer losses? We've had enough! Your company has made millions while we've struggled to survive!"

Billy exhaled, realizing that their grievances weren't entirely baseless. He needed a different approach.

"Alright, everyone, calm down and listen to me." His voice softened, adopting a measured tone. "I know you're telling the truth. And I admit you've been wronged."

The room fell into stunned silence. David Ochi blinked, taken aback.

Billy continued, his voice calm but firm. "But the company isn't responsible. Victor is. Our company is massive, and not every decision can be overseen by top management. So, responsibilities get decentralized. Victor exploited that. What happened wasn't a decision made by the company—it was his doing."

Gasps rippled through the room. Billy pressed on. "We investigated everything when you all backed out. And we discovered Victor's corrupt dealings. That's why we fired him. Not only that, but we are pursuing legal action against him. If you had come to us earlier, things would have been different. You might've even received compensation. But now, we're in the middle of a crisis ourselves."

David Ochi's expression flickered with unease. Billy saw it. He knew—David was involved.

Billy leaned in slightly. "Look, I'm giving you all a chance. This doesn't have to end badly. We've removed Victor, and we're implementing new policies to ensure fairness. You will get better prices for your goods, and you have my word on that. But if you break this contract, you'll be aligning yourselves with people who don't have your best interests at heart. Tell me—who in this industry is more powerful than Rin Roy? Think carefully before you answer."

Silence.

Billy stood, placing both hands on the table. "I'll expect your final decision by this afternoon."

As the last supplier stepped out of the room, the heavy door swung shut with a dull thud. A suffocating silence settled in, broken only by Billy Roy's deep, shaky exhale. He leaned against the table, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead.

"Thank God," he muttered. "I was so nervous."

His fingers tapped against the wood. Then, a smirk slowly crept onto his lips, his eyes narrowing.

"But don't worry," he whispered. "I've seen through all of you."

Billy Roy strutted down the busy city street, his usual cocky grin plastered across his face. The previous day's tension had melted away, and he was back to his usual self—flirting, showing off, and making a complete fool of himself in the name of charm.

"Ladies, ladies, please! No need to form a line!" Billy called out, striking a pose as he passed by a group of young women sitting outside a café. "I know I'm a sight to behold, but there's enough of me to go around!"

One of the girls raised an eyebrow. "Who is this clown?"

Another giggled. "I think he escaped from a circus."

Billy, unfazed, winked. "A circus? Oh no, sweetheart, I am the main attraction. How about I take you out for a coffee and show you what a real gentleman is like?"

The girl smirked. "How about no?"

Before Billy could come up with another ridiculous pick-up line, a chillingly familiar voice cut through the air.

"BILLY ROY!"

Billy froze. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. Slowly, ever so slowly, he turned his head to see his sister, Rin Roy, standing a few feet away, arms crossed, eyes blazing with irritation.

"O-oh! Sister! What a pleasant surprise!" Billy chuckled nervously, attempting to casually lean against a lamppost—only to miss and nearly fall over. "Did you, uh, need something?"

Rin marched toward him, grabbing him by the ear. "Need something? NEED SOMETHING?! What I need is for you to stop embarrassing our family name with your ridiculous antics!"

Billy yelped. "Ow, ow, ow! Easy, sis! Public humiliation isn't necessary!"

Rin yanked his ear harder. "Oh, I think it is! I leave you alone for one morning, and here you are, flirting with random women instead of handling business!"

Billy tried to pry her hand away. "I WAS handling business! The business of love!"

Rin groaned, dragging him along the sidewalk while he flailed helplessly. "You are impossible! You should be working on fixing the mess at Roy Industries, not running around like some hopeless playboy!"

The girls at the café burst into laughter, watching as the mighty Billy Roy was dragged away like a scolded puppy.

"Bye, clown!" one of them called out teasingly.

Billy waved weakly. "Goodbye, my lost love! I will remember you always!"

Rin smacked him on the head. "Enough with the drama! Get moving!"

Billy sighed dramatically, rubbing his head. "Geez, you're so violent. How am I ever supposed to find love with you ruining all my chances?"

Rin rolled her eyes. "You don't need love. You need discipline. Now shut up and get back to work before I really lose my patience."

Billy groaned, shoulders slumping in defeat as Rin dragged him back toward Roy Industries. The day had barely begun, and already, he had suffered another tragic loss in the battlefield of romance.

Somewhere in the distance, a violin played the sad song of a man who would never catch a break.

Later that evening, Billy sat in his father's grand office, fidgeting as Omio Roy stared him down from across the desk. The room was silent, the air thick with tension.

"So," Omio finally spoke, his voice calm yet commanding. "I've been hearing stories. Stories about my son making a fool of himself in the streets instead of handling his responsibilities."

Billy gulped. "W-Well, you see, Dad—"

"Silence." Omio's piercing gaze locked onto Billy's. "Do you think this is a joke? Do you think running this company is some sort of game?"

Billy slumped in his chair. "No, sir..."

Omio leaned forward, his fingers tapping against the desk. "Then explain to me why, instead of focusing on salvaging our business, you were out chasing women like some desperate fool."

Billy hesitated, then muttered, "I was just...blowing off some steam."

Omio let out a slow breath, shaking his head. "Blowing off steam? Billy, your immaturity is not just an embarrassment—it's a liability. Do you know how hard I worked to build this empire? How much effort it took to get where we are? And yet, here you are, treating it like a minor inconvenience."

Billy bit his lip, feeling like a scolded child.

Omio stood up, towering over him. "I don't have time to babysit you. Either you take your role seriously, or I will find someone who will."

Billy's head snapped up. "Wait, what? You'd replace me?"

Omio's expression was unreadable. "There are plenty of competent people in this world, Billy. People who understand the weight of responsibility. If you continue down this reckless path, don't think for a second that your position is guaranteed. You are my son—but that does not make you untouchable."

Billy's hands clenched into fists. The reality of the situation hit him like a brick. He had always assumed that, no matter what, he would inherit Roy Industries. But for the first time, he realized—his father wasn't bluffing.

Omio sat back down, his voice softer now. "This is your final warning. Grow up, Billy. Or step aside."

Billy swallowed hard and nodded. "I understand, sir."

Omio studied him for a moment, then dismissed him with a wave. "Good. Now get out. And don't make me have this conversation again."

Billy walked out of the office, his usual cocky demeanor nowhere to be found. For once in his life, he actually felt...nervous.

Billy Roy was on a mission. A ridiculous, poorly planned, and utterly chaotic mission.

"Alright, think, Billy. If I were a scheming, possibly evil older brother, where would I be?" he muttered to himself, pacing in his room.

He had spent the last hour flipping through files, calling random people, and even interrogating a janitor who had absolutely no idea what was going on. His efforts had yielded absolutely nothing.

"Maybe he's at a secret villain lair, sipping expensive coffee and stroking a white cat..." Billy mused. "Or maybe he's just... I don't know, at the grocery store buying eggs?"

Rin walked past his door, overheard him, and immediately sighed. "Billy, are you seriously trying to track down Ron using sheer guesswork?"

Billy turned to her dramatically. "Yes, and so far, it's going great!"

Rin pinched the bridge of her nose. "You have no clue where he is, do you?"

Billy hesitated. "I mean... I have some theories!"

Rin crossed her arms. "Such as?"

Billy cleared his throat and started listing on his fingers. "One, he's in a secret underground base plotting world domination. Two, he's taken up a new identity as a mysterious, brooding stranger who only communicates through cryptic messages. Three, he's at a beach somewhere, sipping a fancy drink and laughing at our misery."

Rin stared at him blankly. "So, in other words, you have no idea."

Billy threw his hands up. "Fine! Maybe I don't! But, detective work is hard! I tried hacking into his last known location, but the security on his accounts is ridiculous!"

Rin raised an eyebrow. "Wait, YOU tried hacking?"

Billy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Okay, I asked one of our IT guys to do it, and he just laughed at me. Rude, honestly."

Rin sighed again. "Why don't you just track his phone? Dad has access to all of our locations."

Billy blinked. "...Wait. He does?"

Rin facepalmed. "You're an idiot."

Billy immediately ran out of the room, nearly tripping over himself as he bolted towards their father's office. He skidded to a stop right outside the door, took a deep breath, and marched inside.

Omio Roy looked up from his paperwork, raising an eyebrow at his son's dramatic entrance. "Billy. What now?"

Billy slammed his hands on the desk. "Father, I require your assistance in locating a rogue agent."

Omio blinked. "...What?"

Billy cleared his throat. "I need Ron's location.

Omio sighed, leaning back in his chair. "And you couldn't have just asked for his location from the start?"

Billy hesitated. "...Look, in my defense, my original plan was much cooler."

Omio pinched the bridge of his nose. "Get out. I'll have someone send you the information."

Billy grinned. "Thanks, Dad! You're the best!"

As he left, Rin passed by him again. "Did you actually get the location?"

Billy smirked. "Oh, I will soon. And then, the great hunt for Ron begins!"

Rin sighed.