Suddenly, I Am Rich

The meeting went on smoothly. Most of it was spent with Gray familiarizing himself with the team. He learned their names, faces, and how each one fit into their role.

The conversation stayed relaxed throughout, but it was still productive.

By the time they wrapped up, the tension in the room had eased completely. Gray could tell that most of them were eager to do well on their new jobs, especially those who were from the first store.

It’s also not just because of their job. It was also because they wanted to prove themselves worthy of the trust Gray and Joel had placed in them.

”Good work, everyone,” Gray said before closing his laptop. ”Let’s keep up this momentum. Opening day’s almost there, so make sure your teams are ready.”

A chorus of ”Yes, Sir” filled the room before people began packing up their bags and laptops. Gray stayed a little longer to chat with a few of them on the way out. He exchanged some small talk and light encouragement before heading for the elevator.

As the doors closed, he exhaled quietly. He glanced at his watch. It was still early in the afternoon. Though he had to do one more thing before he could be done for the day.

”Alright,” he murmured, adjusting his cuff as he stepped out of the elevator. ”Time to see Chloe.”

With that, Gray made his way toward her office.

Gray walked down the hallway of Chloe’s office floor. He immediately noticed that the atmosphere was different there. It was more serious than the last time he went. He saw that most people there were currently either out on errands or busy reviewing reports.

When he reached Chloe’s office, her secretary immediately stood up from her desk.

”Sir Gray,” she greeted politely. ”Ms. Chloe said you could head right in when you arrived.”

”She’s expecting me already?” he asked with a small smile.

”Yes, sir. She mentioned you’d be coming by this afternoon.”

Gray gave a short nod before pushing the door open. ”Alright. Thank you.”

The moment he stepped inside, the quietness of the room struck him first. When he glanced around, his eyes landed on Chloe. She was sleeping on the couch.

Her shoes were kicked off near the coffee table, and her one arm was resting over her stomach. She was only dressed in a fitted tank top and a black skirt that hugged her body well.

Gray blinked. He was clearly caught off guard. For a few seconds, he just stood there in silence, uncertain what to do. He didn’t know if he should leave or stay there.

”You’re really asleep, huh?” he muttered under his breath.

He hesitated for a moment before letting out a sigh. Choosing the latter one, he approached her slowly. Each step he took was careful, like he didn’t want to wake her too suddenly.

Standing beside the couch, he couldn’t help but take another glance at her. It was new to see Chloe in this state. She was breathing softly, and her hair was slightly messy from leaning against the couch’s armrest.

Gray rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. ”She actually looks cute while sleeping,” he murmured quietly.

After a few seconds, he crouched slightly and reached out to her. His hand hovered near her shoulder for a moment. He was kind of hesitant, unsure if he should even wake her.

But in the end, he did, gently.

”Chloe,” he said softly. ”Hey, wake up.”

Chloe stirred awake after hearing his voice. Her lashes fluttered open before she slowly opened them up. For a moment, she looked confused by the voice. However, when it landed on him, her eyes widened.

”Gray?” she mumbled, her voice still a little hoarse. ”You’re... here already?”

”Yeah. You told your secretary I could come in anytime, remember?” Gray tried to suppress the small smile tugging at his lips.

Chloe blinked slowly, then sat up a little. She was still groggy from her sleep bus she managed to brush her hair back with one hand.

”Oh. Right. Sorry... I must’ve dozed off while waiting for you.”

”It’s fine,” he said, his tone was gentle and light. ”You looked like you needed it.”

”That obvious, huh?” She frowned faintly, slightly embarrassed by it.

Gray let out a small chuckle before walking over to the nearby coffee table. He placed his laptop bag down.

”Anyway,” he said, glancing back at her, ”did my assistant send you the file I mentioned earlier?”

The quick change in Chloe’s expression was subtle but noticeable. Her half-awake eyes disappeared, replaced by a more alert and serious look. She straightened slightly on the couch, crossing one leg over the other as she reached for the folder sitting on the table.

”Yeah. She did,” Chloe replied, ”I already skimmed through it before I... fell asleep.”

”Right. I figured you might have.” Gray smiled faintly at her honesty.

He moved to sit on the single armchair across from her and opened his laptop. The screen flickered to life, showing the same file they were about to discuss.

”Alright,” he began, leaning slightly forward, ”so this is what I found.”

Chloe’s attention went to Gray immediately as she reached for her own copy. The moment she did, her posture changed completely. Her shoulders squared and her usual professional composure returned.

Gray scrolled through the first few pages of data.

”I compared the expense reports from last quarter to the current one, and a few things stood out immediately,” he said, ”There were inconsistencies between the sales logs and the financial summaries. Small differences at first, but when I looked closer, the discrepancies repeated across several departments.”

”You’re saying it wasn’t just a one-person mistake?” Chloe’s eyes narrowed as she followed along.

Gray’s gaze flew from his screen to meet hers. He stared at her intently before sighing.

”Chloe...” He gave a slow shake of his head. ”Yes. I think multiple people are involved in this one.”