Chapter 4: Don't Cross the Line
It was a normal Tuesday morning.
LKR Corporation's headquarters buzzed with its usual energy.
Employees greeted each other with smiles.
Meetings had just begun.
Kiefer was reviewing a billion-dollar proposal.
Lily was debugging a new AI system.
Rose...
Was walking through the lobby with an iced coffee in one hand and a donut in the other.
A black luxury car stopped outside the entrance.
Three executives from Titan Industries, one of LKR's biggest competitors, stepped out.
They had come to discuss a possible partnership.
Their CEO, Victor Hale, was known for his arrogance.
As they entered the lobby...
Rose accidentally bumped shoulders with Victor.
A few drops of coffee landed on his expensive suit.
Rose immediately stopped.
"Oh! I'm so sorry."
She reached into her bag and offered him a clean handkerchief.
"I didn't see you."
Victor looked at the coffee stain.
Then at Rose.
His expression turned cold.
"So this is how LKR trains its employees?"
Rose blinked.
"...Employees?"
"I'm actually—"
He cut her off.
"I don't care who you are."
"If someone like you worked at my company..."
"They would've been fired already."
The entire lobby fell silent.
Rose simply smiled.
"I'm sorry again."
"I'll pay for the cleaning."
She turned to leave.
She didn't want to make a scene.
Victor laughed mockingly.
"Walking away?"
"I suppose that's all assistants know how to do."
Before Rose could respond...
A voice echoed through the lobby.
"Excuse me."
Everyone turned.
Kiefer walked out of the elevator.
Lily followed beside him.
Both had witnessed the last few moments.
Kiefer calmly approached Rose.
"You okay?"
Rose shrugged.
"I'm fine."
Kiefer looked at Victor.
His smile disappeared.
"You owe her an apology."
Victor laughed.
"And who are you?"
"Her friend."
Kiefer answered simply.
Lily stepped beside Rose.
"And mine."
Victor scoffed.
"So LKR lets random employees interrupt business meetings?"
The receptionist quietly whispered,
"...He has no idea."
Victor folded his arms.
"Tell your CEO to come down."
"I don't negotiate with assistants."
The entire lobby became deadly silent.
Kiefer looked at the receptionist.
"Emma."
"Yes, Mr. Waston?"
"Please cancel today's meeting."
Victor frowned.
"What?"
Kiefer looked back at him.
"LKR does not conduct business with people who disrespect others."
Victor laughed.
"You think you can make that decision?"
Lily calmly answered.
"He can."
Rose smiled.
"He owns one-third of the company."
Victor's confident expression vanished.
"...What?"
The receptionist spoke politely.
"Allow me to introduce..."
"Mr. Kiefer Waston."
"Chief Executive Officer."
"Miss Lily Hart."
"Chief Technology Officer."
"And Miss Rose Bennett."
"Chief Operations Officer."
"The three founders of LKR Corporation."
Victor's face turned pale.
He looked at Rose.
"...You're... the CEO?"
Rose nodded.
"Yep."
"The assistant with the coffee."
Several employees tried not to laugh.
Victor cleared his throat.
"I... apologize."
Rose smiled kindly.
"Apology accepted."
Kiefer wasn't finished.
He looked Victor in the eyes.
"At LKR..."
"We don't judge people by their clothes."
"Their job title."
"Or how much money they have."
"We judge them by how they treat others."
Lily added,
"If someone is rude to our receptionist..."
"They're rude to us."
"If someone disrespects one employee..."
"They disrespect all of us."
Rose crossed her arms.
"And if someone disrespects one of us..."
She looked at Kiefer and Lily.
"They get all three."
The employees burst into applause.
Victor lowered his head.
"I understand."
Kiefer extended his hand.
"Everyone deserves a second chance."
"But don't make the same mistake twice."
Victor shook his hand.
"I won't."
As Victor and his team left the building...
One young intern looked at Rose.
"Weren't you angry?"
Rose smiled.
"I've learned something from my best friends."
The intern tilted his head.
"What?"
Rose looked at Kiefer and Lily, who were already arguing over who had forgotten their lunch.
She laughed.
"Real strength isn't proving you're more important."
"It's making sure the people beside you know they matter."
The intern smiled.
"I'll remember that."
Rose grinned.
"Good."
"Now come help me finish this donut before Kiefer steals it."
"I heard that!" Kiefer shouted from across the lobby.
"You were supposed to!" Rose laughed.
The entire lobby echoed with laughter once again.
Because at LKR Corporation...
They weren't just founders.
They weren't just CEOs.
They were friends.
And no one crossed the line with one of them...
Without facing all three.