Sorry, I'm the Final Boss Now novel Chapter 33

“I want to thank you all for your contributions to this company over the years. I know you’ve all seen what my brother is capable of, but some of his recent actions have been… less than wise. Please, bear with him.”

She paused, her smile widening. “To show my appreciation for your patience, I’ll be distributing two million dollars in bonuses to everyone in the company. In return, I hope you’ll all help me keep him in line. If he ever pulls a stunt like this again, you call me. I’ll come deal with him personally.”

One moment, they were in shock. The next, the entire conference room erupted in thunderous applause. This was the kind of sister a CEO needed! She might not look old enough, but she sure as hell acted the part.

Theobald just stood there, watching her. In that moment, she wasn’t an eighteen-year-old girl; she was a mature, decisive, and fearless leader. The light from the ceiling fixtures seemed to pale in comparison to the light radiating from her.

He suddenly understood how, at fourteen, she had convinced the company’s veteran board members not to side with their uncle, Fitch. She possessed a powerful, magnetic force that inspired confidence.

But she was only eighteen. She should be carefree, romantic, and innocent. How had she become like this? It was because after their parents died, she had to become the pillar of their family. She didn’t want her younger brothers to be bullied. As the oldest, she felt it was her duty to set an example, and she had forced herself to become the person she was today.

When their parents were alive, she had been the family’s doted-on princess. She was so pampered she wouldn’t even pour her own glass of water. But after they were gone, she had become a warrior, ready to take on anyone who threatened them, tucking her brothers into bed before finally allowing herself to rest.

A sharp pain lanced through Theobald’s heart. He was overwhelmed with regret, his hands balling into fists. What had he been doing? He was older than her now; he was supposed to be the mature one. It was his turn to take care of her. Why was he still making her worry? He was a complete failure.

Her little speech was a brilliant move to win back the loyalty of his employees. He knew about the whispers of executives wanting to leave; he just hadn’t gotten around to dealing with it yet. And now, she had stepped in and fixed it for him.

A few of the company’s oldest board members were still reeling, exchanging bewildered glances. This girl was Theobald’s sister? They remembered him having only one sister, and she had died in a car crash years ago. But this girl looked exactly like her. And the commanding presence she had today was identical to that of the fourteen-year-old girl who had faced them down all those years ago. Her name was the same, too.

What was going on? Were they dreaming?

One of the old-timers pinched the thigh of the man next to him. The man yelped in pain and kicked him back.

Okay, they were definitely not dreaming.