Corporate Villainy: Trampling Protagonists as a Business Dad

Olivia's eyes fluttered open as golden sunlight crept through the hotel's floor-to-ceiling windows. The silk sheets felt impossibly soft against her bare skin, and for a moment, she wondered if she was still dreaming. Then her gaze fell on the handsome man lying beside her, his chest rising and falling in the deep, even rhythm of peaceful sleep.

Vincent looked younger somehow in slumber, his usually sharp features softened by the morning light. His dark hair was tousled from their night together, and there was the faintest hint of contentment on his lips that made Olivia's heart skip.

Reality crashed over her like a wave. The memories flooded back—her wine-fueled boldness, the way she'd whispered "master" against his ear, how she'd confessed her love with every breathless gasp. Her face slowly turned crimson as embarrassment consumed her. She buried her face in her hands, mortified by her own shameless behavior.

I can't believe I said all those things, she thought, her ears burning red. How will I ever look him in the eye again?

After several minutes of internal panic, curiosity won over embarrassment. She slowly lowered her hands and stole another glance at Vincent's sleeping face. He looked so peaceful, so perfectly beautiful in the morning light.

Seeing no reaction from him, she grew bolder. Her finger tentatively reached out, gently poking his cheek with feather-light touches. When he remained still, she became even more daring. She leaned closer, her thumb gently stroking his lower lip as she moved her face toward his, her own lips parting slightly.

Just as she was about to steal a kiss, Vincent's eyes suddenly snapped open, sparkling with clear amusement.

"Ahh! This—I—I..." Olivia's face resembled a child caught stealing candy, her words tumbling over each other in stammered confusion. She tried to scramble away from the bed in her embarrassment, but Vincent's hand shot out, catching her wrist.

With a surprised yelp, she found herself pulled back down, landing squarely on his chest as his strong arms wrapped around her.

"Why are you so shy with your master?" he chuckled, his voice still rough with sleep.

Olivia couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes, her face burning with a mixture of embarrassment and the memory of everything that word meant between them now.

Vincent released her after teasing her for a few more minutes, enjoying the way she squirmed adorably in his arms. They dressed in comfortable silence, Olivia stealing glances at him while trying to process this new dynamic between them.

The ride back to the mansion was filled with stolen touches and soft smiles. Vincent's hand rested possessively on Olivia's thigh while she tried to maintain some semblance of composure, though her radiant glow was impossible to hide.

When they arrived home, Helena had already left for the office, leaving only Emily in the sprawling living room. The younger girl looked terrible—dark circles shadowed her eyes, her usually bright demeanor replaced by a shell-shocked expression.

"Did you not sleep well?" Olivia asked with genuine concern, immediately rushing to her sister's side.

Seeing Olivia's face practically glowing with post-intimate bliss, Emily felt utterly aggrieved. "Sister, you left me here with that villainess while you were having fun! Do you know what I went through? Boohoo!" She leaped into Olivia's arms, burying her head against her sister's chest.

Vincent looked at the dramatic display with amusement. "Oh? What did she do? You look like you haven't slept all night."

Olivia also looked curious, stroking Emily's hair comfortingly.

Emily felt embarrassed to admit what had happened, but seeing their expectant faces, she knew she had to confess. "She—she forced me to watch horror movies all night! And she put fake spiders in my bed, and rubber snakes under my pillow! She even made creepy sounds outside my door and told me ghost stories about this mansion! I was so scared I couldn't close my eyes!"

"That's it?" Vincent felt genuinely disappointed by Helena's restraint.

"What do you mean, 'that's it?'" both sisters exclaimed in perfect unison, their indignant voices harmonizing in a way that caught Vincent completely off guard.

"Don't worry, sister will stay with you today," Olivia said soothingly, rubbing Emily's back.

"You won't go to the office today?" Emily asked hopefully.

Before Olivia could respond, Vincent's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Your sister is very tired today. She can barely stand properly, so I gave her the day off."

Olivia's face turned scarlet as the implication hit her, while Emily's eyes widened with dawning realization about exactly why her sister looked so exhausted.

Vincent proceeded to get changed into his business attire, the transformation from intimate lover back to powerful CEO happening seamlessly. He bid them goodbye with a possessive kiss that left Olivia breathless and Emily blushing while covering her eyes dramatically.

Outside, Raghu waited by the sleek black car, his eternally energetic smile blazing like the morning sun.

"Boss, you're here!" he announced cheerfully.

"Call me Chairman," Vincent said with mild exasperation. "You make me sound like a thug."

"Hahaha... yes, Boss!" Raghu replied with the exact same enthusiasm.

Vincent sighed in defeat as the car sped toward the imposing Cornelius Corporation building.

Under the familiar gazes of awe, admiration, and barely concealed fear, Vincent entered his corporate domain. Employees bowed respectfully wherever he passed, their movements synchronized like a well-rehearsed dance. The power, the deference, the way conversations stopped when he appeared—Vincent never tired of this feeling. It was intoxicating to know that a single word from him could change lives, that his presence alone commanded such absolute respect.

Without Olivia's efficient assistance, Vincent found himself drowning in accumulated work. He spent the next few hours dealing with logistics coordination for their mid-sized shipping subsidiary, reviewing quarterly reports that should have been summarized for him, and handling correspondence that usually never reached his desk. It was a stark reminder of just how invaluable Olivia had become to his operations—not just as a lover, but as the backbone that kept his empire running smoothly.

After finally clearing his desk, Vincent called for Matthew, the corporation's investment manager. The man who entered was the picture of Wall Street success—blonde hair perfectly styled, piercing blue eyes that missed nothing, and the confident bearing of someone who turned millions into billions for a living.

"Chairman," Matthew said with a slight bow, his expensive suit impeccable despite the day's work.

"Matthew, I have a special project for you," Vincent began, leaning back in his chair. "I want you to begin quietly acquiring shares in both Meridian and Annapurna. Use our most trusted shell companies and keep it completely off the radar."

Matthew's eyes lit up with predatory excitement, though he tried to maintain professional composure. He'd been growing bored with the monotonous routine of standard investments. This kind of covert corporate warfare was exactly the challenge he'd been craving.

"That's... ambitious, Chairman," Matthew said, his smile not quite hiding the hunger in his gaze. "Though I should warn you, an operation of this scale would require substantial capital we don't currently have that much liquid funds."

"How much are we talking about?" Vincent asked calmly.

Matthew pulled out his tablet, fingers flying across the screen as he calculated. "For meaningful stakes in both companies... the estimated value would be around two to two and a half billion just for the stock prices. But that's not accounting for the real costs." His expression grew more serious. "We'd need shell companies, legal frameworks, corporate espionage networks, board member buyouts, regulatory... persuasion, and we'd probably need to hire some specialized cultivators for the more delicate operations."

The more Matthew spoke, the more daunting the task seemed. "Realistically, Chairman, acquiring controlling interest in just one of these corporations would cost us at least three billion dollars. And that's assuming everything goes perfectly."

Vincent watched the hope drain from Matthew's face, then smiled—a devilish expression that sent chills down the investment manager's spine.

"What if I told you that the war between Meridian and Annapurna was orchestrated by me? What if I already controlled ten percent of Meridian's shares and five percent of Annapurna's?"

Matthew's eyes widened in shock. "That—is that true, Chairman?"

Vincent's smile grew more predatory. "If I could crash their stock prices further and destroy investor confidence, could you make it happen?"

Matthew gulped "He has changed. He has definitely changed." he thought. He had not believed the rumors but now he was absolutely certain.