Dike Empire Headquarters
Thorndike sat behind his desk, hands clasped as he stared out the large window overlooking Chuchu Town. His mind raced with thoughts from his conversation with his mother earlier. He had promised to protect his family, to fight back against Mr. Skinner.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," he called, his voice steady.
The door opened, and his father, Mr. EddieDike, walked in with Mr. Watson beside him. Both men had serious expressions, and Thorndike immediately knew this was about more than just another business meeting.
"Son, it's time," EddieDike said.
Thorndike straightened in his chair. "Time for what, Father?"
Eddie glanced at Watson before returning his gaze to his son. "Come with me."
Thorndike followed them out of his office and down the grand hallway of Dike's Empire headquarters. The staff bowed slightly in respect as they passed, but he barely noticed. His thoughts were fixed on what was about to happen.
As they entered the boardroom, the air was tense. All the board members were already seated, waiting for the meeting to begin. Some of the older men whispered among themselves, their eyes darting toward Thorndike with curiosity.
EddieDike took his seat at the head of the long table. Mr. Watson sat beside him, while Thorndike stood at his father's right, arms crossed.
"Sir, you called for this emergency meeting?" one of the board members asked.
EddieDike nodded. "Yes. I have an important announcement to make."
Everyone fell silent.
"I have built this company from the ground up through years of hard work and dedication. But the time has come for a new leader to take over."
A murmur spread through the room. The words of the new leader sparked confusion—and suspicion.
"Sir, are you saying you're stepping down?" one of the directors, Mr. Frank, asked, his voice carrying a mix of eagerness and doubt.
Eddie's gaze remained firm. "I will no longer be running the daily affairs of this company. Instead, I am appointing a new CEO."
All eyes turned toward Thorndike, and for the first time, he saw recognition dawning in their faces.
"Meet your new CEO—my son, Thorndike Dike."
The silence was thick enough to cut. Mr. Frank's expression shifted from shock to disbelief.
"Your son?" he scoffed. "Since when did you have a son working here?"
Thorndike didn't flinch. He looked directly at Mr. Frank and spoke in a calm but commanding tone. "Since the very beginning."
The room remained still. Some of the directors exchanged uneasy glances. Others sat frozen in thought.
"He has been working in this company for years," EddieDike continued. "Observing. Learning. Growing. And now, he will lead."
"But, sir," another director spoke up hesitantly. "This is highly unusual. Does he have the experience to—"
"He has more experience than you realize," Mr. Watson interrupted. "Thorndike has been involved in every major decision, studying this business from the inside out. He is the only person capable of taking this company forward."
Mr. Frank's lips pressed into a thin line. "And what if we don't accept this decision?"
EddieDike leaned forward, his presence commanding. "Then you are free to leave."
Another wave of silence followed. No one dared to challenge him further.
Thorndike glanced at his father. EddieDike's face remained unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—an expectation.
Thorndike exhaled slowly and turned to the board. "I may have been in the shadows all these years, but don't mistake that for weakness. I know this company better than anyone, and I will ensure its success."
He straightened his suit. "And if anyone here has a problem with that, feel free to step down now."
No one moved.
Thorndike took his seat at the head of the table, his father stepping aside. From this moment on, he was no longer just the hidden son of EddieDike. He was the one in control.
Jack's Dilemma – The Unease Grows
Jack stood in the dimly lit warehouse, watching as his men unloaded crates from the container. The air smelled of salt and iron, the scent of secrecy thick in the air.
His mind wasn't on the business at hand. It was still stuck on Thorndike.
"Why does he feel so… familiar?"
Ever since their first encounter, Jack had been unsettled. Thorndike should have hated him, should have been ready to kill him. But there was no anger in his eyes—only curiosity.
And then there was Lady Lily.
"Why can't I find anything about her past?"
Jack clenched his fists as one of his men approached.
"Sir, everything is in order. We're ready to move the shipment."
Jack nodded. "Make sure we stay under the radar. No mistakes."
As the man walked away, Jack pulled out his phone and called Agent Mark.
"I need answers. Now."
The agent sighed on the other end. "Jack, I'm telling you—Lady Lily's history is clean. Too clean. It's like she didn't exist before she married Eddie Dike."
Jack's grip on the phone tightened. "That's impossible. Everyone has a past. Keep digging."
"There's more," Agent Mark hesitated. "Mr. EddieDike just appointed Thorndike as the new CEO of Dike's Empire."
"Oh really?" Jack responded.
"And Thorndike has just hired a private investigator to dig up information on you and Mr. Skinner."
Jack's jaw clenched. "Who did he hire? And how do you know this?"
"I don't know who the investigator is, but I got this information from Mr. Watson," Agent Mark said.
Jack's eyes darkened. "What the hell are you saying?"
"I'm saying… be careful."
Jack ended the call and exhaled sharply. He was no stranger to deception, but for the first time, he wondered if he was being used too—perhaps even by Agent Mark.
"Who the hell is Thorndike? And what does he want?"
Immediately, he called Mr. Skinner to inform him about the shipment.
"Hello, sir. The shipment is on the move. I'm heading back to pick up Blue."
"Okay, Jack. I'll be waiting," Mr. Skinner responded.
"Sir, I just got new information about the Dike family. Mr. Eddie just appointed Thorndike as the new CEO of Dike Empire. And he's scheduled to have a secret meeting with Mr. Plank from Korea."
"Oh, I see," Mr. Skinner chuckled. "What is Eddie up to? Does he really think he can take me down that easily? I need more information about that meeting."
"Okay, sir. And before I forget—Thorndike has hired a private investigator to look into us."
"Hmm… Just come over. We'll discuss this face to face," Mr. Skinner said before ending the call.
Jack immediately drove off to Mr. Skinner's house—to pick up Blue.