The echo of his footsteps resonated in the carpeted hallway as Adrian Foster made his way through the modern Manhattan offices. The building, with its glass and steel walls, offered a privileged view of the city, but inside, an air of tension lingered.
He stopped in front of a door marked "Olivia Bennett – Management." He knocked gently and, without waiting for a response, pushed it open.
Upon opening the door, he found Olivia sitting at her desk. The contrast with the rest of the room was evident. She was wearing an elegant sky-blue dress that highlighted her light skin tone. Her long, perfectly straight hair fell over her shoulders like a silk curtain. Although she was already in her thirties, she maintained a mature and magnetic beauty. Only a few fine wrinkles next to her eyes betrayed the experience of age, but far from detracting from her charm, they gave her an even more sophisticated presence.
Olivia looked up from her MacBook screen and raised her eyebrows at him.
"Adrian..." her voice sounded surprised. "I didn't expect to see you here today."
He smiled with his characteristic smugness and slumped into the chair in front of the desk.
"I needed to talk to you, Olivia." Adrian clasped his hands on the table. "I haven't received my salary in three months. And while I'm not short of money, I find it disrespectful."
Olivia let out a light chuckle and leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs with natural elegance.
"Are you really here to complain about that?" He poured him a coffee from the coffeemaker at his side and pushed it toward him. "You drive an Aston Martin worth over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, you wear a Patek Philippe that costs as much as my entire apartment, and your shirts are custom-made on Fifth Avenue. If you consider yourself 'broke,' then what's left for the rest of us?"
Adrian took the coffee, smelled it, and then left it on the desk without tasting it.
—It's not about money, Olivia. It's about principle. I'm not going to let Coleman Media Group just take advantage of my work.
She watched him silently for a few seconds, assessing him. She knew Adrian all too well: his arrogance, his luxurious lifestyle, his way of moving through the world as if it belonged to him. But she also knew that, unlike other capricious influencers, he had a different background, a strong character, and a natural talent that attracted thousands.
"The company is going through a critical period," he finally confessed with a sigh. "I'm even considering resigning. Richard..." He paused, as if he found it difficult to say, "Richard is on the verge of collapse."
Adrian's brow furrowed. The thought of Olivia, the strongest and most reliable woman in the group, talking about giving up made his stomach turn.
"Is Richard here?" she asked seriously.
"Yes, in his office. But it doesn't make sense..." Olivia shook her head. "The company account is empty. He's desperate."
Adrian stood up immediately.
—Thanks for the coffee, Olivia. I'll talk to him personally.
She tried to stop him with her eyes, but he had already walked out the door.
He walked down another, quieter hallway to the office of Richard Coleman, founder and 100% owner of Coleman Media Group. He knocked three times.
"Come in!" a hoarse voice answered from inside.
Adrian opened the door and was shocked by what he saw. Richard, who used to be an impeccably handsome man with perfectly tailored suits and overwhelming energy, was unrecognizable. His beard was unkempt, his hair greasy, his shirt wrinkled, and his tie gone. His eyes were red and bloodshot, with deep dark circles under them that spoke of sleepless nights.
He looked like a man devastated by the weight of debt and bad decisions.
"Damn, Richard..." Adrian closed the door behind him. "You look like a beggar."
The CEO let out a bitter laugh and slumped back in his chair.
—You're not far from the truth, Adrian. Coleman Media is in ruins. The bank account is empty. If I had to pay someone today, I couldn't. Not even you.
"I already know that," Adrian placed both hands on the desk, leaning toward him. "What I want to know is how the hell we got here. A few months ago, you were talking about expanding, going public, revolutionizing the market."
Richard massaged the bridge of his nose, tired.
—Things changed too quickly. Our best influencers were tempted by other companies. Some with million-dollar offers, absurd contracts requiring more than 200 hours of monthly broadcasts. Many accepted. I… tried to resist.
"And you failed," Adrian concluded bluntly.
"I tried investing in new talent, taking risks with marketing campaigns, selling products. I bet everything I had." Richard lit a cigarette with trembling hands. "And I lost. Now I have a warehouse full of unsellable merchandise and a bank breathing down my neck."
Silence filled the office. Adrian watched him intently, saying nothing. For the first time, he saw Richard for what he truly was: a man who had staked his entire life on a dream and was watching it crumble before his eyes.
"What are you going to do now?" Adrian finally asked.
Richard inhaled the cigarette and blew the smoke slowly, as if trying to retain a bit of dignity with each puff.
—I'm getting a divorce tomorrow. I want to protect my wife and children from this ruin. The debt will be mine alone. And Coleman Media has two options: first, sell the company. Second, complete bankruptcy.
—And which is the most likely?
Richard looked at him with glassy eyes.
—Second. No company in the sector wants to buy us. Everyone knows we're finished.
Adrian didn't look away.
At that moment, something inside him ignited. It wasn't about money or luxury; it was the instinct of someone who couldn't stand to lose. A challenge had appeared in his path. And Adrian Foster never shied away from a challenge.
As I walked out of Richard's office, the Manhattan skyline loomed in the hallway window. The outside world kept spinning, but inside Coleman Media, everything hung in the balance.
Adrian clenched his fists.
He knew that, one way or another, he would have to decide what to do with that company that was on the brink of collapse.
Everyone's future was at stake.