The morning sunlight spilled across the freshly polished board of Khan Enterprises, its golden shimmer catching on the metal letters as if the name itself had just come alive. The small rented house, converted into an office, smelled faintly of paint and promise.
Ashburn pushed open the gate, a folder tucked under one arm, with Aisha walking behind him, tablet in hand, and Kainat balancing a thermos of tea. The place was simple—three rooms and a counter—but there was a sense of something beginning. A front office for the staff, a cabin for him, and a small meeting room they'd set up just last week.
He paused at the board before entering. His fingertips brushed against the letters. Khan Enterprises — Head Office. A smile tugged faintly at his lips. "This name," he murmured, "it doesn't just belong to me."
Aisha placed the thermos down and said softly, "Then let's make sure it becomes something that lasts."
Kainat laughed lightly. "We just need a thousand more employees and a few more buildings."
Ashburn smiled without replying. The sound of her laughter lingered for a moment as they stepped inside.
By noon, the office had come alive. The faint hum of the ceiling fan mixed with the chatter of workers bringing in reports from the shops. The numbers were climbing — each branch showing growth, customers returning more often, deliveries increasing. The shelves behind Aisha's desk carried their newest line, A&K Snacks, packets arranged in neat rows, catching the sunlight filtering through the curtains.
Ashburn moved between desks, checking invoices, signing off progress sheets, and making a few calls to suppliers. He preferred to see every small detail himself, at least for now. Behind him, Aisha worked quietly, her eyes following the movement of numbers across her screen with steady focus. He noticed the slight furrow in her brow and thought, she's grown into this faster than I expected.
In the afternoon, they drove to the factory on the city's edge. The scent of roasted lentils and peanuts filled the air, warm and nutty, layered with the dry tang of machine oil. Conveyor belts moved in steady rhythm, packets rolling out with the soft hiss of sealing machines.
Kainat gestured to a stack of freshly sealed bags. "See? The new ink mix fixed the color issue. Looks more professional now."
Ashburn picked one up, turning it over slowly. The logo — A&K Snacks — gleamed crisp against the matte finish. "Good. People buy with their eyes first," he said quietly.
He stood there a while longer, watching the rhythm of production, the steady pulse of the machines, the small logo that represented something far larger than the factory floor. A few months ago, this existed only in my head, he thought. Now it's printed, boxed, and sold by the thousands.
They returned to the office just as the sky deepened into violet. Reports were stacked neatly, machines confirmed for maintenance, orders dispatched. The place had become more than a workplace now—it was the heartbeat of his vision. Yet beneath the calm order, a familiar tension pressed against the edge of his mind. The evaluation.
He didn't show it, not even when Aisha packed her files or when Kainat teased him about finally taking a night off. When they left, the silence settled in thick and still. The only sound left was the slow whir of the fan above.
Ashburn sat back at his desk, the lamplight cutting soft gold across the papers. Every record checked out. Every margin balanced. There were no flaws this time, no uncertain ventures. Still, he waited.
The night deepened. Through the window, the faint reflection of the Khan Enterprises board shimmered on the glass. He closed his eyes briefly — and when they opened, the blue glow of his inner system flickered into existence before him.
[Evaluation Summary — Sixth Cycle]
Main Business (Retail Expansion):
Starting Capital: 10,000,000
Current Capital: 18,900,000
Net Profit: 8,900,000
Your Share: 20% (1,780,000 credited)
Subsidy Business (A&K Snacks):
Starting Capital: 1,000,000
Current Capital: 1,215,000
Profit: 215,000 (Fully usable)
Overall Assessment:
All operations stable.
Steady growth confirmed.
Recommendation: Strengthen management layers and establish brand identity.
Percentage of Profit Share=22%
He exhaled slowly, the tension leaving his shoulders all at once. "It worked," he whispered. The words carried no pride, just quiet relief.
Around him, the small office looked different now — familiar and alive, yet heavier with meaning. The papers on his desk weren't just numbers anymore. They were the story of months of struggle, the proof that his direction wasn't a mistake.
He leaned back, gaze drifting to the window where the nameplate gleamed faintly under the streetlight. The city beyond was quiet, lights flickering against the horizon. In that stillness, he could almost hear Aisha's calm voice, Kainat's laughter — the sound of people who believed in him when there was nothing yet to believe in.
Everything — the shops, the factory, the brand — was finally stable. For the first time, the weight in his chest felt lighter, not because the struggle was over, but because it was beginning to mean something.
The night was calm. The evaluation complete.
And in that quiet, Khan Enterprises took its first real breath.