chapter1029

Stella feigned confusion. "Wasn't it you who asked me to come, Ethan?"

Israel's expression stiffened, but he quickly recovered. "I'm still a manager at The Williams Group. If people could just stroll into my office without so much as a call ahead, I might as well throw open the doors and turn it into a marketplace, don't you think?"

Stella smiled, unfazed. "Come on, Ethan. I'm your sister, not some stranger barging in.

Besides, we're going to be working together in the same company from now on. Sure, I don't know much yet, and I haven't accomplished anything here.

But let's not forget-I actually own more shares than you do. So technically, you should be calling me boss when you see me in the halls.

And as a company leader, I should have access to every office in The Williams Group, shouldn't I?"

Her words seemed casual, but every line landed like a well-aimed dart, making Israel bristle.

The thought of being outranked by a woman he'd always looked down on made his skin crawl. When Stella had first returned to the Williams family, he hadn't openly mocked her, but he certainly hadn't respected her either. In fact, he'd thought even wasting a sneer on her was beneath him.

Israel let out a cold laugh. "Stella, you haven't even started at The Williams Group

yet, and you're already acting like you own the place?"

Stella remained perfectly calm. "As a member of the Williams family, why shouldn't I treat our family company as my own?"

She sighed lightly. "Ethan, we share the same parents. Why do you always treat me like an outsider? Why do you look at me like I'm a nuisance?"

Israel felt a chill run down his spine at her innocent act. A flicker of worry crossed his mind was Stella recording this, or maybe even live-streaming? Aurora had warned him to be careful. He needed to watch his back.

Regaining his composure, Israel replied, "You're overthinking things. I don't see you as an outsider, and I don't have anything against you.

The reason I called you here today is because you seriously injured an innocent bystander. The victim's family is here, demanding an explanation. No matter what, hitting someone is wrong. All I'm asking is for you to apologize. That's not too much, is it?"

"Of course not," Stella replied smoothly.

Israel was a little surprised by how agreeable she was. He stood up. "I'll take you to meet them."

He couldn't help but think about the family of the injured boy-oil tycoons and financiers, people who'd raised their son to be so wildly entitled. They were hardly saints themselves. Now that they were face-to-face with the woman who'd nearly killed their precious child, they'd probably want to tear Stella apart.

A faint, almost imperceptible smirk played at Israel's lips.

As the two stepped out of the office, they nearly collided with Coleman and Aurora coming down the hall. The four of them stopped, momentarily surprised.

Aurora was the first to speak. "Ethan, Stella, where are you off to?"

"We're going to see Father," Israel replied, glancing at them. "What about you two?"

Aurora smiled. Coleman said the board just voted to approve my position at The Williams Group. He's showing me around, helping me get familiar with the place."

In truth, Coleman wanted to

introduce Aurora to each

department; making it clear she was family. The Williams family never hid

their identities or started a fer.

bottom. Other than sparing

themselves the roughest jobs, they didn't really have to "work their way up."

The Group was running smoothly, so there was no need for any drama.

Israel knew Coleman was trying to establish Aurora's authority, making sure no one in the company would dare give her a hard time.

After thinking for a moment, Israel turned to Stella. "Dad's office is on the top floor. I'll have my assistant take you up. I've got something else to handle down here."

Each of the three Williams brothers managed their own division of the company. Jonathan might be the designated heir, but Israel and

Coleman's portfolios were just as impressive. If they proved

themselves more capable

now

overtaking Jonathan wouldn't be out of the question.

The Williams Group headquarters was built specifically for the family. Each brother controlled an entire floor, with their own loyal teams and spheres of influence.

Israel also wanted to introduce Aurora to his trusted executives, making sure they'd watch out for her once she started.

Stella didn't seem to mind. "All right, I understand."

Once she'd gone, Coleman turned to Israel. "How'd she get up here? I thought you said she wouldn't make it past security."

Israel sneered. "She probably flashed her Williams family credentials-classic move, using the family name to throw her weight around. She really knows how to play that card."

Israel's methods might be

straightforward, but for a company as tangled and political as The Williams Group, they were effective. If Stella couldn't even manage to get up to the executive floors, she'd never survive the constant challenges ahead.

The Group's internal politics were cutthroat. Even the Williams siblings weren't immune; Stella, as the newcomer, would be fair game for every ambitious shareholder in the building.

If she failed this first test, she'd be just another lamb among wolves, waiting to be torn apart by the boardroom predators.

After all, with Israel making it clear he didn't support his own sister, who would risk crossing him to help her?