Suddenly, I Am Rich

Waiting was no easy game, especially for Gray.

For days, he waited for an update from Owen. However, to no avail, he hadn't heard from him, not even a single noise.

In just a blink of an eye, three days had already passed.

"What do you think will happen? Will Conrad Everett even invest in the company?" Mara finally voiced the question that had been sitting in her mind amidst the silence.

The two of them were alone in the office, working diligently. Papers rustled every now and then from their desks. They were working calmly. But beneath the calm surface, tension brewed inside because of Conrad.

Gray set down the document he was reading and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I'm not sure either," he admitted with so much honesty.

He really wasn't sure by now.

At first, he was confident. Their sales were better than he had imagined. Heck, he even accomplished his mission. Owen's reaction, too, had gone better than he expected. The man seemed genuinely interested on their result by then.

That night, Gray had even gone to bed with a sense of certainty, believing that Conrad Everett's investment was within their reach.

But as the days dragged on, that confidence began to thin out. One day became two, and now three, without a single call, without an email. They didn't even send a message, even just a simple follow-up message.

The silence began to gnaw at him.

What if Conrad had already decided to pass? What if he found someone else more reliable, more experienced?

But he knew Conrad.

He wouldn't be like that… right?

Gray leaned back against his chair, staring at the ceiling for a long moment.

"At first, I thought it was a done deal," he admitted, his voice quieter this time. "But the more time passes… the harder it is to hold on to that thought. Now it feels like I'm just fooling myself."

Mara glanced at him, her brows knitting slightly. She didn't say anything right away, but the concern in her eyes was enough to show that she also cared for it.

"Oh well, we could only wait patiently."Gray picked up his pen again and tried to focus on the report in front of him.

Waiting really was torture.

The afternoon dragged on just like that. They just worked and worked, hoping that by doing so, they wouldn't think about it.

Gray was halfway through signing off on a supplier agreement when his phone buzzed against the desk. He frowned. He had no appointments for the day.

'I wonder who's calling," He reached for his phone and froze when he saw the name flashing on the screen.

Conrad.

"…"

Gray's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't spoken to the man directly since the invitation to the gala.

"Hello?" Without hesitation, Gray picked up the call immediately.

"Gray, my boy," Conrad's voice came through at the other side. It was light and casual, as if they were just old friends catching up. "How have you been?"

The tone was unexpected. Gray sat a little straighter in his chair and scratched the back of his head.

"Hello, Sir. I've been… doing alright," he answered, careful but steady.

Conrad has always been kind to him. He didn't know the reason also.

"Good, good." Conrad chuckled on the other end. "You sound more alive than the last time I saw you. That's good. Business is keeping you busy, I take it?"

"Yes, Sir." Gray couldn't help but let out a short laugh, though his nerves still tugged at him. "Trying my best, sir."

"Well, that's all any of us can do." Conrad lingered in the playful mood for a moment longer before his voice gradually shifted, settling into something more serious.

"Now, I wanted to speak with you, Gray. Personally."

Gray's grip on the phone tightened slightly.

"Of course, sir. What about it?"

Gray pressed his lips together. He wanted to ask if it was about the investment, but he stopped himself, thinking it was not the right time. That will be too direct. It will make him look desperate.

"Let's talk to it over dinner," Conrad said simply. "Tonight. Just you and me. Well, my assistant will be there too, of course."

Gray blinked.

Dinner?

Out of nowhere?

Before he could even process it, Conrad added, "I heard you've got an assistant of your own now. Bring her along. This is business, after all. Nothing else. Don't worry, my granddaughter will be out of this."

That caught Gray off guard for a moment, but then the pieces clicked together. If Selina wasn't invited, that meant this wasn't personal. This was really about the store.

That thought made him anxious for a little. Still, he inhaled quietly and nodded, even though Conrad couldn't see him.

"Understood, sir. Expect me and my assistant there."

"Good, young man." Conrad's tone warmed with approval. "You're learning now. That's what I like to see. My assistant will forward you the details later this afternoon about the location."

"Yes, sir," Gray replied. "Thank you. I'll be there. I'm looking forward to it."

A low chuckle came from the other end. "Don't get your hopes too high, young man. I ight disappoint you," those were Conrad's last words before he ended the call.

"…"

Gray don't know what to think because of it.

He lowered the phone slowly, staring at the black screen for a moment before exhaling. His pulse was still uneven, but at least the silence of the past three days was now broken.

Finally, they received a call back for it!

Gray quickly turned to Mara, who had been watching him the entire time with wide eyes.

"Get ready, Mara" he muttered, his tone was calm but also serious. "We're going to dinner with Conrad tonight."

Mara's mouth fell open slightly.

"Whoa. Dinner?"

"Yes." Gray nodded, "Dinner."

- - -

The sun had already begun dipping toward the horizon by the time Gray and Mara left the office. The day passed slowly as they waited for the time.

They worked and finished some papers, though honestly Gray hardly remembered what he had actually accomplished that day. His thoughts had been consumed by the unexpected phone call from Conrad and their dinner for tonight.

"Dinner…"

What made it more exciting and scary was knowing that it wasn't just a casual dinner. It will be about business.

Gray kept replaying the older man's voice in his head, the way Conrad chuckled right before ending the call. It wasn't mocking. More like… testing. It was as if he was measuring how Gray would respond to his words.

Because of the seriousness and importance of this dinner, they also knew they had to prepare themselves for what may come in this dinner.

"We're here, Sir." Daniel announced soon after.

When they finally pulled up to the hotel where the dinner was set, Gray was instantly awed by how massive it was._

The building rose tall and polished, its modern design catching the glow of the evening lights. Valets in clean uniforms moved smoothly at the entrance, ushering expensive cars one after another.

The golden-lit lobby shimmered behind wide glass doors, and even from outside, Gray could see it wasn't the kind of place you would just walk into casually.

Mara turned beside him, her eyes widening slightly.

"This place looks… expensive."

Gray gave a small nod, his expression neutral, though on the inside, he was deeply amazed too.

"It is."

They stepped inside the lobby and the air changed instantly. The faint sound of piano playing on the background echoed across the lobby. The tune were smooth and elegant.

Staff in tailored uniforms moved quietly on the floor. They bowed their heads as people entered.

Gray asked for the restaurant's direction, and instead of just telling the direction, a staff member personally ushered them.

'This is a whole different kind of service.' That was the only thing that was in his mind as they reached for the hotel's restaurant.

The restaurant was just at the hotel's second floor. However, it was discreetly tucked behind a set of dark oak double doors. A host welcomed them immediately before the hotel staff excused himself. They confirmed for Gray's name before allowing them to go inside.

"Damn…""

And that was when it struck him.

The restaurant was nothing like the places Gray had been visiting the past few weeks.

There were no crowds, no clinking of expensive wine glasses or chatter filling the air.

Instead, the space was quiet. Soft lighting hung above each table, casting a warm golden glow, while the rest of the room was dim. Each table was spaced generously apart, separated almost as though granting each guest their own private space.

There couldn't have been more than ten tables in the entire restaurant. Four were empty. While five were taken by different groups of people who looked foreign.

And the last one that was waiting for them was placed near the far side by a wide window overlooking the city.

"Wow," Mara whispered beside him, her voice barely audible, as if afraid of breaking the stillness.

"This is… not what I expected." Even she, couldn't help but look around in amusement.

Gray glanced at her, the corners of his mouth twitching faintly. "Neither did I."

But he straightened his shoulders anyway, following the host's lead toward the waiting table.

"Mr. Conrad will arrive shortly after, Sir. We already informed him that you're here."