Hidden Mafia King and the Fearless CEO

She had a dream.

A five-year-old girl in a pink dress was smiling brightly at the woman sitting beside a round table. The woman, with almond-shaped eyes and a sweet smile on her lips, was suddenly joined by a tall man who walked over and lifted the girl up, laughing happily.

That warm family scene was abruptly replaced by a horrifying image. The woman lay in a pool of blood, while the man, also covered in blood, was saying something to her with a pained expression. The girl couldn’t read his lips or hear what he was saying, but she could feel the child’s fear. The girl cried and ran from the room. The scene shifted to a large mansion engulfed in flames. The girl stood in front of the burning mansion as a man who looked like her Uncle Marc approached her.

Jenica slowly opened her eyes. She noticed her tear-stained cheeks and frowned. Her heart felt heavy, and she knew it was because of that dream, but she couldn’t remember what it was.

After some time, she became alert when she sensed others in the room. She quickly got out of bed and frowned at the newcomer.

It was her Uncle Marc.

He smiled when he saw her standing beside the bed. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

Jenica looked around the room. The last thing she remembered was being chased by five assassins and collapsing in front of the Guam Business Empire headquarters, nearly out of blood.

“Where am I?” she asked.

Uncle Marc motioned for her to sit. Jenica complied and sat on the edge of the bed.

“You’re in my mansion. A guard called me, saying they found you lying on the road, barely alive.” His forehead creased. “Who tried to kill you?” he asked, his face dark.

Jenica lowered her gaze. She wasn’t sure either. She hadn’t found any clues about the assassins. She looked at her uncle. “Did you catch any of them?” she asked.

Uncle Marc shook his head. “They escaped quickly, and my men couldn’t catch them. Where’s Mr. Fuego? The last thing I remember, you were with him. He should have protected you from those bastards!”

“It’s not his fault,” Jenica said as she lay back down. “Uncle, this is the new Guam mansion, right?”

The man smiled and nodded. “Yes. You should recover here. I’ll have someone attend to you later.”

“Okay.”

“And Jenica…”

“Yes?”

Her Uncle Marc took a deep breath and looked at her intently. “My offer still stands. I hope you’ll return. There are many people waiting for the heiress.”

“Why now? It’s been years, Uncle, and the company has been in your hands for a long time. Yet, someone is still dissatisfied with you?” she asked, frowning.

Her uncle gave a forced smile. “When your father was alive, he was the President. After the great fire, the company should have passed to you. You were too young back then, and I had to take over for stability. I promised to return the company to you when you were ready, and they know this, but…” A subtle expression crossed Uncle Marc’s face. “Those bastards remained dissatisfied with me, and some even tried to assassinate me in hopes of stealing my position!”

Jenica raised an eyebrow. “Who are these bastards?” she asked.

“The company’s shareholders. They were unhappy with your father even when he was alive. Now, only you and I remain from the Guam family, so it’s expected that they’re making moves behind the scenes.”

“I see.” Jenica was silent for a moment, thinking, before turning back to her uncle. “Don’t you have a son?” she asked.

His face soured. “Don’t joke. I’ve been too busy with the company to think about women.” He sighed. “Even if I had a son, he wouldn’t inherit the company. Only the legitimate line of the Guam family can take the position, and that’s your father’s bloodline. Now, only you or your child can legally inherit the company.”

Jenica was silent again. Seeing her serious expression, her Uncle Marc smiled helplessly. “Think it over. Only you can tame those bastards. Also, in your father’s last will, he withheld his shares, which will only be given to you when you take over the position.”

“What?”

“Your father has 60 percent of the company shares. The remaining 30 percent belongs to the shareholders, and the last 10 percent was given to me by your grandfather. I’ve been the acting president with only a 10 percent share, which is why they’re dissatisfied with me,” Uncle Marc explained.

“So, you’re saying they want to steal your position because you don’t hold the majority of shares?”

“Yes.” He sighed. “Mr. Takura also has a 10 percent share, making us equal. He’s been in cahoots with the other shareholders, pressuring me to step down. Now, something’s happened to the company, and they’re blaming me,” he said sadly.

“What happened?”

“Our businesses in neighboring countries have been ransacked by powerful underground organizations, and the company can’t do anything about it.”

Underground organizations? The Mafia?Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Jenica’s eyes narrowed. She suddenly remembered the Mafia Don in Laguna and his power to manipulate large clans there. Perhaps the situation in the company was really dire.

“So, you want me to come back to inherit my father’s shares?”

“Yes. Only by stabilizing the internal conflicts within the company can we manage the external threats,” he replied. “Only you and your father’s shares can appease those bastards.”

Jenica hadn’t planned on getting involved with her family’s company, but recalling the contemptuous looks at the Fuego’s old matriarch’s party, she wanted to stand on equal footing with those bastards and give them a hard slap.

Also, the influence of her secret identities wasn’t enough to find her son, Sham. Even though she was Mr. Fuego’s hidden wife, she couldn’t use that power freely now that the old matriarch was suppressing her as Alex’s wife.

That old woman tried to topple her with filial piety, but too bad, Jenica wasn’t a saint nor desperate to cling to Alexander’s coattails. And seeing her husband’s attitude towards the old woman, Jenica knew there was no way she could freely use the power that came from being Mr. Fuego’s wife.

Becoming the heiress of the Guam Business Empire might have unexpected benefits, and Jenica didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

So, two days later, she found herself standing in front of a mirror. Her long, silky black hair hung down. She raised the scissors and cut it.

When Uncle Marc saw her again, he was stunned. Who could have told him that his little niece would change her appearance?

Standing before him was a woman in her mid-20s with short brown hair and stylish glasses. Her bloody red lips were grinning from ear to ear.

“Are we leaving now, Uncle?” Jenica asked.

Uncle Marc gulped and nodded speechlessly. He wondered how those bastards would react to his niece looking like a young and troublesome socialite.

It was only a five-minute drive from the Guam Mansion to the Empire’s headquarters.

Her Uncle Marc kindly reminded her, “You must behave today. I’ve already announced your decision to return, and they’re anticipating your arrival. But…” A complicated look flashed in his eyes, but he sighed nonetheless. “Don’t let your emotions affect your decision,” he advised her as they entered the large conference room.

Ten men of various ages sat like rigid statues. When they saw her, contempt and dissatisfaction flashed in their eyes.

Jenica stood in front of the long table and looked around. So these were the people giving her Uncle Marc a hard time?

But what stunned her was the presence of someone she never expected to see in the conference room.

“It’s nice to see you again, Jen…” Shimen said, smiling softly at her.

Shimen Takura, her childhood friend. Although she was surprised to see him sitting among the shareholders, it wasn’t entirely unexpected since Jenica knew they were once engaged, and her father had allocated a good portion of the company shares to Shimen for their future.

If Jenica had stayed in the Guam Business Empire back then, perhaps she and Shimen would be married by now, according to her father’s last will. But instead, she chose to live a ‘normal’ life away from the power struggles within the company.

Now that she was back, Jenica suddenly realized one thing she had forgotten to consider: her engagement to the Takura Shipping Lines’ heir.

And it was a huge loophole in her plans because, according to her father’s last will, before she could fully inherit his shares, she had to marry the man sitting not far from her.