"Y-Young Miss, I am truly honored by this appointment. I will do my best to earn and maintain your trust and take this company to greater heights," David Irvin responded earnestly, a smile spreading across his face.
Scarlett felt satisfied upon hearing Uncle David's warm words. She could now rest assured, knowing she could leave the island and entrust her company to his care.
In truth, this appointment was not sudden; she had contemplated appointing him as her father's successor from the very beginning. "Thank you, Uncle," she expressed her gratitude.
Turning her attention to the three directors seated across from her, Scarlett continued, "To all of you, I hope you will support our new CEO, Mr. David Irvin. I will never forget your kindness if you remain loyal to the company and me."
"Miss Piers, don't worry, we will support Mr. Irvin, just as we supported Mr. Piers!"
"Yes, Miss Piers, you can count on us!"
"Absolutely, Miss. We will support Mr. Irvin and remain loyal to you as well."
Scarlett nodded, content with everyone's assurances.
After the appointment of David Irvin as CEO was finalized, the three directors excused themselves, leaving Scarlett and David alone in the room.
She wanted to discuss the legal matters concerning her father's death and the welfare of the household staff. Additionally, she needed to ask David to take care of her family home.
"Miss, are you planning to sell the house?" David Irvin asked.
Scarlett was taken aback by the question. Honestly, she had no intentions of returning to that house. The mere thought of it pained her heart. She wasn't sure if she could ever set foot in that house again.
Moreover, even if she did decide to sell it, she doubted anyone would be interested. The media coverage of the massacre had cast a dark shadow over the property.
Despite her efforts to minimize the news coverage of her father's tragic accident, the word still spread among their neighbors through word of mouth in two days.
"Uncle, I haven't considered selling it," Scarlett replied with concern in her voice. "Could you find someone reliable to take care of the house for me?" she asked.
"Of course, I will search for a trustworthy individual who can oversee and care for the house," David said.
"Thank you, Uncle. And... tomorrow, after meeting you to sign the necessary documents, I will be returning to the capital. If there's anything important, you can contact me directly or reach out to my assistants, Cruz or Logan."
"I will, young miss," David assured her.
Before long, David excused himself, aware of his workload awaiting him at the office. There were numerous company transfer documents that Scarlett, as the sole shareholder, needed to sign.
After David Irvin left the room, Scarlett remained in the meeting room for a moment, engrossed in her cell phone.
She had received numerous missed calls and text messages from her friends and employees who had seen the news on television or the internet. Finally, she had the chance to read them one by one.
While reading the messages from her friends, employees, and those who knew about the incident, waves of pain washed over her heart. The sadness she had kept at bay since the previous night threatened to resurface.
She paused, attempting to take a deep breath as she gazed out the window. The view of the breathtaking blue sea from her seat brought a momentary calmness to her mind and heart.
Before long, she resumed checking her phone. Among the messages, she noticed one from Casey. She quickly opened it.
[Six: ] Come to Rex Villa. We will treat you and your husband to dinner.
A joyful smile spread across Scarlett's face at the thought of this dinner plan, a chance to find happiness with her brother and Casey. She immediately replied to Casey.
[Three: ] Will be there before nightfall!!
[Three: ] See you, sis... (Love icon)
...
"Why are you smiling alone?"
Scarlett was startled by Xander's voice coming from behind. She turned and was taken aback to find Xander's face so close that their noses almost touched.
She pulled back her head. "Xander, you scared me!"
"Sorry, babe!" Xander straightened himself and helped her up from her seat.
"When did you arrive?" she asked, realizing they were the only ones in the meeting room, and she hadn't seen Logan.
"Since you started giggling while checking your phone..." Xander said. He takes her hand and leads her outside the meeting room. "Let's go to the beach. You need to relax and not think about anything!"
Scarlett remained silent and followed Xander to the hotel's backyard, past the empty swimming pool. After a few moments, they arrived at a white sand beach.
No one was there in the morning, and the beach remained empty. It was just the two of them walking along the coast.
"This is what I love about this island. Even in winter, we can still enjoy the beach..." Scarlett walked ahead of Xander and extended her arms, allowing the sea breeze to blow away her stylish black coat and ruffle her long wavy red hair. She felt refreshed and liberated.
Xander smiles, looking at how beautiful she is from behind.
"I couldn't agree more, babe!" he said, following her from behind. "This island is unique because it only snows in the mountains. Down here, there's no snow at all."
"Exactly! That's why this place is my favorite winter getaway. I get to enjoy two different kinds of weather at once..." She glanced at Xander, who was trailing a step behind.
Xander nodded, entirely in agreement. They continued walking in silence, savoring the caress of the wind.
Soon, they made their way back to the hotel, and Xander finally noticed Scarlett's purple lips. He quickened his pace and grasped her cold hands.
"Baby, your hands are freezing! Are you feeling unwell?" Xander asked worriedly. He wrapped her hand and put it in his coat pocket. He felt guilty for taking her for a long walk by the sea when the wind blew.
