Worship Him

4. Adam

4

ADAM

I sit at my desk, staring at the financial reports. The numbers dance on the screen, a mix of reds and greens that signal both progress and setbacks. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafts from the cup beside me, a small comfort in the chaos.

"Adam, you still in here?" Marcus's voice cuts through my focus. My CFO leans against the doorframe, looking as exhausted as I feel.

"Yeah, just going over the reports again," I say, not looking up. "We’re making headway, but it's not enough."

He steps in, shutting the door behind him. "The board’s more optimistic now than they were a few weeks ago. You pulled us out of worse situations before."

I finally glance up, meeting his eyes. "Optimism doesn't pay the bills, Marcus. Investors want results."

He shrugs. "They want to see confidence too. And you've got that in spades."

"Confidence is one thing," I say, "but we need a solid plan to turn this around completely." I scroll through the report, pinpointing areas where we're bleeding money. "We need to cut down on overhead without compromising quality."

Marcus nods. "I've been working on a few proposals for that. Streamlining some departments could save us a decent chunk."

I lean back in my chair, considering his words. "And what about our marketing strategy? We need to rebuild trust with our users."

"Already ahead of you," he says with a grin. "We're starting work on a campaign next week that focuses on transparency and customer engagement."

"Good," I say, feeling a rare moment of relief. "We can't afford any more screw-ups."

Marcus chuckles. "No kidding. But hey, we’ve got this." He pauses, his tone shifting to something more serious. "How are you holding up? Personally?"

I narrow my eyes at him. "What’s this? A therapy session?"

He raises his hands in mock surrender. "Just checking in. You’ve been through a lot lately."

I shrug off his concern. "I'm fine, Marcus. Focused on the company. As I should be. As you and the investors want me to be."

The divorce is still a raw wound, but I won't let it show.

"Alright," he says, not entirely convinced but smart enough not to push it further. "I'll get those finance proposals to you by tomorrow."

"Thanks," I say as he heads for the door.

Once he's gone, I return to the reports, my mind racing with strategies and contingencies. This company is my lifeblood; failure isn’t an option.

A soft ping from my phone distracts me—a text from my assistant reminding me about the meeting with my lawyer.

Great, another headache.

As I type out my response, confirming the time for our meeting, thoughts of Destiny creep in uninvited. Our past and the mess we're trying to sort out now—it’s like trying to untangle a knot made of barbed wire.

I push those thoughts aside and focus on what I can control—the numbers on my screen and the future of this company.

It's going to take everything I've got, but I've never backed down from a challenge before and I'm not about to start now.

With renewed determination, I dive back into the data, ready to fight for every inch of progress we can make.

The time for my meeting with Thomas comes almost too quickly. I straighten my tie and grab my tablet, ready to face whatever legal nonsense he has for me today.

Striding through the hallways of my company’s headquarters, I can feel eyes on me—some curious, others anxious. The employees know things are shaky right now, but they also know better than to let it affect their work.

When I enter the conference room, Thomas is already there, his leather briefcase open and papers spread out in front of him.

"Morning, Adam," he says as he stands to shake my hand.

"Thomas," I acknowledge him with a firm grip before taking a seat. "Let’s get down to business. What’s the latest?"

He sits down and adjusts his suit. "We’re still dealing with delays from Destiny’s side. Barrett keeps pushing back dates, citing complications with shared assets."

I scowl. "Complications? This has been dragging on for a year now. What exactly is Barrett's issue?"

Thomas shuffles through his papers before pulling out a thick folder. "From what I can gather, he’s leveraging your intertwined business interests to slow things down."

I tap my fingers on the table impatiently. "This is ridiculous. We have clear agreements on our shares in each other’s companies. Why hasn’t this been resolved yet?"

"Destiny's been cooperative in some areas but hesitant in others," Thomas explains. "It seems there might be more going on than just business entanglements."

I narrow my eyes at him. "Like what?"

He hesitates before answering. "She hasn't specified anything directly, but her lawyer’s evasiveness suggests there might be personal matters at play."

I snort derisively. "Personal matters? We’re past that point."

"Even so," Thomas continues cautiously, "we need to approach this carefully to avoid further complications."

"I don't care about careful," I snap back. "I want this done efficiently and fast." I lean forward, pinning him with my gaze. "Get things done."

He nods slowly. "Understood. I'll push harder for concrete dates and resolutions."

"Thomas," I say, my voice cutting through the air in the room like a scalpel, "I'm tired of these delays. We need a court date, and we need it now."

He shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "I understand, Adam, but Barrett is playing hardball. He's dragging his feet on setting a date. There isn't that much I can do to make him get his shit together."

I lean forward, my fingers drumming on the polished table. "Then play harder. I want this chapter closed so I can focus entirely on the business."

He clears his throat. "I'll push Barrett harder, but you have to understand?—"

"I don't care about his reasons," I interrupt, my patience wearing thin. "We've been at this for far too long. Either you get matters finalized, or I'll find a divorce lawyer who can."

He blinks, taken aback by my ultimatum. "Adam, I've been doing everything in my power to expedite this process."

"Clearly not enough," I snap back. "I hired you to get results, not placate me with excuses."

Thomas nods slowly, absorbing my words. "Alright, I'll escalate our approach. But be prepared for pushback from Destiny's side."

"I expect it," I say, standing up and grabbing my tablet. "But I also expect you to handle it. Make it happen, or don't show your face here again."

He gathers his papers, a determined look replacing his earlier hesitation. "I'll get on it immediately."

As I leave the conference room, I feel a weight lifting off my shoulders. This divorce has been like an anchor dragging me down, and it's time to cut it loose.

Back in my office, I close the door behind me and take a deep breath. The scent of leather and polished wood grounds me momentarily before the weight of responsibilities comes crashing back.

My phone buzzes again—a reminder of another meeting with the marketing team in ten minutes.

Great.

I scroll through emails as I walk to the next conference room. Each message is a reminder of how much is at stake—contracts to review, partnerships to secure, strategies to implement.

When I enter the room, everyone looks up expectantly.

"Alright," I say, taking my seat at the head of the table. "Let's talk about how we’re going to rebuild our brand trust."

Several productive but mentally exhausting hours later, I stand at my office’s floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the city bathed in an orange glow as the sun dips behind the skyscrapers.

The view never gets old, even after all these years. New York, a beast of concrete and glass, has a way of reminding you where you started.

SynapseX wasn’t always this tech behemoth. I remember the early days, when it was just me and a handful of engineers crammed into a tiny office space.

Back then, our biggest concern was making rent, not managing billion-dollar deals.

I loosen my tie, letting out a long breath. Success came faster than I'd anticipated, but I never let it change me. I'm still that same driven man who couldn't sleep because his mind was racing with ideas.

My eyes focus on the SynapseX logo on a billboard atop a nearby building, glowing bright against the twilight sky.

Pride swells in my chest. I built this. From nothing but an idea and sheer determination.

"And I'll be damned if I let anyone tear it down," I mutter, jaw clenching.

I turn away from the window and walk back to my desk, running my fingers over the polished wood.

Every scratch and scuff on this desk tells a story—late nights, frantic coding sessions, and moments of triumph. My company became my life’s work, my legacy.

It might be facing challenges now, but I've faced worse before and come out on top every time.

My phone buzzes yet again—a message from Thomas confirming our next meeting with Barrett.

Perfect.

This whole thing has been dragging on longer than I should have allowed it; it's time to cut through the red tape and get it over with.

I return to the window, letting the last rays of sunlight wash over me. No matter what happens next—with Destiny or this company—I won’t let anyone or anything bring me down.

The city below continues its endless hustle as I stand there, unyielding in my resolve.

One way or another, SynapseX will continue to thrive. My empire might be shaken, but it's far from falling. I'll make sure of that.