"So, aside from what’s in the folder, is there anything else I should know?" Gray finally looked up at Marcus. He skimmed quickly at the folder, but never really gave his full attention to it.
Marcus gave a small nod, as if expecting the question.
"Yes, Sir. Well, for starters," he said, "the store itself is running at a stable pace. It was not particularly strong, but not weak either. It’s been operating quietly for a year now since Lancaster Group acquired it."
"Okay..."
"It has moderate revenue, consistent foot traffic, and loyal customers. However, it’s been like that for a while. There were no expansions, no marketing pushes. Jonathan wanted to keep it as it is."
"Why?" Gray asked, his forehead creasing slightly.
Marcus folded his hands over the table, his tone calm and informative.
"Lancaster Group doesn’t normally run in grocery chains," he began. "Our core divisions are in construction and development—we handle major infrastructure projects, high-rise residential complexes, and urban planning initiatives. That’s where the company started."
Gray listened to it attentively, nodding slowly.
"But over the years, Lancaster expanded," Marcus continued. "We now have a hospitality arm too—resorts, business hotels, that sort of thing. Mostly in coastal and tourist-heavy areas. We have a few projects abroad as well, but our base remains here."
"And the grocery?" Gray prompted.
Marcus gave a short, almost amused breath.
"That was... incidental. A year ago, Lancaster Group acquired a mid-sized real estate firm. Part of the deal included several miscellaneous assets that came with their portfolio—small rental spaces, a couple of franchise leases, and, well, this neighborhood grocery."
"So you don’t have an interest in it?" Gray raised a brow.
"Exactly, Sir. At the time, there wasn’t much reason to sell it off. It was making enough to keep itself afloat and didn’t require much oversight. Jonathan instructed the operations team to just let it run with minimal interference."
"And now he’s handing it to me." Gray leaned back in his chair. "Well, that makes sense."
Marcus nodded once again.
"Yes, Sir. Our CEO said he wanted someone he trusts to have it. He said that in the right hands, even a modest business can grow."
Gray exhaled slowly, not entirely sure what to say to that. He looked down at the folder again, his thoughts briefly wandering.
He had never imagined being handed something like this.
"Well, Sir, there’s one more thing." Marcus smiled at Gray, "I’ll be coordinating with the current store staff and arranging a handover meeting for you to formalize the contract. It won’t be anything too formal, just an internal session so you can meet the people you’ll be working with and get a sense of the place."
"That works." Gray nodded slowly, though on the inside, he couldn’t help but be uneasy.
’Damn, this shit is getting too real.’ Gray silently thought.
"I’ll also prepare a schedule for you, Sir. I understand that you’re still unfamiliar with everything, so I’ll try to keep it as simple as possible. It will be just enough to familiarize you with the systems and workflows in place."
"All right," Gray said. He didn’t realize that handling a business was as complicated as this. It was far different from all those theories he taught Chloe.
Marcus checked his watch briefly, then looked back at Gray.
"If you’re free, Sir, I think it’s best we head over to the store today."
"So soon?" Gray blinked.
He was surprised by the sudden proposal. He first expected that he would do paperwork, meetings, and maybe a tour in a few days, but not today. Still, for some reason, his heart stirred at the thought.
A quiet thrill crept into his chest.
"Yes, Sir," Marcus replied with an even tone. "It’s better to see the place early, so you can have a frame of reference as we move forward. It will also help you once you read the content of that folder. And don’t worry, it won’t take long."
"Well, I don’t have any plans, so... sure. Why not?" Gray leaned back in his seat, exhaling slowly.
Marcus gave a quick nod and stood up smoothly.
"Let me lead the way, Sir. It’s not far. Just a short drive. Please follow me."
Gray rose from his seat, grabbing the folder on the table. The iced latte he never finished sat abandoned as they left the café together.
Outside, the High Street was alive with people in formal attire walking around. And just outside the café was a sleek and black sedan that was parked. Marcus clicked the key on his hand, and the doors unlocked with a soft beep.
Gray hesitated for a second, but when Marcus asked him to follow, he quickly moved his feet. He got inside the passenger seat and settled there as Marcus started the engine, pulling smoothly out of the parking space and onto the road.
They drove in silence for a few minutes, moving past the tall buildings of High Street and into a quieter part of Riverside. It wasn’t long before Marcus slowed the car and turned into a modest side street.
And there it was.
Gray stared outside through the windshield, words caught in his throat.
In front of him stood the store.
It wasn’t small. Clearly not like what he imagined.
It had a clean, wide facade with glass-panel windows that revealed the neatly arranged interior. There was a green-and-white sign that hung above the automatic doors. It was simple but modern.
On the side, there was a dedicated parking area that was almost full of parked cars. There was also a delivery bay where the supplies were dropped off.
It was not a small grocery store. It was a proper grocery. No—a big one.
It was not a full-on supermarket, but it was far larger than Gray had pictured in his head.
"... Damn"
Marcus glanced at him when he heard the curse.
"Is there a problem, Sir?"
Gray didn’t answer right away. He stepped out of the car slowly, still taking it all in. His feet moved on their own as he walked a few steps closer.
"...This is it?" he asked, almost in disbelief.
"Yes, Sir," Marcus replied, stepping up beside him.
"This is your store."
=====
A/N:
Thanks to those who dropped some Golden Tickets into the novel!
Mark_4727, Brendon_Drouant, Sapith,Cesar_Montemayor, JacoPier.
I’d also like to say thank you again to Mark_4727 for dropping another gift!
I appreciate it. You guys are the best.