Betrayed By Husband, Stolen By Brother In Law-Chapter 71: A Problem

"Ma'am, we have a problem."

Melanie barely suppressed a groan at the words. When was there not a problem? Ever since she had taken over LuxeArt last week, it had been one crisis after another.

On her very first day, she had faced a mob of furious customers—people who had been sold defective or counterfeit products and whose complaints had been ignored for months. They had recently been informed that a new owner was taking over and would like to address the problems. No guesses about who had done that. No one other than Madam Collins would have done something like this.

The day after that, she had walked straight into a standoff with the company's new suppliers, who were demanding overdue payments before they provided another shipment.

Then came the third day, which she had spent calling old suppliers, artists, and partners, trying to rebuild burnt bridges—only to be met with resentment, accusations, and outright refusals. Most had cursed at her before hanging up, making it clear they had no intention of returning.

Now, as she looked at Ben, her assistant, she felt a familiar sense of dread settle over her.

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"What is it this time?" she asked, already bracing herself for the next disaster.

Ben hesitated, glancing nervously over his shoulder. "The employees are planning to resign. Word just got out that a new store is opening at the end of the street, and they're offering everyone a higher salary. Almost all of our staff have been approached, and from what I've heard, most of them are seriously considering the offer. Some have already made up their minds. If we don't do something fast, we might not have a team left by the end of the week."

Melanie inhaled sharply. A full-scale mutiny. Of course. Because dealing with irate customers, unreliable suppliers, and a damaged reputation wasn't enough—now she had to worry about her workforce walking out too.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, forcing herself to think. One week. Just one week in, and LuxeArt is already on the verge of collapse.

She had known this takeover wouldn't be easy. But she hadn't expected the foundation to be this rotten.

"What new store is everyone talking about?" Melanie asked slowly.

Ben grimaced but as expected of her new assistant, he was qualified- "This one, it is called FineArt and it seems it is owned by Madam Collins."

Melanie looked up then and sighed. The woman really was after her. "How much did they offer you?"

Ben shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck before shaking his head. "Uh... they didn't. If the rumors are true about Madam Collins opening the new store, then I doubt she'd want to hire me..."

Melanie's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Regretting your decision now? All the employees got better offers and here you are—left on the losing end."

Ben let out a small chuckle and shook his head stubbornly. "Nope. I've seen how you handled things last week—the customers, the artists, the suppliers..." His voice took on a note of admiration as he continued. "You didn't just sit behind a desk and send out emails. You went down to the floor, faced the customers' anger head-on, and made sure they were heard. You tracked down every single artist who was wronged, even when they slammed the door in your face. And the suppliers? I don't know how you did it, but you convinced some of them to give LuxeArt another chance. That takes guts."

Melanie's smile faded slightly, "It takes desperation," she corrected.

Ben scoffed. "Maybe. But not everyone fights like that when they're desperate. Most people would've walked away and let this place crash and burn. You didn't. That's why I don't regret staying."

Melanie gave a nod of appreciation and then, with a sigh, she turned back to the real problem. "Alright then, since you're still here, let's focus on stopping a full-on mutiny. If FineArt is offering better pay and our employees are interested in moving on, then so be it. Everyone has their own worries. For now, we will focus on our new expansion plan."

As Melanie meticulously laid out the plan, delegating tasks to him, Ben found himself unable to tear his eyes away from her. He hadn't lied when he told her he didn't regret standing up to Madam Collins before.

But right now, watching his boss work— his admiration deepened into something else entirely. Something he hadn't quite expected.

He glanced down at the plan in his hands, a plan that wasn't just about keeping LuxeArt afloat but about restoring it to its former glory. It was ambitious and daring. She wasn't just saving a business; she was breathing life back into something that had should have been written off as a failure.

Sensing his gaze on her, Melanie looked up from the documents, "What?"

For a second, Ben said nothing. His usual quick wit failed him as his mind caught up with an unsettling realization.

He shook his head," Miss Melanie, thank you for your trust in me. I'll make sure to finish all these tasks as soon as possible and support you wholeheartedly."

Melanie nodded and sent him off, her eyes narrowing. It was odd. As far as she knew, ABC Industries did not have much cash to spare. And Madam Collins was not one to invest her money in something like this. So, how did she suddenly get a building and start FineArt?

She was sure that the woman had probably been embezzling funds from LuxeArt for some time. But she had been pouring over all the files that had been brought to her and all the accounts seemed to be clean. Too clean. It seemed she would have to put in another night of overtime. Tiredly, she picked up her phone and messaged Adam. As per their 'rules', they were supposed to inform each other of their plans for the night.

It was a long time later that she was finally pulled away from the files by the scent of something tasty.