The Retired CEO's Guide To Being Spoiled-Chapter 231: The Future Handed Over

"Then congratulations are in order, future head of the Caldwell family."

"You know full well that is not what I meant, Julian." The man let out a soft sigh, bending down to lift him up in a posture reminiscent of carrying a small child. Julian did not offer any resistance. He simply wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, his two legs securely clamping around Ethan’s waist, listening as the older man continued speaking: "In the future, do you wish to officially enter the Caldwell Empire?"

"Am I not already working for the Caldwell Empire right now?" 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"What I truly mean is, in the long-term future, do you wish to dedicate yourself to this company, or do you prefer to spread your wings and soar freely on the outside?"

Julian was once again completely taken aback by the man’s words; he lifted his head from the crook of Ethan’s shoulder, fixing his gaze upon the other’s sharply defined jawline. Meanwhile, the man continued speaking in an incredibly unhurried tone: "I know perfectly well that you do not enjoy being tied down. If you decide that you want to continue working at the Caldwell Empire in the future, then it is my earnest hope that this current project will serve as your crowning achievement. Julian, Atheria will serve as your foundational stepping stone moving forward, acting as the most ironclad proof to completely silence anyone who might attempt to hinder your ascent to the position of Vice CEO."

Vice CEO? The mere mention of this position caused Julian to startle in sheer surprise. However, right before he could voice his thoughts, the older man delivered a gentle pat to his backside: "Be a good boy and listen to me finish. Naturally, I am not going to immediately thrust you straight into this role all at once, but it will undeniably belong to you in the foreseeable future. Even later on down the line, my own position will be yours as well, Julian. When I truly take over the reins of the Caldwell family, it signifies that Grandpa Arthur’s remaining time sitting in the chairman’s seat will not be long. Once he steps down, my current position will rightfully become yours."

"What if I do not possess the sufficient capabilities to handle it?"

"I understand better than anyone else that you have more than enough competence to accomplish such a feat, Julian. Perhaps your practical experience is currently somewhat lacking, or it might simply be that you are not yet truly accustomed to the intricacies of this specific market. Atheria alone has been more than enough for me to fully recognize your immense hidden potential. The only thing that truly matters is whether you genuinely want it or not."

"And what if I do not want it?"

"I will never force you. As I have stated before, that remains entirely your own freedom of choice." By this time, Ethan had already carried Julian all the way back to their spacious bed. The two of them collapsed onto the incredibly soft mattress, while Julian remained securely enveloped within the man’s embrace: "Whether you wish to work at the Caldwell Empire, or if you desire to venture out and spread your wings, establish your own independent company, or simply live life as a freelance artist, all of those options will always be your absolute right to choose."

Julian tilted his head upwards, peering directly into the man’s profoundly deep, pitch-black eyes. His heart skipped a prominent beat, and for a fleeting moment, he could not help but internally admit the undeniable truth, he was genuinely moved.

Within this endlessly glamorous yet fundamentally cold-blooded high society, there were exceedingly few arranged commercial marriages that ever managed to result in a genuinely happy ending. No, even if it happened to be a case of pure, unadulterated true love, when placed face to face with such monumental astronomical benefits, there were hardly any powerful, affluent families that would ever willingly allow a complete outsider to dip their hands into the core headquarters, into the vast empire of power that had been painstakingly constructed across countless generations of their noble lineage. The Harrington family served as the most glaringly obvious example of this phenomenon. Kevin Harrington’s mother was a fiercely ambitious woman who possessed considerable manipulative skills, yet she was perpetually barred from ever interfering in any of their family’s truly crucial affairs, simply due to the fact that she was nothing more than a daughter-in-law married into the household.

Naturally, Julian was absolutely not naive enough to foolishly consider the Caldwell Empire to be the entirety of the assets that the Caldwell family held within their formidable grasp. In his previous life, Julian had been born and raised within the confines of a genuinely powerful aristocratic family, thus he possessed a profoundly clear understanding of the foundational wealth and assets of a major, influential household. Their overarching business endeavors were always an intricately system, sinking its deeply entrenched roots into a myriad of vastly different sectors. However, no matter how remarkably far the branches and leaves might stretch outwards, they would perpetually require a supremely sturdy main trunk to provide adequate support, and the Caldwell Empire was precisely that unshakeable, heaven-supporting pillar of the Caldwell family. It was precisely because of that vitally crucial, life-or-death level of importance that the position of CEO of the Caldwell Empire, or even that of the Vice CEO, were considered paramount, supreme roles that were strictly reserved exclusively for those who possessed the core, direct bloodline of the ruling family.

Yet at this present moment, the very man who was currently holding him tenderly in his warm embrace was calmly stating that once he truly grasped total and absolute power, both of these supreme, highly coveted positions could be freely handed over to Julian without a single shred of hesitation.

That promise carried the extraordinarily heavy weight of a thousand pounds, for it was not merely a simple verbal acknowledgment regarding his professional working capabilities. On this viciously cutthroat battlefield of commerce, individuals possessing the adequate competence to serve as an outstanding executive director of a massive corporate conglomerate were inherently never in short supply. Nevertheless, the sole individual permitted to righteously and honorably sit upon that ultimate throne of power absolutely had to be someone who was trusted by the family in an absolute without harboring even the slightest ripple of doubt. This singular fact served to prove one that Ethan was truly about this intimate relationship of theirs, to the extent where he was placing Julian on the exact same level of importance as his very own life and the entirety of his family’s vast fortune.