Suddenly, I Am Rich

A few days passed quickly after their first day at the store.

The once-empty store was now slowly transformed into a fully operational branch.

Within just days, the staff were able to stock the shelves with products. They also cleaned every corner each day, making it spotless without dirt. Even the checkout machines had been tested already.

The place was already ready to accommodate customers on their opening day, which was in 2 days.

With it, Gray’s daily routine had also changed. In the meantime, he prioritizes visiting the 2nd branch compared to the 1st store.

Gray stood near the front entrance early that morning, watching as a few of the staff made final adjustments to the displays on the shelves. It was hard to believe how far they’d come in such a short time.

The deliveries were all done. Every box had been unpacked, sorted, and stored properly by the staff. The stockroom was now perfectly organized. And, even the staff room was now completely arranged.

After a while of standing there, Gray’s phone suddenly buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at his screen and saw that it was a message from Mara.

[Mara:] Gray, don’t forget your meeting with the Admin Team at 11 am.

The woman didn’t come with him today because she had other work.

Gray was able to look at the discrepancies in Chloe’s financial statements, so he asked her to compile everything so they could send it out already.

”Right…” Today was the day he was supposed to meet with the administrative employees. They will be the ones who will handle the backline operations. They’re the managers, assistant managers, and floor supervisors.

Joel was the one who personally trained most of the administrative employees over the past week. He had been working closely with Gray to set the foundation for both branches, making sure every position had someone dependable behind it.

It helped that Joel already had years of experience managing store operations, so training the new team came naturally to him. He spent hours walking them through inventory systems, sales reporting, scheduling, and handling customer concerns.

And not just for the second branch. Joel also took the lead in finalizing the managerial team for the first store. After Gray approved the list, they promoted a few long-time employees who had proven their dedication and capability with their work.

It was a satisfying milestone for everyone involved. The first branch finally had its own stable management structure, and the second branch had a strong foundation from day one.

Because of that, Gray knew that Joel’s role had evolved into something bigger. He wasn’t just a store a mere manager anymore.

Gray took the initiative to promote him. That’s why now, he oversees both branches already. He was acting as the direct link between Gray and the on-site operations.

”Honestly, I think he’s handling it better than I ever could,” Gray muttered as a small smile appeared on his lips. The two of them were together in the 2nd branch.

After a few more minutes of observing from the distance, Gray finally checked his watch. It was nearing 11 already.

”Alright,” he exhaled quietly, brushing off his sleeves. ”Time to head out.”

He gave a few last instructions to the staff near the entrance, reminding them to keep the store tidy and organized for the day. Then, he turned toward the door, nodding at the guards as he passed.

Outside, Daniel was already waiting by the car.

”Are we going back to the office, Sir?” Daniel asked before opening the back door for him.

”Yup,” Gray replied as he stepped in. I’ve got a meeting with the admin team.”

”Oh, I see.”

With it, Daniel quickly started the engine before driving off.

As the car pulled up in front of the office building, Gray looked out the window for a moment. He took a deep breath before stepping out. He went inside the building, rode the elevator, and went up.

”Let’s get this started,” he murmured to himself, straightening his collar as he made his way toward the meeting room.

Gray entered the meeting room to find the administrative team already gathered there. The room had a long table in the center with the managers, assistant managers, and floor supervisors from both branches sitting around it.

There were probably around 12 people total in the room, including him. Some were familiar faces from the first store, while others were new recruits for the second branch.

”Good morning, everyone,” Gray immediately greeted them the moment he stepped inside. ”Thank you for coming on such short notice. I know the next few days will be busy with our new branch opening, so I want to make sure we’re all on the same page.”

He took a seat at the head of the table and opened his laptop. The first slide on the screen displayed the schedules for the upcoming week, alongside a detailed layout of responsibilities for each administrative role.

”Joel already walked through the training with most of you,” he said, addressing the room. ”Now, this meeting is about coordinating the backline operations. I will go over the workflow and responsibilities, and we’ll make sure everyone knows their priorities.”

The room fell into a quiet attentiveness for a moment before a few of the managers nodded in agreement.

”Understood, Sir,” one of the floor supervisors said respectfully, glancing around the table at the others.

”Yes, Sir. We’re ready to coordinate and make sure everything runs smoothly,” One more person added. She was a newly promoted assistant manager from the first branch.

A few others agreed to it also.

”Good morning, Sir Gray,” a manager from the second branch greeted politely after. ”It’s good to finally meet you in person, Sir.”

Gray smiled slightly in return. ”Good morning too. And to the rest of you.”

The rest of the team quickly returned his greeting with polite nods and smiles.

Gray chuckled at it. They were too enthusiastic.

”Alright,” he said, opening the next slide on his laptop. ”Let’s start so we can leave early.”