New beginning: Billionaire love story

Frank sat in his office; eyes glued to the screen for the fifth time in a row. The new Metacortex Robo-Bot release played in front of him, and not once did his gaze waver. His face, locked in a serious expression, hadn't changed since the start of the video. Frank was studying every movement, every detail. His brain was whirring, thinking, analyzing, and planning. He'd already talked to Robert about how to beat Claire Peterson at her own game. They'd even thrown around the idea of building their own robot, though Venus AMD eventually decided to focus on electronic devices instead.

With a heavy sigh, Frank paused the video and leaned back in his chair. How the hell did Claire Peterson get the idea to build a robot, anyway? He scratched his chin, still staring at the frozen screen. Companies like theirs usually stick to the software side of things. That was their bread and butter.

But here comes Claire, brave or maybe crazy-enough to step outside the norm. She didn't just play it safe; she went all in. Frank had to give her credit for that. Still, it didn't mean he was going to let her get ahead. Sure, Venus wasn't building a robot, but electronic devices? They counted as robots... sort of, right?

His train of thought was interrupted by the soft knock on the open door. The door to his office swung open, and his secretary poked her head in. "Mr. Frank, the meeting's about to start."

Frank blinked, snapping out of his robot-fueled daydreams. "Right. Thanks, Jennifer," he muttered, standing up. He straightened his tie, though he didn't need to-Frank wasn't the kind of guy to look disheveled, even when he was deep in competition-fueled obsession. He walked down the hall, mind racing, and entered the meeting room. It was already packed with his most trusted team members. He took his seat at the head of the table, a position that made him feel more like a general prepping for battle than a tech CEO. "Morning, everyone," he greeted, a quick nod to each of them. "So, how many of you watched Claire Peterson's interview?"

A few hands went up, but more people just shook their heads. Frank had expected that-some of his team didn't have time to keep up with every little move Metacortex made, unlike him, who was borderline obsessed.

"Well," Frank started, leaning forward, "in that interview, Claire pretty much mocked us. She basically challenged Venus, like we're just out here trying to replicate whatever Metacortex is doing." He paused for dramatic effect, letting the words sink in. "I want to make one thing clear: Venus doesn't follow. We lead. And we're going to prove that."

The room was silent, all eyes on him. Frank could feel the anticipation, and for a brief moment, he reveled in it. Then he gestured to Robert, who was sitting to his right. "Robert and I have been discussing our next move. Robert, go ahead."

Robert nodded and stood up, addressing the team. "As you all know, Metacortex has just released their Robo-bot. It's their big push into the hardware market. We've decided to go in a different direction. We'll focus on building cutting-edge electronic devices. That way, we stay true to our strengths without looking like we're chasing after Metacortex's shadow."

There was a murmur of approval from the team, with people nodding and whispering among themselves. But then, one guy in the back-Bill, the kind of person who never hesitated to ask the tough questions-raised his hand.

Frank sighed internally. Bill was always the one to stir the pot.

"Go ahead, Bill," Frank said, leaning back in his chair.

Bill stood up, his brow furrowed. "Why not just build a robot? If Metacortex can do it, why can't we? We're just as capable, right?"

A few heads nodded in agreement. Frank noticed Robert's jaw tighten slightly-Robert had been ready for this but still seemed to dread it.

Robert cleared his throat. "We thought about that. Believe me, we did. But the timing isn't right. If we roll out a robot now, right after Metacortex, it'll look like we're copying them. And that's exactly what we don't want. We've got our own brand to protect." Bill crossed his arms, unconvinced. "But isn't that what people expect? For us to compete directly?"

Before Robert could answer, Frank cut in. "Actually, I've been thinking," he said slowly, rubbing his chin in a way that told Robert he was about to go rogue. "We might be able to... change direction."

Robert blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Frank, what do you mean?"

Frank leaned forward, his eyes glinting with excitement. "We're going to build a robot."

A ripple of shock spread through the room. Robert looked like someone had just pulled the rug out from under him. "What? We... we talked about this, Frank. Building a robot now would—"

"I know what we talked about," Frank

interrupted, his voice firm but not unkind. "But I've been thinking. If we wait too long, Metacortex will dominate the market. They'll be the robot company, and we'll be seen as playing it safe. I don't want Venus to be safe. I want us to be bold."

"But Frank," Robert interjected, still trying to steer the ship, "if we rush into this, we might end up looking like we're just reacting to them."

Frank shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe we'll show everyone that we can innovate on their turf and beat them at their own game. What's the point of being in this business if we're not willing to take some risks?"

The room was still buzzing with whispers, but Frank could feel the momentum shifting. Some of the more cautious members of the team were starting to come around. Bill, for one, looked more excited than skeptical now.

"Look," Frank said, standing up and

pacing a bit. "Metacortex wants the

world to think they're leading the charge into the future. But we're Venus AMD. We've been pushing boundaries long before Claire Peterson even had a seat at the table. We can build a robot-our own robot, with our own vision-and we

can do it better."

"But we've already talked about it and I already gathered the team that will participate in this project." Robert pointed out, trying to steer the conversation back to sanity.

"Look, I didn't say that we will abandon electronic devices. We are just pushing it back and decided to focus on a more important matter. The robot. That's the real showstopper. We're gonna make something that'll knock their socks off." At this point, the room was buzzing. People exchanged nervous glances, some excited, some uncertain. One guy, Dave, leaned forward, clearly intrigued.

"Okay, Mr. Potter, but how exactly are we going to do that?"noveldrama

Frank grinned. "That's the beauty of it. We've got resources, we've got brains, and most importantly, we've got a fire lit under us. Claire Peterson doesn't know what's coming."

"But..." Robert tried again, still clinging to the idea of keeping things on track.

"No buts, Robert," Frank said firmly. "We're doing this. And we're gonna do it fast. I want prototypes within four months. This is how we show the world that Venus AMD isn't just another tech company. We're innovators." Robert's eyes widen as well as the others. "Four months? Are you serious Frank? No one could build a robot within four months."

Frank eyes harden. "Claire

mentioned that her robot project of hers was abrupt and unexpected. I'm sure she and her team didn't use much of their time and if Claire can do it then can't we? Keep it in mind that I pay all of you to work not to protest."

The room fell silent, everyone digesting the bombshell Frank had just dropped. "The meeting is over and now let's focus on the task at hand. It's time to work people."