Marry Me, Mr. Sanders!

PRESS CONFERENCE

SAM

Three months later...

It's been three months since the incident happened, and no one has heard from Sam. Today is the press conference of Portman Tech, where the announcement of the new CEO will be made, as the heir of Portman Tech, Samantha Nathalie Portman, has gone missing and has had no contact with anyone in the company. Her uncle has been acting as the OIC (Officer-In-Charge) during her absence.

Portman Tech is one of the biggest producers of storage devices in the country. It was founded by Sam's late father when he was still young, and together with her mother, they grew the company.

The appointment of the new CEO has become trending news, and many prominent business people in the country are closely watching the event. One of them is Knoxx Sanders.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We are gathered here tonight to celebrate the success of the company and to announce the new CEO of Portman Tech. It's been three months since we last heard from Miss Samantha Nathalie Portman, the daughter and heir of the late Mr. Alex Portman and Madam Nathalia Portman. As they say, a ship can't sail without its captain, so the shareholders of this company have decided to appoint a new CEO."

Sam could hear this clearly from outside the venue where the press conference was taking place, followed by a grand celebration for the new CEO. Just as the announcement was about to be made about the new head of the company her parents had left behind, she made her entrance.

She clapped slowly but loudly enough to catch their attention. Everyone turned to look at her. Their shock was visible on their faces. They had not expected this. Even the members of the press were frozen in their seats—not necessarily because of her return but because of her appearance. She was in a wheelchair, her left arm bandaged, her face scarred, and it seemed she couldn't stand basing on her condition.

"You didn't invite me," she said with a gracious smile. Despite her injuries, she was still beautiful.

She signaled her companion to push the wheelchair to the front. As she was being pushed forward, people inside the venue started to whisper. They had finally snapped back to reality. The photographers frantically took pictures of her—this would undoubtedly be the biggest news for all media outlets in the country.

Sam couldn't go up the stage due to her condition, so she chose to stay at the bottom. That was enough for her to see everyone who had attended. Her smile, which had been plastered on her face, remained.

"She's up to something," she overheard someone whisper.

She scanned the faces in front of her. These were the company's shareholders, including Knoxx Sanders, a newcomer with less than three months in the company. He had purchased 15% of the shares from Mr. Rodriguez, who had migrated to America. She stared at him briefly. She couldn't tell if the look in his eyes was pity or mockery. He was the reason she had almost died. He smirked, and she responded with a sweet smile. This wasn't the right time to confront the man who had caused her tragedy. Perhaps he wasn't happy to see her alive.

"Nice to see you, Samantha. How are you, dear?" her aunt, the wife of her uncle Vic—the only brother of her mother (a half-brother)—greeted her. "We were so worried about you. Where have you been?" She hugged her.

"I'm back, Aunt."

"What happened to you, my niece?" her Uncle Vic asked, approaching.

"I'm ok now. Don't worry, everything's fine."

"Ladies and gentlemen, since my niece is back, I think we must cancel the announcement. The true heir is here," her uncle declared to the audience.

"No, Uncle. We must continue the celebration," Sam replied.

Her aunt and uncle both looked at her.

"Can you please give me the mic?" she asked the company staff, and they quickly complied.

"Oh, sorry if I spoiled the night. It wasn't my intention, really!" she smiled.

"As you can see, I am not physically capable of taking over the company now. Maybe in time, but not now. Running a big company is not my forte, as you all know," she continued. The people in the room were visibly shocked by her words. Sam could also feel the relief in her uncle. "Maybe Uncle Vic here can help. I can be his apprentice or assistant. Right, Uncle?"

"Oh... su... sure, sure," he stammered.

"What happened to you, Miss Samantha? You were gone for three months. Why?" a reporter suddenly asked.

"Something terrible happened to me—a car accident," she answered.

"But why wasn't it reported in the media?" another reporter questioned.

"The accident happened in a remote area where no one knew who I was, which is why the public didn't hear about it. I was in a coma," she explained.

The whispers in the room grew louder. It wasn't the right time for her to deal with it all, but she was sure she would be a trending topic tomorrow.

Her uncle suddenly interrupted the tension between Sam and the press. "I think we will schedule another press conference for this matter. For now, let's celebrate my niece's return."

The event continued as if nothing had happened. Many from the elite circle approached her to check on her. Most of them were either gathering information or gossiping. While many were happy about her return, more were displeased. Sam already knew how to handle this. She had been in the limelight all her life. With more than 10 million followers on Facebook and Instagram, she was one of the most sought-after internet celebrities. She also had numerous endorsements both locally and internationally. She had even graced the cover of a famous magazine in the U.S. She was known for her bold posts and magazine covers. Many criticized her lifestyle choices, but she didn't care. She had a goal, and she was happy doing what she loved. She believed that we only live once, so she was living her dream. No matter how life turned out, it was her choice. At least she was happy because life is short. She was an independent woman, despite being the heir to a large company.

In her absence, she had many realizations. She also discovered many things that she needed to fix as soon as possible. Losing her parents was one of her greatest frustrations in life. If only she had been able to protect them, they might still be alive today.