Page 3 of Accidentally Joining His Cult

“I swear you know the players better than I do.”Not grumpy about that at all.Not even a little bit.

“I do,” he happily agrees. “Because I’m not their boss, and I’m way less scowly than you are. They’re all afraid of you. I’m harmless.”

His innocent, doe-eyed expression might work on other people, but I know him too well for that. “Sure you are.”

He drops the act and returns to professional mode the next second. “You should already be on your way to the seminar if you don’t want to be late.”

“God forbid.”

* * *

I’m definitely running late,but still take my time getting to the conference center where the seminar is being held.Maybe I should skip this bullshit too and get some actual work done.But the last time I tried that, Oakley made it his personal mission to drag me there himself, and I don’t feel like dealing with that again.

When I enter the room, my first instinct is to grab a chair in the last row and ignore this entire pointless presentation, but familiar golden curls draw my attention to the stage.

Holy shit.It’s the coffee shop guy.

On second thought, this is obviously too far from the stage to properly enjoy the seminar.

CHAPTERTWO

Cody

I’m having thebestday, and it’s not even nine a.m.

When I checked into my hotel room yesterday, the friendly clerk, Rachel, asked me why I was in town. I told her I was running a seminar for the Caldwell Corporation, and she upgraded me to a suite! Apparently, the Caldwells own the hotel, and she wanted me to experience everything it has to offer.

She even volunteered to show me around the city or come up to my room to help me practice my presentation.So nice.

I give these presentations all the time, so I thanked her and explained I didn’t need to practice, but that I really appreciated her kindness. She looked pretty disappointed until I invited her to the Individual Empowerment Program I’m running this weekend.

She seemed excited when I told her how the company I work for, Kyla, has developed these specialized classes to help people achieve personal success in whatever they aspire to do in life. We’ve helped everyone from celebrities, politicians, billionaire CEOs, and so many regular people find the tools to unlock their full potential.

I know it sounds cheesy, but over the years, I’ve witnessed so many people improve their lives with these classes, and I know they really work. I seriously have the best job. I get to meet incredible people from all over the world and share in their joy as they work toward their goals.

This morning, I kicked things off with a workout at the hotel’s amazing gym. I met some fantastic guys who were really interested in my fitness routine, asking questions and complimenting my dedication. We started talking about why we were all in town, and when I told them about my seminar, they signed up right on the spot!

Harold and Roger could apply it perfectly to elevate their new business. And William sounded so deserving of that promotion at work. I’m confident these classes will give them all the tools they need to succeed.

Back in my suite, I got to use the most incredible shower I’ve ever seen. There were shower heads facing every direction and a rainfall overhead, deep benches built into three sides, and even a Bluetooth speaker. It’s probably big enough for like six people in there,not sure why six people would ever need to shower at the same time in a hotel room, but I certainly enjoyed the experience, so I’m not complaining.

Then on the way to my presentation, I decided to grab a coffee, and the man in front of me generously let me go ahead of him in the line. I only drink black coffee because it’s healthier, so I was in and out in no time.

With the extra few minutes, I decided to take a longer route to the venue. The walk was spectacular, I was able to enjoy the gorgeous Chicago River and the city’s incredible architecture.

I love that my job allows me to travel and see so many beautiful places. I can never decide if I like big cities or smaller remote places more. I also really like it when I get to see the ocean and beaches. Mountains might actually be my favorite, though. It’s so hard to choose the best when there are only good options.

Caldwell Tower is a tall, gleaming, all-glass building on the river. Checking in with security was a breeze; everyone was so kind and welcoming. Now I’m all set up in a swanky ballroom, ready to share the Kyla Corporate Empowerment Program with all of the people who work here.

I’ve got a microphone clipped to my suit jacket, and there are screens on either side of the stage with a camera set up in front of me to project my image for the entire space to see more clearly.

Our company has a lot of different programs tailored to the specific needs of the people taking the classes. Big companies' HR departments will hire us to come in with corporate-focused programs, as a way to show support for their employees and inspire individually driven success. When one person is succeeding within a corporate setting, it benefits everyone around them, as well as the company as a whole.

The ballroom is filling up, but I want to give everyone a chance to get settled so that they don’t miss any of the presentation.

Corporate attendees, while sometimes more skeptical, still receive my full effort. Even if not everyone takes advantage of the information, I know I’ve done my part. Every corporate seminar I’ve led has inspired at least a few people to join the individual programs, and knowing I’ve helped improve someone’s life is both humbling and incredibly rewarding.

There are hundreds of people in this room, the crowd for this presentation is one of the biggest ones that I’ve had in a while. The Caldwells own a lot of other companies that all operate out of this building, and most of their employees were encouraged to attend this program.

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