“Marriage” “What?, I didn't understand that” “I brought a marriage proposal” “Is this a joke?” “No! Actually I know it sounds like one but I wouldn't come all the way here to crack jokes with you” “Let me understand this, whose marriage are we having?” “Ours?” “This must be the joke of the century, how were you able to come up with such an extraordinary idea?” She knew he was being sarcastic and she understood him, she had thought up his possible reaction and this was nicer than she had anticipated, at least he wasn't throwing her out of his office or doing something worse “We both have something to gain from it” “Are you pregnant and need someone to dump it on? No! I do think you're too rich to pull that kind of stunt? So what's it?” “I thought you were willing to do anything to redeem your company” “Really? Anything? Including getting married to you?” “Wait! Me! What's wrong with me?” “I wouldn't know! A thousand things maybe. Are you dying? Cause I see people that are about to die pull strings like this in movies” “And you think my dying wish would be to get married to a person as mean as yourself?” “Mean? At least I'm still in the margin of reasonable” “I know you're freaking out…” “You bet I am” he cut in “That's alright, you just have to listen to me, we could make this work?” “It's unrealistic and unimaginable that you thought up this crab, you didn't stop there but came in here to present such an obnoxious idea to me and now you've actually convinced yourself that it can work. How do women do this?” “Do what? It's just a proposition” “Wow! Getting married to you is just a proposition?” “I know your father built this company, it's been around for long but not long enough to gain the stability it needs to not fail. If you stall this and the board of shareholders and investors get to do an assessment and actually realise that the business is not where it should be, you'll end up losing out”. She realised he was getting calm and a bit attentive so she continued “You can't hide it for too long and at this point you can't get a loan without having to doctor your figures, and we both know that's quite a risky thing to do” “And instead of that, I should get married?” “Yeah! That's the proposition. Besides people get married for wrong reasons everyday” “What makes this a better reason though? because it doesn't sound better to me” “Family, you get to retain your family's business. It's a worthy sacrifice” “I'm yet to get the whole picture, clearly how does marrying you magically save my business?” “Well I’ve been meaning to invest in a tech company like yours considering the development in the tech world and get the company to diversify but unfortunately I can’t get majority of the board to be on my side”
Chapter 1 The looming crisis
“Mr Dorian, everything is set for the meeting”
He looked up at his assistant from his laptop. “Alright Kev, Let's go.” He got up while his assistant picked up all he needed for the meeting and followed closely behind him.
The large boardroom was decorated with sleek and modern equipment, from the ceiling to the floor. The table was decorated with high quality tech gadgets from their company.
The partners and investors sat round the table, and the meeting began with an introduction by each individual, creating a space for familiarity and collaboration.
“As we all already know, we're here today to enhance the opening of a branch of SimTech in New York,” Dorian opened. ”We'll be evolving and reproducing similar gadgets as you can see on this table. Meanwhile, all these tech gadgets have been tested and they are currently being sold in the market with profitable margins on them. So I would like us to each share our opinions and we will weigh our options at the end.”
They discussed different issues ranging from the market value of each product, market trends to the technological updates for the products.
“What measures have you kept in place to curb any feasible risk?” One of the investors asked, looking up to Dorian.
“We have insurance for the products, we've analysed the possible risk, we have structures in place to deal with possible risks and we have a steady risk monitoring team that are absolutely competent”.
The meeting continued with much deliberation and slight disputes regarding different ideas, but it ended in handshakes on the prospective rise of a new chapter for the company.
Dorian walked out of the meeting like a conqueror, fully delighted that he was on his way to finally accomplishing what he had been working on for a long while. He has been in charge of the company since his not so beloved father fell sick.
“Mr Dorian, It’s your Mom. She has been calling all day, and keeps insisting to talk to you.” Kev said, handing the phone to him.
“Dorian,” his mother called out at the other end of the phone.
“Hi mom, I'm so sorry I haven't been taking your calls, I've just been swamped with work. I was in a meeting with the partners and investors for the new branch. Remember I told you about the new branch that the company is opening, and I had to oversee the work myself.”
“Son!”
He recognised the tone in his mother’s voice and knew something serious had happened and he would have kept rambling on if his mom had not called for his attention.
“You have to come home, son, your father– he is dead.” She said, trying so hard to keep her sad voice from breaking. “He died this morning in the hospital.” She added as she broke into tears.
“W– what happ–what happened? I thought the doctor said he was getting better?” “That’s what he said '' ,she replied in between sobs. He ceased himself from asking any questions. “I'm so sorry mom, I'll catch the next flight and I will be home soon.” He ended the call and turned to his assistant, “Kev, make travelling arrangements for me, I'm going home, and call in Miss Sidney to take up things from here. I might be gone for a while”
“Is everything all right, Sir?” He inquired with concern.
“Yeah, I just have to go do my duty as a son.”
A WEEK LATER
He settled into the office at Ruth and Lyte’s firm. He had been here once before to get a document for his father and the other times they needed legal counsel they always called the firm and made meeting arrangements in their company instead.
“It was a bad investment, his risk assessors advised against it but on the surface it was a pretty good deal that would have landed the company on a brighter spot.” His late father’s lawyer, Thomas, explained. “I think that's what he was more focused on when he made the deal but it went south and he tried to work on it and make up for the loss by other means but it wasn't as successful as he hoped.”
This took place after Dorian’s fathers burial.
“And he didn't tell me about any of these? How am I just getting wind of this for the first time?” Dorian asked, agitated.
“It's exactly like I have just told you, it was a bet. I think deep down he was just hoping it would be the one thing that helps the company to bounce back from its previous debts”
“There was no sense in making an unstable deal when the company was already in debt. He just ended up plunging the company into a ditch.” Dorian retorted
“In hindsight, we can both agree it was a bad call but I know he had the company's growth in mind when he made that decision. Your father worked himself out to see this company succeed. It would be unfair to say he ruined it himself.”
Dorian chuckled quietly. “But he did.” Then he shook his head unbelievably in frustration, “to think, I had investors come in to invest in a new branch, if they get the slightest knowledge of this then they will definitely withdraw their investments and we are done.”
“That is one of the reasons I said nothing about it during the will reading, I just needed it to be between you and myself. And that's why I asked for you to meet me here instead. Your mom doesn't know any of this too.”
“And I always thought he kept no secrets from his wife.”
“He did keep this one”
“You've been his friend and advisor for as long as I remember, and you are more like family now. What is it you would advise at this point?”
“There are not many options open to us, even your father knew that. He tried possible ways to get loans and contracted investments but they all did not seem to work out well for him. The ones he managed to get a ‘yes’ from were below what is needed to keep the company afloat.”
Dorian smirked. “He has such impeccable timing even in death, he should have stayed a bit longer to bear this cross.”
“He had his share of crosses in his lifetime, maybe this is yours to shoulder for yourself and for the family.”
“There has to be a way we can salvage this, maybe there is something we have been missing, someone or something we have not considered,” he gets up, pacing around the office. “I had to do a lot of work in order to bring those investors here and all of that has to be worth something, I cannot just standby and lose all of that because of my father.”
“There is actually one person who can help,” Thomas said thoughtfully.
“Who could that be?” His curiosity piqued.
“Dame Maggie! She is a grand heiress, you could say she was one of your father's interest then but they never made it far”
“The Dame Maggie?” he asked, wearing a look of surprise and returned to his seat.
“Yes!” Thomas answered sharply.
“How have I never heard or known of their relationship?” Dorian was shocked his father had a relationship with the well-known powerful Dame Maggie. Dame Maggie of Lorde Group. That must have been something.
“There is a lot you don't know, boy. Besides, your mom wouldn't think it's a nice story to hand over to her children.”
“Yeah, she can be that jealous.”
“But why didn't dad go to her earlier if she could truly help?”
“It’s quite a story but apparently she was your mother's friend and she liked your dad originally. She still thinks your mom stole him from her and your Dad out of respect for your mom and their marriage refused to meet with her even when I suggested it.”
Quite an interesting story, one would say.
“Why does all that feud still matter, it was years ago?”
“You never know with women, it's not petty to them.” A perfect answer from Thomas.
“So let's say she agrees to meet with me, how much investment do you think we can pull in from her?”
“A lot, enough to keep us standing strong. She actually owns more than it says she does on the papers.”
“I guess I have no choice but to meet with her and see if she will agree to help.”
“What about your mom? She won't like that idea.That certainly should be considered, Dorian”
“Between losing the company and ending their rancour, I guess she will prefer the latter. Besides the man they fought over is dead they might as well kill their differences and move forward.” Dorian was right but would the women in questions think the same?
Thomas nodded, then asked, “will you at least let her know before going ahead with it?”
“No! She will definitely not agree to go through with it, it would be best if she has no knowledge of it, that way she saves her pride.” He said, rising from the chair to take his leave.
“I sincerely hope it works out perfectly” Thomas said while they shook hands. “You're in for a battle between two women. if you win, that will surely be on record.”
Definitely!
“I hope my charm serves me well,” said Dorian with pride as he stepped out of the office.
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