Chapter 64
Nick
I entered my office after the meeting with Lander, his team, and T–World, Alaia’s company. I sat in the manager’s chair and ran my thumb across my lip as I pictured her again in my thoughts. I smiled, remembering that she didn’t refuse my lips, although she hittered, like a precious little sss. I laughed out loud again, but it was worth it, worth the slap, and I wouldn’t mind receiving a few more if, in the end, I could taste those lips more than once.
“Sir,” Kathe rushed in, agenda in hand, “the meeting your grandfather requested to be
reinstated as CEO by the board of directors will take place in ten minutes. I believe he intended for no one to inform you so that you wouldn’t be present or arrive late,” she explained, and I stopped playing with the stress ball I was holding.
“Call Will and tell him he has ten minutes,” I asked, and looked out the window, waiting for the time to go. I wanted to make an unexpected entry. “No one should know I’m going to that meeting,” I said, and she made a sound of affirmation before leaving the office.
I received a message from Will and quickly responded.
The time for the meeting arrived, and I left to find Will arriving at my office. We walked to the boardroom.
“My grandson is incompetent, incapable of seeing to the good of this company, of us,” I heard him speak from behind the boardroom door and laughed as I shook my head.
“You shouldn’t talk about people when they aren’t present.” I opened the door, and my grandfather raised his chin, looking haughty. “That’s what you taught me… oh no, wait, you didn’t teach me anything positive, it was my father,” I said, entering the room and sitting in the chair at the head of the table, the one Killian was using. He looked at me from where he was and shot daggers at me, showing obvious annoyance. My response was to laugh cynically.
“Please, don’t stop on my account,” I gestured to him. “Continue,” I indicated to those present.
“As I was saying, Nick and his incompetence have cost us major contracts with companies
from various countries in South America, Central America, and other countries. Since he took over as CEO, he stopped taking those contracts, costing us millions of dollars,” he spoke, full of himself, while I watched him with interest, and they reviewed the documents Killian had left at each place. “In those reports, you will find how much those contracts were worth, and the losses generated by not signing them. The balance sheets show that during these two years, revenues have decreased by forty percent,” he explained, and I took one of those folders. Will did the same while frowning.
I looked at the figures, and they did indeed show the loss of revenue from those contracts. I continued checking the sheets.
“This is not what is reflected in the annual reports of the last two years,” commented one of the partners, still prepared to speak, but I raised my hand to stop him.
“The information in those reports is altered,” commented Killian, that damned old man. “For that reason and others, I want to take back control of the companies. I want Garnett, Morgan & Co. to go back to what it was two years ago before I insisted that Nick take over as CEO, thinking that my grandson was the right person to continue my legacy. I was wrong,” he lamented.
Of course, he imagined it. Two years ago, I made him believe I would do everything he ordered me to do.
“Now I will take the reins of the company again until I find someone new to take charge. It is an extreme measure, since my grandsons,” he looked at Will and me, “are a couple of incompetents p>
“Reviewing this information, it is clear that you have not managed our interests well, Nick,” the chair of the board expressed everyone’s thoughts. “Being that way, we cannot risk our assets or the company’s. We cannot allow you to continue running it.” He looked at me.
“Are you finished?” I questioned Killian, and he gestured for me to speak, keeping a mocking smile on his face.
“Abel,” I stood up and took a few steps, “Killian is right,” I expressed, and everyone looked at me, keeping a serious expression. “After I took the reins of this company, thanks to Killian’s demand,” I looked at him, “I did my job, and we verified all the contracts that the company had at that time. As he explained, the contracts with those countries represented forty percent of our income,” I nodded to myself, “and generated huge profits for us.” I inhaled.
“Why stop contracting with them?” questioned another partner.
“The answer is simple. Killian was entering into contracts improperly. That is, he used his influence to acquire those contracts, resulting in a huge corruption case that would involve our companies,” I commented.
“You’re lying!” Killian pointed at me, still surprised that I knew about this matter, which he had hidden for years.
“I have the records of the money movements, the payments, all made under a front company.”, called Kathe to bring all the relevant information. “Our reports are real. William and I have managed to obtain legal contracts,” I emphasized the word ‘legal’, and we have recovered most of the profits. The difference is that we have worked with smaller companies that Killian refused to work with because they did not represent any important connections for him,” I commented, and Kathe arrived with all the information he had handed to each of them.
“How did you handle the corruption issue?” asked Abel.
“It hasn’t been discovered. I’ve been working on it with a trusted lawyer. As long as it’s not exposed in any of those countries, we won’t have any problems, but if they do, we’ll have a lot of problems,” I explained, and everyone looked at Killian.
“I did what I thought was best for you!” Killian pointed at them.
“Damn it, Killian! What the hell is wrong with you?” Abel questioned furiously.
“Don’t let me hear you complain for years while you were receiving those huge dividends month after month,” he commented.
“This could cost us everything.” Abel pointed to the desk. “There’s no way you’re running this company again. Your grandson has managed to outdo you,” he said angrily, and Killian snorted loudly. “I don’t want you to set foot in this building or any other that belongs to this company ever again p>
“This is how you repay me?!” Killian stood up and slammed both hands on the desk. “I took this company to the top, and you turned your back on me p>
“We owe you nothing. If this comes to light, you will owe us this life and the next,” he pointed at him. “Now get out of here, or do you want security to remove you?” he yelled, and I looked at Killian with a smile.
“I hope you stop messing with me, Killian,” I told him, and he stopped to look at me with various negative emotions reflected on his face, but he continued on his way, and I returned to my chair, feeling like I had won, for now.