“Mr. Callahan, we can’t continue to work with you, if the company’s stock price is going to keep plummeting at this rate” an old man declared, his voice solid and unwavering as he gazed sharply at Liam who was sitting quietly on his chair.
“Yes, he is right. it’s been two days and you haven’t done anything to solve the problem yet” another old man chipped in, his wrinkled forehead squeezed in a frown.
“Please, sirs. You have to calm down” Sarah pleaded with them. The meeting had been nothing but a tongue-lashing ground ever since it began. The investors had refused to give Liam a chance to speak… “We can sort this out amicably”
“And who is this child who wasn’t taught to speak when the elders are discussing?” An investor lashed out at her in anger, his voice full of disdain. “You need to learn some manners, young lady”
“Hmph… Her boss must have given her the boldness the act disrespectful” Another chipped in scornfully as he stared down at Sarah who pursed her lips and blinked her eyes continuously to prevent the tears from falling. She had never been scolded like that in her whole life.
“That’s enough” Liam’s frosty voice reverberated through the room, causing all the men to shiver in silence. Yes, they were still scared of the tyrannic businessman in front of them. The scandal was the only excuse they had for running their mouth clearlessly, knowing they had an advantage.
Meanwhile, Liam had been silently observing the whole situation. He was starting to see the true nature of the people before him. They had forgotten how he helped by taking them as investors in his company which had helped boost their shares. Now, they wanted to turn against him without giving him a chance to rectify the problem. He could watch them insult him but not his precious secretary, they had snapped his last string of patience.
His gaze scanned each of their faces before speaking. “We are working towards providing a solution to the problem but I need you to be patient… Rome wasn’t built in a day”
“Ugh..” a voice scoffed, the tone laced with mockery. “We should be patient until the company goes bankrupt and our shares become worthless…”
“For how long do you want us to wait?” Another man chipped in, his tone laced with a hint of rudeness. “Weeks, months, or even years… We can’t waste any more time”
“Yes, if can’t proffer a solution now, then we are pulling out our shares from the company. I’m sure other companies would love to work with us” Another man added in support of the previous speaker. “We want solutions”
“And not just solutions. We want immediate actions, not words or promises”a man added with a severe tone.
Liam raised his hands in the air, an action which commander silence at that moment. “Your words baffle me or is someone feeding you with lies?” His piercing gaze made them all shiver in fear like they had been caught doing something wrong.
Liam’s lips curved into a chilling smile. Their suspicious reaction had given him the exact answer that he was looking for. He rose to his feet and said. “If you dare betray me, you’ll regret it in the future”
“We.. we aren’t talking about betrayal, we asked for a solution and if you can’t give us that, what is the point of staying here with you?” Another asked, to divert Liam’s attention from his question but he was dealing with the wrong person.
“You of all people should know how the process goes. Your actions and words here right now show that you’ve made plans to leave already, before this meeting” Liam stated, his voice laced with accusations. He wasn’t to be fooled, he had a guess on who could be working against him behind the scenes, but that wasn’t the major problem now.. he needed to deal with the selfish and greed-driven investors.
“Our shares matter the most to us, your problem is not our concern. If you can’t satisfy us anymore, we have the right to leave your company” An investor roared out, his face red with anger for being accused of the crime he knew he was guilty of.
“Since that’s how you all want to act, I’ll give you the chance to, “Liam said, his voice carrying a hint of anger yet haunting. “Anyone of you who wish to withdraw from my company should walk out through that door this instant… It’s an opportunity for you to search for greener pastures, so leave now”
The majority of them began to murmur, questioning each other, their gaze darting around to see who would take to the front line first.
A loud bang on the table was heard, causing everyone to turn their head towards the source of the noise.
“I’m leaving. You all can stay here till you rot” a man shouted, storming out of the meeting room without looking back.
“I’m leaving too” another chipped in, following the trail of the first investor.
“Me too”
“I’m leaving too”
As they kept filing out, a mysterious smile was etched on Liam’s face, his thoughts racing with the unknown. A few minutes after he had given his final verdict, he looked around to see if anyone was remaining. He nodded in approval as he detected the presence of the two men in the room who had also been observing the meeting without contributing any words to it.
“Mr. Diego, Mr. Louis” he called out to them with a knowing smile on his face. “I knew you two would remain here. I guess my father did have a close relationship with you”
“That isn’t the problem now” the one called Mr. Diego said, his tone curt. “A solution is needed. The only fault of those men was because they had indulged in the act of betrayal”
“He’s right” Mr. Louis nodded in agreement, he seemed to be the oldest among them. “We need to have a meeting. I’m sure you know what I mean”
“I understand,” Liam said, his tone sincere and solemn. “I’ll let you know when I’m ready, so you can inform the others”
“Alright”
“We owe your father a lot, we have no choice but to help you”