“Come in,” Anthony said.
I was delighted at Joseph’s sudden appearance. Be it in the company or elsewhere, I would greet him all the same. “When did you come back?”
Joseph tone was staid. “I came in on the morning flight, and just got back to work today.”
With Joseph around, Anthony would not need to make as many trips between the company and home every day. My smile widened at the thought of Anthony being able to squeeze in more low time. “You should go home to check in on your family after being away in Moranta for so long.”
His wife had just given birth not so long ago when he was deployed to Moranta. As Anthony did not know how to care for his subordinate, it was my duty as his spouse to say something nice in his stead.
“Yes.” The mention of his family put a smile on Joseph’s face. “Mr. Featherstone has given me half the day off. I’ve already dropped by earlier.”
Anthony?
I turned to regard my husband with slight skepticism. Could this notorious workaholic possibly be so considerate?
Anthony beamed proudly as though it was the natural thing to do. He then leaned back on his chair and got right back to business. “From now on, Joseph would stick with me while Stella would become your personal assistant. Take her with you whenever you head out.”
I was bewildered at this peculiar decision to place his little fan-girl at my side. Was he trying to help, or to create problems for me?
I did not have the opportunity to state my protestations before Stella and Joseph simultaneously voiced their acknowledgement and made their exit.
“What’s happening here?” I narrowed my eyes at Anthony the second the door closed. “Trying to get me to relinquish my shares and getting Stella to keep tabs on me. What are you really up to?”
Anthony shrugged slyly. “Whoever said I was getting Stella to do that?”
“Hehe…” I scoffed. “Surely she’s not here for my protection?”
Even though a modern female professional, I knew Stella to be an extremely frail woman. Her memory could not had been jarred into amnesia otherwise.
Anthony snorted. There was a sinister smirk on his face when he pushed the document in front of me once more. “I took the initiative to convince her to become your personal assistant when I caught you staring at her more than once. You know, I am aware that you women like looking at pretty girls too. So never mind your lack of good taste, I’m happy to oblige.”
His attempts at being thoughtful had me nonplussed.
What was he blabbering about? Why that sleazy look in his eyes? Jerk!
Does he think that I had taken a fancy to Stella? I was lamenting his overtly progressive thinking when he rapped his finger upon the table and pointed to the letter of authorization. “One good turn deserves another. Come on and sign on it.”
With victory seemingly at hand, the smug face he had suddenly left me feeling cheated. “Are we talking business here, Mr. Featherstone?”
My signature in exchange for Stella Collins was not business. It was coercion!
The corner of the man’s lips raised as he regarded me like I was a lamb to the slaughter. “We are man and wife so surely there’s no need to put it that way. Consider this our way of shouldering each other’s burdens.”
He was totally into it before he paused and exhaled, as though he was in a bind. “As you know, I’m quite bogged down with everything that’s going on at the company. I don’t think I’d be able to handle it if you were to pile more on my plate. Take it that you’re doing me a favor. Just sign off on it, would you, Mrs. Featherstone?”
The man had already circled to my rear and had me wrapped inside of his embrace. He spoke with pen in hand, just awaiting my signature.
I looked askance at the enthusiasm with which he regaled me. It seemed that he earnestly would like me to withdraw from the den of thieves that was the corporate world.
After giving it some thought, I thought I better have him back down a little. “Sure, I could sign on it, but on the condition that you promise not to push through the plans with GW within the next two years.”
The two-year period was a proposal after much consideration. I would be able to wrap up everything pertaining to my pregnancy during that stretch, and with Anthony’s ability, it should give him sufficient time to gain a foothold in K City.
I know that I would not be able to stop him from pursuing better avenues of development, but with an extended period for preparation, it might help mitigate any potential risks that may arise.
Anthony’s eyes widened momentarily as he considered his options. His lips then curled into a smile. “Alright, I promise.”
Ten years was enough time for me to learn how to discern when he was being sincere or deceitful. His eyes and his smile told me that I may dispense my suspicions.
I took the pen from him and scribbled my John Hancock above the line. Anthony followed up by having the document sent out to the Notary Office for processing.
The courier had just left when someone rapped at the door twice. “Mr. Featherstone, the representative from GW Group has arrived.”
My gaze fell upon Anthony the second I heard that. I regarded him with ambiguity and shot him several looks. Would it not be a golden opportunity for him to prove that he had been straight with me?
Anthony gave me a knowing smile before he turned to Joseph. “Have them taken to the conference room.”
“Understood,” Joseph replied with a nod before he exited.
Anthony went around to other side of the table and retrieved his coat from the rack. He spoke as he put it on and checked his attire, “Come, Mrs. Featherstone. You should try to resolve the matter with GW today while you are still able to exercise your rights as shareholder.”
He wanted to have me along for the meeting.
And I do not see why not.
I shrugged and put a hand around his arm as we made our way to the conference room.
The representative from GW Group was a blue-eyed blond. He was already seated when we stepped in.
Anthony had an arm around me when we approached. “Good to see you again, Mr. Blondell. May I introduce you to my wife, Sienna Stanhope.”
“Oh, my pleasure to meet the very lovely Mrs. Featherstone.” Sean took ahold of and charmingly kissed the back of my hand before he recovered himself.
He had brought along three foreign assistants, all of them corporate elites.
All of us then took our seats.
Sean seemed to have come to us on his own accord with tremendous sincerity and started as soon as he sat himself down. “According to the terms that were presented to us, Mr. Featherstone, GW would only receive a fifteen-percent stake for our investment. After conferring internally, we’re willing to settle for seventeen-percent. That would be our best offer. If you are amendable to that, then we would be able to finalize the contract today.”
The assistant closest to Sean got up on cue to place the contract in front of Anthony.
The financing proposal was something that Anthony had put on the agenda about a year ago, and Sean and his assistants had remained in the country for almost half a year since. Thus, their eagerness to wrap things up so that they may all return home was understandable.
I had gone through their proposal. GW’s original demands were for a twenty-percent stake in Featherstone Corporation’s shares. After negotiation with Anthony, Sean was willing to concede three percent, which was considered very generous. No good business person would dabble in any losing propositions. As there was still some profit in it for GW, I need not be excessively obliged to them.
Anthony and I exchanged looks before he reached out and calmly nudged the contract subtly in Sean’s direction. “Thank you for your offer, Mr. Blondell. I may have to ask for your understanding as the hostility directed toward Featherstone Corporation locally leaves me with other considerations to make. So I’m afraid that we may have to put this proposal on hold until a later time.”
There was a sudden shift in Sean’s mood ,but he managed to force out a stiffened smile. “I hope you’re not being serious about this, Mr. Featherstone?”
Compared to the behemoth behind Sean, Featherstone Corporation was but a palm-sized company. GW had come halfway across the world to initiate the negotiations. They had gone through so many rounds of negotiation and saw various concessions made on their part. For Featherstone Corporation to back out now, anyone would feel that they had been taken for a ride.
It would not be prudent to get on the wrong side of GW. Sean’s face had me fretting quite a bit for Anthony as spurning GW like this would likely earn Featherstone Corporation yet another enemy.
At this moment, Anthony suddenly adjusted his seat to move closer to me. One long arm wrapped around and pulled me in while he had another hand gently placed upon my abdomen. His eyes were filled with hopeful anticipation. “I am, Mr. Blondell. I’m sure you’ve been thorough in doing your due diligence on me. My wife had already suffered through two miscarriages. It was hard enough for us to be able to conceive again so I do not wish for any more mishaps. Before my child is safely delivered and survives till one, I would not be looking to make any major moves in my business ventures.”
I was astounded to hear that I was pregnant. How could it be that I was unaware of that?
Anthony cast an affectionate glance my way before he turned to regard Sean solemnly. “It’s only human to aspire for parenthood so I believe this is something that Mr. Blondell and the directors at GW Group should be able to appreciate, would you not agree?”
Every word of his was resolute but not aggressive, which left Sean with no avenue for dissent. The man could only frown distressedly as he sat slump in his seat.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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