Chapter 100

CHAPTER 100:

FINANCIAL CRISIS

Liam’s P.O.V.

“You have to get back here real soon and sort things out, Liam… or else, you will lose your position! I can always ask Leandro to take over as the new CEO instead and run the EGC,” my father, Alessandro Evangelista, ordered me indignantly.

He was close to threatening me. I could visualize him gritting his teeth and showing throbbed veins all over his neck, although he wasn’t even in front of me. My mom, Lianne Evangelista, was surely beside him while listening to our conversation.

“Don’t be too hard on him, Sandro. You knew more than anyone that Liam is more competent than Leandro.” I heard Mom countered. My instinct was right all along—they were together.

“Yeah, there was no question, he is… but he is being taken down by his emotions again!” Dad barked as if I couldn’t hear him.

Then, Dad turned to me as if he was here. “Come on, son. I badly needed that cold Liam to unleash right now. When did you learn to prioritize some other things over our company, huh?”

He wanted me to go back to America as soon as possible, making me close my eyes because of frustration. Disappointed about how things went rough, I tightly gripped my cellular phone against my right ear while my free hand massaged my temple. I even ruined my hair while pacing back and forth like a caged tiger here in my office, heaving a deep sigh out of anguish.

Hearing Dad mentioning Leandro was quite strange for me. Dad knew that I was more capable than my brother to run the EGC. I even grew the business to five sub-companies in just a few years.

But this time, it wasn’t about our fight for one girl. It was now a battle for one position. And just like Diane, I would never want to lose my CEO rank to Leandro. Never! He should take care of his own manufacturing corporation.

“But I can’t go, Dad. C-Could you please give me some more time to decide, huh?” I almost pleaded. I knew that I could handle both career and love at the same time without being pressured on time.

Going back to America was never my option right now. I couldn’t do that.

Not now. I couldn’t go back to America as simple as that when Leandro was just right around here, and anytime soon, he was more than ready to tell Diane the filthy truth about our past.

“No buts, no ifs, Liam! You have all the time in the world when you get back there, so what did you do, huh? Fell in love? Had fun? Now, what? Don’t give me an unjustifiable excuse on why you were neglecting your job!” My father was serious as his voice hardened from the other line. He was gradually losing his patience, I must say.

“Dad, please… please try to understand. I already found potential investors, and we will be closing the deal later this week, so I’m not neglecting any of my jobs. I’m still as dedicated as ever! I promise—I will go there, but not now. It’s just that—” I tried to reason out, but he cut me off.

The thing was I didn’t have a valid excuse, and celebrating my birthday with the one I loved would never be a convincing answer to my father.

“Was it because of that girl—Diane?” Dad asked.

Anxiously breathing in and out, I got tongue-tied when he mentioned Diane’s name. How did he know when I had never been vocal about her? I didn’t know what would be my parents’ reaction once they learned that Diane was no other than the woman I accidentally raped before.

“Wait! Did Liam already have a girlfriend? Seriously? Oh my God! Let me talk to him, Sandro.” I heard how Mom enthusiastically bantered, but it looked like Dad didn’t give her the phone and just ignored her.

“Look, son… I also fell in love with your mom, so if there’s someone you wish to understand you here, it should have been me. I’m completely not against to your relationship with her, whoever she is, okay? But you can always get back to her after this. What I’m urgently asking you right now is to prioritize the company.”

“Set her aside for now, Liam. One of your L.A. Gadgets’ branches had been bankrupt, and EGC’s stateside funds were being used up! This is not a simple request, son… but rather, a direct command.”

“Your high-leveled C++ developers here had been asking for salaries that are way greater than what the market could offer. If we can’t give their amends, they will surely resign and who knows, maybe outsourced by other companies, or worse, by our competitors. What will happen to your Research and Development team here?”

“Everything will be at stake, son. So, you better think straight. This is the first time you are letting your emotions overpower you, and it’s not pretty good for business. For now, listen to me… you have to set your feelings aside and focus on what’s more important. Think about those people who might lose their jobs!”

And unfortunately, Diane could be included to them if I wouldn’t act now. I had to think of her and make a decision as soon as possible. My girlfriend had always been the breadwinner of their family, and with her strong-willed personality, she would never accept any monetary help from me.

“I’m putting you under a lot of pressure right now because I trusted you, son. I believe that you can get all the profits and revenues back, even double them, in less than six months,” Dad vouched.

“Surely, I can back you up for two weeks, but I would be expecting you to arrive here next month or at least before June starts. I’m dead serious as this is a matter between make or break. I won’t accept any more excuses, Liam, so you have to deal with it!” Dad ended the call without hearing my side.

It was just like the other times. Before I could decide for myself, Dad had already decided on my behalf. The only good thing was he never trapped me in a cliché marriage arrangement with someone.

After sliding back my phone to one of my suit’s inner pockets, I couldn’t help but rub my palms all over my face. The time was killing me, but I didn’t have any other choice but to go back to the States.

Downcast, I went back to my office chair and buried myself again in front of my laptop. By reviewing the company’s total revenues last March, I had already foreseen that something bad would happen, so I had to have some back-up plans. It was one of the main reasons why I had been looking for major investors over the past months.

Still uneasy over the phone conversation I had with my father, I bowed down and stroked my nape. The stress was paralyzing me, making me close my eyes and lose myself out of the darkness. A few seconds later, I heard a notification sound from my laptop—alerting me that someone sent me a chat message.

Dayanara Clariz Rivera:

How are you, handsome? Have you eaten your lunch? I didn’t see you in the cafeteria. ♡

14:02

Diane’s chat message with her ‘handsome’ endearment for me and a ‘heart’ sign literally made my heart leap. She was so cute and caring. Her simple deed would make me want to quickly go to their office, grab her slender waist, and claim her voluptuous lips.

Struggling internally, I wanted to tell her everything. I wanted to share with her about this financial crisis my company was currently facing.

But above all, I didn’t want Diane to worry about me. I didn’t want her to fear what could happen soon to EGC. It would only be a burden to her, so I might as well seal my lips. I knew my girlfriend—she would just panic and overthink.

Liam Arthur Evangelista:

Hi, sweetheart. I’m fine, and I’m already done with my lunch. How about you?

14:04

Dayanara:

Hmm, I’m good. Just missing some delivery items from my stalker—Mr. Handsome. ☺

He’s not bugging me nowadays, and I so much miss his presence! I wonder where he was…

14:06

That caught me off-guard. I realized that I wasn’t yet able to give Diane new gifts and surprises for almost ten days now. I wasn’t even instigating the call, text, or chat unless Diane would start. Actually, I lied to her. The truth was I hadn’t yet eaten my lunch.

Although something intimate happened to us again two days ago—it was a week after she got drunk—I must admit that she became less of my priorities for several days now, even before I got a call from Dad. I was guilty of that, but I was hoping to soon make things up.

After my supposed-to-be revelation that wasn’t even pursued, I realized that I wanted to marry Diane. I didn’t want to lose her, but it hurts me while thinking about our dark past. It was tearing me apart.

I wanted to propose to her in the most romantic setting right away, but I didn’t know how. Thoughts juggled on my mind when another notification sound dragged me away from my trance.