Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

• Richard's POV
• “ They are here” Darren announced as he pushed the door open, his eyes fixed on mine, I stood up, picking up my blazer with me before storming toward the door. My heart stomped fast against my rib cage,
• “ What do you think it's going to be? Do you think it will be in our favor? The shareholders, do you think they are going to listen to me?” I blurted out, I knew that I shouldn't be having cold feet, at least not presently but I just couldn't help it.
• " They should, you are still the CEO of the company” he answered. I knew that he was trying to help, but it wasn't helping at all.
• “ I hope so” I placed a hand on the doorknob before pulling it back quickly like I had been scalded by a hot iron. I could hear them all, chattering and talking, I knew that I had to prepare myself for the worst, but I didn't want that either.
• Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door gently before stepping in. Contrary to what I was expecting and how it should have been, they didn't stand up like they always did to welcome me.
• I couldn't think about that presently, as what was important was to have them by my side, when the chattering and talks finally seemed to have died down, I pushed myself into the seat at the end. My eyes scanned through everyone sitting at the table.
• “ It is great to see all of you here today, I couldn't have been happier and…”
• “ Don't you think you should apologize foremost for making us lose our money? We trusted you, and bought shares in your company, but what did you do? You disregarded us, in our very hands they turned hot potatoes, so why are you acting as if you did nothing wrong?”
• It was taking everything in me not to scream at them," I was coming to that, I know I have acted in a way that I shouldn't have, and I am wrong, for doing that, I never thought it would leak out…”
• “ But it did anyway, how can you be so foolish that you washed your dirty linen in public? TSK. TSK. TSK. That is what happens when you give the poor a chance, they suddenly think that they are just like us, aristocrats”
• I clenched my fist, trying hard with everything inside of me to keep calm. It was how at every opportunity they got, they always brought up the issue of my family being poor. I would have lashed out at them on normal days, but this was different, I still needed them. My company needed them.
• “ You know I advised all of you against investing in Gray company, but you all came up with talks about how it is the future, now tell me, who exactly is the future? Him?” He stared at me disgustedly, like I was trash, and he couldn't wait to get rid of me.
• “ I assure you that I will do my very best to make things right, all you have to do is believe me, I am serious, I am pleading that you put your trust in me once more, just once and everything will be okay, please”I was at tether end already, if they left, my company would go down, at any moment from now I would have to file for bankruptcy and I couldn't.
• “There is no use, CEO Richard, no one wants to invest in your company, yes, it is that bad, you had the Kourtneys as your in law so everyone wanted to get into your good books but now that they backed out, not offering any support to you, no one wants to be associated with you because we wouldn't want to offend the Kourtney's either” he explained,
• I already knew who it was who was doing this, but I couldn't give up, gosh, this wasn't how I planned things, I had mapped things out carefully and now Ariana had shattered all of my plans, why? Why haven't I been able to push her off?
• “You all have been here with me for years, do not tell me you are pulling out because of the Kourtney's?” My eyes ran through the table, and I noticed how they couldn't meet my gaze. Not a single one of them. They all averted their gaze.
• “ I have made you all millionaires, you all have made millions from my company, I was nice to you all, and you know that, do not tell me that you are going to throw all of that away because we are going through a crisis which will be over soon?” I demanded an answer,
• “ Yes! You did, you made us millions, you made us wealthy, and what do you want us to do? Your shares are plummeting by the seconds and there are rumors around, about how none of the banks wants to assist you, neither do they want you around, all of your associates have abandoned you, and soon you will face bankruptcy, why don't we pull out now that we still can?”
• I sat still like I had been drenched in water, I just couldn't find the right word to utter or speak at the moment, nothing made sense to me. If I were in their shoes, I would have done the same thing, I would have taken all of my money before I lost it all.
• I placed both hands on the table, staring straight at them, “Look at me, you all should take a look at me, are you going to let the company crumble? Are you going to let me go down after all that I have done for you all? Just one chance” I stuck out a hand,
• “ One chance and I promise to act better”
• “ This is it, CEO Richard, we wish you luck, and hopefully, next time you will learn not to trample on the feet of those who help you” I watched utterly dejected with everything going on.
• Averting my gaze to the ground, I placed both palms on my face as I listened to their footsteps get distant, I stood up abruptly, flipping the cabinet open, and pulled out the bottle of wine, I forced it open before slurping it down my throat, with my eyes wide open,
• I shut my eyes tightly, squeezing them shut as the bitter-sweet taste lingered on my tongue, gripping the bottle tightly, I pointed it at Darren, “I am done for, am I not?”
• “Hahaha,” I chuckled bitterly," This has to be repercussions, does Reina want to bring me down even when she is no longer here? Answer me!” I demanded, my chest heaved up and down,
• “ We have to find a way, we will'' he assured me, I stumbled backward because I could feel it, my whole world was crumbling down, and it was just a matter of time before I went down with it,
• I glared at the television, where a news reporter sat with a smile on her face, “The shareholders of Gray Corporation are here with us, and news reaching us is that Gray Corporation will be filing for bankruptcy soon, isn't that a pity?”
• “ What?” I flared up angrily before hurling the bottle I was holding at the TV.
• Gripping Darren by his collar, I shoved him against the wall, “Get. Me. Anyone. You. Can. We. Cannot. Lose”