Chapter 325
“Cosmos Electronics is killing me!” William groaned, massaging his temples.
Despite already paying the company a huge settlement for Clifford’s case, they continued to tarnish Lancaster Group’s reputation. Rumours were spreading online, accusing Lancaster of misconduct and alleging illegal practices like hacking competitors’ systems to steal private data.
The company was taking a massive hit, and sales were plummeting. This wasn’t William’s area of expertise, but he was doing everything he could to keep things afloat.
“How about we consult the Chairman?” Dion suggested.
“No!” William replied sharply. The last thing he wanted was to involve his father. Right now, he needed the older man to focus on his health. Adding stress would only worsen his father’s battle with cancer.
He’d even instructed his wife, Sanya, to ensure his father avoided the news altogether. She kept him busy with uplifting activities, confiscated his mobile phone and tablet, and made sure he had no access to anything that could dampen his spirits.
Turning to Dion, William asked, “What would my brother usually do in a situation like this p>
Dion tilted his head thoughtfully. “The Boss always has a ’prevention is better than cure’ approach. Honestly, I don’t know how he does it, but he seems to predict potential problems before they even arise and already has a plan in place. Still, I think this situation caught even him off guard. This is more of an ’on-the-spot crisis,’ like the Lamey incident a few months ago p>
William nodded, recalling the event. “Right. I heard about that incident… many people were injured, and some even lost their lives. There were a lot of complaints, but it didn’t affect sales p>
“That’s because the Boss handled it with compassion,” Dion explained. “He ensured lifetime support for the victims and their families. But this situation reminds me of another case he dealt with. Something similar to what we’re facing now p>
“Really? How did he handle it?” William leaned forward, intrigued.
Dion’s eyes lit up. “He had us dig through all the dirt we could find on the rival company and used it against them. Blackmail, basically. He threatened to leak everything unless they backed off. Clifford was the one who managed to gather all the credible evidence p>
“Clifford really is something,” William mused.
“Exactly. The Boss has been trying to get that ’Chubby Genius,’ as he calls him, to work for us permanently. He even offered Clifford a huge salary, but the guy refused,” Dion said, shaking his head with a smile. “Clifford hates being bossed around. He only takes on projects he finds interesting and isn’t afraid to decline requests, even from the Boss p>
William let out a chuckle. “Sounds like Clifford’s the kind of person who plays by his own rules p>
“Absolutely. But he’s brilliant,” Dion agreed. “If we could get him to help out with this situation, things might turn around p>
“Alright then… I’ll have my wife help me with that,” William said with a grin, confident that Clifford wouldn’t be able to refuse if Sanya was the one making the request.
He continued discussing matters with Dion until the door swung open, and Aunt Ava burst into the room. Without missing a beat, William asked, “How did your meeting go p>
Aunt Ava had volunteered to handle the board of directors, who were making a fuss over Alexander’s absence and William suddenly taking charge.
Aunt Ava strode in and flopped onto the sofa, immediately calling out, “Milet, make me some jasmine tea.” She turned her sharp gaze toward William, who sat across from her, waiting.
“Of course, I handled them well,” Ava declared. “Those ingrates! How dare they cause a ruckus when my brother is the reason they’re in those cushy positions today! I shoved the truth right in their faces p>
William sighed and muttered under his breath, “But Dad wouldn’t do that. He doesn’t like bringing up the good things he’s done for people p>
“Hah! That’s your father, not me,” Ava retorted with a sharp edge to her tone. “Sometimes people need a reality check… a good slap in the face… to remind them of their place. Especially when they’re being ungrateful p>
Not all the board members were causing trouble, but a few had taken the opportunity to voice their dissatisfaction, questioning William’s capability to manage the company.
“They do have a point,” William admitted with a shrug. “I’ve never been involved in the company before p>
“That’s exactly why you need to prove them wrong now,” Ava snapped. “You have the support of the family, and it’s not like this is permanent. Xander will wake up soon and take charge again. But you should consider staying involved even after that happens. Your brother isn’t some superhero who can carry the entire weight of this company while you lounge around doing whatever you please p>
William winced, recognizing the start of one of Aunt Ava’s infamous lectures. He quickly cut her off, saying, “I know, Aunty. I want Big Brother to wake up soon, and I promise I’ll step up in the family business once he does p>
“Are you sure you’re not hoping Xander to wake up so that you can focus on GIS and keep living like a happy-go-lucky man?” Aunt Ava teased, raising an eyebrow at William.
“Of course not!” William shot back, his voice rising with emotion. “I would do anything to get my brother to wake up! If he wants me to make this permanent, I’ll do it, no hesitation, as long as he wakes up p>
His voice cracked, and his eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. The intensity in his expression was unmistakable. He was dead serious. William clenched his fists, his chest tightening with the weight of his emotions.
“I just want him back,” he added, his voice softer but thick with pain. “It kills me to see him lying there in that damn hospital bed every day p>
The room fell silent, Aunt Ava’s teasing demeanor replaced with a softer, more understanding expression. She reached across the table, placing a reassuring hand on William’s arm.
“We all want him back, William,” she said quietly. “And we’re doing everything we can to make that happen p>
The room fell into a heavy silence as both of them seemed lost in thought, considering Alexander’s uncertain condition. The possibility of him not waking up hung unspoken in the air.
Thankfully, Dion broke the tension with a cheerful remark. “The Boss will wake up, no doubt about it. And when he does, I’ll make sure to report how you’ve been struggling here, asking me, ’What would the Boss do in this situation p>
His lighthearted comment managed to lift the mood, drawing a faint smile from both William and Ava.