The Killswitch; Return of the True Heir

The showdown

Darcy was pacing in the office when Cassiel entered inside.

" Sir you're here finally everyone is already in the conference room. They've been waiting for a while, I was beginning to get worried." He said all in one breath.

Cassiel let out a faint smile. " Do you have the document? " he asked.

" Yes sir it here," he raised his briefcase up. But he looked confused and looked over Cassiel like he was expecting some other person.

" Uh sir, what about the chairman? " he asked as he began walking forward.

" The chairman won't be making it to the meeting today."

Darcy stumbled as he got to the door steadying himself with the handle as he turned to look at Cassiel bewildered.

" You know what that means, I'll be attending the meeting in place of him, let's go."

The conference room was buzzing with conversations when Cassiel walked in, Darcy trailing behind him. Everyone looks up but when they see it's just him they go back to their conversation.

Cassiel walks to the head of the table.

" Good day, ladies and men." The noise reduces to show that they were now paying attention to him.

" Chairman Arden is unavailable today, so I'll be representing him in today's meeting."

No one said anything for about thirty seconds before someone chuckled. Then a man with a receding hairline muttered just enough for others to hear him. " Representing him?"

" Yes Mr Charleston. " He answered.

Another man leaned back on his chair, the look of contempt quite clear on his face.

" And he couldn't find someone else to do it?"

A few people laughed silently at the comment.

" Well sir, I happen to be the CEO so you would have to bear with this for now Mr Alex."

A woman adjusted her glasses before speaking. " No offense Mr Cassiel but this meeting concerns a billion dollar contract. Don't tell me the chairman expects us to take orders from you..."

" Ms Lacy-"

Someone interrupted him. " I say we adjourned this meeting. "

" Do you even know what you're doing?" Another adds.

He doesn't respond but turns to Darcy. " The file," he hands it to him. And he places it on the table.

" Let us begin with today's agenda."

Another person interrupts him again.

" Before that, do you even have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the chairman?"

The room was silent again, everyone was staring at Cassiel.

" I have all the authority necessary to conduct today's meeting," he pauses. " Let's continue."

Someone snickered.

" The first item on today's agenda is the proposed strategic partnership with Aether Enterprise. " Then he pressed a button and a projector illuminated the company's profile.

Before he could continue, Ms Lacy interrupted him once again.

" I've reviewed the proposal," she paused, tapping the document with her fingers. " " It's worth over three billion dollars. " She leaned forward to the table.

" That is a considerable risk."

Mr Alex spoke next. " What guarantee do we have that the company won't collapse in less than two years with this."

" What happens when they fail to meet production targets or what if this company has overestimated their research capabilities ." He asked.

Darcy was the one who spoke this time. " You see Aether Enterprises is currently one of the fastest growing companies in the country as we speak. " He paused.

" They have received the National Innovation Award for the past three years and they hold more than four hundred active patents."

" They currently supply advanced cybersecurity systems, semiconductor components and cloud infrastructure to over sixty Fortune 500 companies. " He paused, then added. " What many of you may not realize is that this Company has worked with Aether Enterprise for nearly four years."

A few people had a look of disbelief on their faces which one would say is quite contrasting as they were shareholders and one would expect them to know this.

" Our logistics software, the encryption protecting the company's financial servers, the AI used by our research division and the smart manufacturing systems in our factories were all given and developed by the Aether Enterprise."

" We've been working with them for that long?"

Cassiel was the one that answered this time, " Yes, through subsidiaries and they never missed a deadline or defaulted on contract and they've maintained a ninety eight percent client renewal rate."

" That... is quite impressive." Someone noted.

" But then tell us, Mr Cassiel, if this company is truly as remarkable as you guys claim, why has no one ever seen its CEO."

Then several other people exchanged glances and a few others nodded.

" Exactly ."

" A business whose owner refuses to appear in public doesn't inspire confidence ."

" What happens if he disappears tomorrow? Or what if this so-called visionary doesn't exist? "

A few people chuckled at that.

" The board of Aether Enterprises has maintained exceptional corporate governance for years ." Cassiel answered.

" The identity of its chief executive has never affected its ability to deliver."

There was total silence.

After another round of discussion Ms Lacy slowly closed the file.

" I have my reservations, " she looked around the table. " But I can't argue with the numbers." Another person nodded.

" Well I think everything is okay and so I approve the partnership. " Then the others concurred.

Then a file passed around and they all signed. Then Cassiel took the file and handed it to Darcy.

" We are done here, let's head over to the office.”