Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
I was the only woman in the room at the shareholders’ meeting and definitely the youngest. Grey hair, spectacles, and business suits were the prevailing features of the attendees, with Neil and Daniel sticking out as youthful by comparison.
During a long round of introductory pleasantries, Neil steered me towards a tall man with silver hair, a neat beard, and glasses with thick black rims.
“Good morning, Alan,” Neil said.
The man grinned. “Ah! The protégé has returned!”
I noted he had an English accent much like Neil’s. What did he mean by protégé?
“Alan, I’d like you to meet my new secretary, Amelia Cross. Amelia, this is Alan Dixon, CEO of Avenex Holdings, an investment firm based in London and one of Zelthia’s largest shareholders.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Dixon,” I said.
“Pleasure, Ms. Cross.”
He had a kind of dark and twinkling charisma, which made me think he might swoop down and kiss my hand. He did not, however. Thank goodness.
Dixon’s attention returned to Neil. “I must say, you’re looking rather peaky. Are you quite all right?”
“Late night last night and one too many drinks, I’m afraid.”
“That will do it.”
The pair of them chatted for a spell before Neil whisked me away to talk with other people.
Following the period of pre-meeting socialising, everyone settled into their designated places at desks arranged in a layout of two concentric square-cornered U shapes. The open ends of the formation faced a central desk, the placard on which read “Daniel Ling, President, Zelthia Group.” A lectern stood on a raised platform behind the desk, with a large screen dominating the back wall bordered by a pair of black curtains draping from ceiling to floor. A flag bearing the company’s logo hung limp in the corner.
Looking around, most of the shareholders had come unaccompanied by an assistant or business partner, so in addition to being young and female, this also made me feel conspicuous. I sat up straight and squared my shoulders, trying to conceal my self-consciousness. Meanwhile, Neil shifted in his seat beside me, his posture slouched as he rested a hand on his stomach. I instinctively reached for the complimentary bottle of mineral water on our desk and poured him a glass. “Stay hydrated,” I said.
Neil accepted the glass. “Thank you.”
Daniel Ling took up residence at the main desk, his beady eyes scanning the room. When his gaze fell upon Neil, the corners of his mouth twitched up in a deranged sort of smirk. He tapped the microphone in front of him.
“Now that we’re all settled, let’s get on with today’s agenda. First up, we have the proposed alliance with Magnium Oil. We need a majority vote to go ahead with the partnership?—”
A man stationed at the desk opposite Neil’s and mine suddenly stood to his feet. He fidgeted with his phone in his hands, forehead wrinkled and lips quivering.
“Yes, Mr. Lee?” Daniel asked with thinly veiled irritation.
“Chairman Donald Ling will be here soon.”
The room erupted into murmurs.
“How can that be?” someone asked. “He’s confined to a hospital bed.”
“Chairman Ling is coming to the shareholder meeting,” Mr. Lee reiterated. “Right now.”
The words had barely left his mouth before the double doors at the back of the room flung open. A hush fell as everyone’s heads turned to witness the late arrival. An elderly man in a wheelchair entered the room, surrounded by an entourage of black-suited men with straight-faced expressions.
So, this is the chairman.
I was in the presence of one of the richest and most powerful men in the world. I took in his dour expression and bushy white eyebrows. Part of his face looked slack, as if he had lost control of its function, and his arms and legs were withered. Despite his frail appearance, he maintained an aura of power. I sensed he was a man you wouldn’t want to mess with, even in his current condition.
With my focus on the chairman, it took me a second to notice that everyone in the room had stood up. I followed suit.
“Chairman,” Daniel said. “What brings you here?”
“Why do I need a reason to be here?” the chairman barked in a gruff voice with a slight speech impediment. “I’m the primary shareholder and the chairman of the board. Of course I should be here. Where’s my table?”
“Chairman Ling,” Neil said, gesturing to the empty desk next to us at the left tip of the inner U.
A member of the chairman’s entourage wheeled him over. Neil moved the seat out of the way to make room for the wheelchair.
Once the chairman was in position, everyone sat back down. The chairman gave Neil a once-over. For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw fondness in his stare, but his expression quickly turned stony. “Neil, my boy, are you ill?” he asked.
“I admit I’m feeling a tad under the weather today.”
“Hmph. That’s unlike you.”
“Yes, well, it’s unfortunate.” Neil examined him. “At least you look well.”
The chairman made no comment. Instead, his gaze wandered over to me. It looked like he was about to say something, but Daniel cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention back to him.
“We were about to vote on the Magnium partnership,” Daniel said. “All in favour?”
I watched Neil raise his hand without a hint of hesitation, along with the vast majority of others in the room, including the chairman. That Neil would so readily agree to a partnership with an oil company surprised me. His vegetarian diet and electric car had me under the impression he was conscious about the environment. Maybe not. Or maybe he had his reasons.
Daniel struck his gavel, passing the motion. From there, he moved through the rest of the agenda, but I was too preoccupied by Neil’s deteriorating condition to pay much attention to the business decisions being discussed. Neil’s presentation drew closer, and he was doubled over in his chair, face drained of all colour, hands clutching his gut. How was he going to present in this state?
“Now, I’d like to invite Neil Kingston, CEO of Luxmore Appliances in New Zealand, to give an update on the company’s finances,” Daniel said. “As you will remember, Neil put a stop to the Flerotech merger and took over as CEO, promising an uplift in the company’s performance. Let’s see how he has fared. Neil?”
Daniel directed a sly grin at Neil, and all of a sudden, it fell into place. The reason Daniel had insisted on taking Neil out last night and plied him with alcohol and who knows what else. He had planned on sabotaging this presentation by making him look incompetent in front of the chairman and the shareholders. Why he would do such a thing, I did not know, but it seemed in line with his character based on what Neil had told me. It could be a power move to assert his dominance and remind Neil who’s boss.
I watched Neil shakily stand up, looking like he could pass out at any second. Was he aware that he was about to walk straight into a trap?
I got to my feet before I knew what I was doing. “Wait.”
Neil halted.
“I can’t let you do this. You’re unwell. I’ll give the presentation. I’ll do it. Sit back down. Please.”
Neil studied me, his jaw muscle straining.
“What’s going on?” Daniel asked.
“Neil is feeling sick,” I announced. “I will present in his place.”
Even as I said the words, I had yet to process my spur-of-the-moment decision.
Daniel gnashed his teeth. For a second, it looked like he might push back against my proposal, but ultimately, he conceded. “Very well,” he said, the twinkle returning to his black eyes. “Please come forward.”
I didn’t give Neil the chance to stop me, hastening to take the stand, but as I turned to face the audience, the reality of what I was about to undertake hit me. Here I was, in a room full of some of the wealthiest people in Asia, about to give a presentation that could make or break the future of Luxmore Appliances and the jobs of thousands of employees. My throat turned dry. I gulped.
On instinct, I looked to Neil. His jaw worked as he watched me, a mixture of concern and intrigue displayed on his pallid face. I told myself that if he truly thought me incapable, he would have stopped me, no matter what. I kept this in mind as I brought up the presentation on the provided laptop.
With the first slide up on the wall and my notes on the laptop in front of me, I checked the microphone, then took a deep breath, ready to begin.
Here goes.
I emptied my mind of everything except the contents of each slide and the underlying goal of showing that Luxmore was on the brink of an uplift in financial performance. The thorough speaking notes saved my life as I bluffed my way through the presentation just like I had when I presented in Amelia Crook’s place all those months ago.
I didn’t stop for questions, keeping the momentum going as I moved from slide to slide. At last, I reached the end, and for the first time since I had begun, I allowed myself to look directly at the audience members and gauge their reactions. Some faces showed mild interest, but the prevailing mood resembled boredom. Boredom was fine. I could work with boredom. At least it wasn’t outrage or disapproval.
Satisfied with my performance, and glad it was over, I made a move to step down, but before I could leave the platform, Daniel spoke. “Does anyone have any questions for Miss Cross?” he asked with a malicious undertone.
My whole body clenched as I anticipated probing questions designed to trip me up.
A man in the audience leaned forward and bellowed into his microphone. “I would be interested in knowing how those results compare to the original projected outlook of a merger with Flerotech.”
The question was just as thorny as I expected, and my mind was blank. I couldn’t see Daniel’s face from my position, but I could imagine his glee. Finally, something that would out Neil’s foolishness.
But Neil wasn’t having any of it.
Though his face was scrunched in pain, he bent towards his microphone. “There is no such comparison to be made. The Flerotech merger would have effectively dissolved the company. Any more questions can be directed to me. You all have my contact details. I’ll get back to you over the coming days. All will be answered, I assure you.”
The rigidity of my body melted away in relief. I hurried back down to my seat before anything else could go wrong.
“You have your secretary well-trained,” the chairman said to Neil in a way that made it sound like I was a domestic animal.
Neil just nodded in response.
Neil and I left as soon as the meeting concluded. Once we had some distance from the meeting room, Neil guided me to a vacant area on the same floor and asked me to stay put while he sorted himself out. Seated on a bench between two tall and leafy potted plants, I pulled out a book to read and awaited his return.
While I was absorbed in my reading, I didn’t notice someone come up to me.
“Miss Cross.”
My skin crawled in reaction to the voice. I looked up from my book and saw Daniel Ling glaring down at me.
I tried to appear calm, though I felt anything but. I had to be on my guard. “Mr. Ling,” I said politely, getting to my feet.
Daniel regarded me with interest. “That was quite the performance you pulled back there.”
“I know it wasn’t ideal, but I couldn’t let Mr. Kingston present while sick.”
“How considerate.”
I plastered on a smile. “Just doing my job.”
“It worked out to be very convenient that he brought you along, didn’t it?”
“You’re right. I’m glad that Neil trusted me enough to accompany him and to let me present in his place.”
“I wonder?—”
I didn’t get to hear Daniel finish with his train of thought because a third party interrupted our conversation. Neil had returned. I relaxed straight away, just knowing he was with me.
“Daniel, what business do you have with Amelia?”
Daniel rearranged his face into an affable look. “I was just complimenting her on the informative presentation.”
“She did well.”
Daniel looked him up and down. “You seem to have a spring back in your step.”
“I’m feeling much better now, thank you.”
“Had I known you had become such a lightweight, I wouldn’t have insisted on taking you out last night.”
“New Zealand does not have much of a workplace drinking culture compared to Singapore. I’m out of practice.”
Daniel let out a noise that was half scoff, half chuckle.
Neil pointedly checked his watch. “I have a busy schedule ahead of me.”
“And Miss Cross?”
“She has Luxmore business to attend to.”
“I’m sure I could rustle up a desk for her.”
“There’s no need. She can work at the hotel, and I’m sure it will be more comfortable for her.”
“Very well. Then I’ll see both of you tomorrow.”
“Yes. Have a good day, Daniel.”
Daniel gave a sharp nod in response before striding off.
“It appears I can’t leave you by yourself for a few minutes in this building,” Neil said.
“Do you think Daniel purposefully went looking for me?”
“I do. What did he say to you?”
“Nothing much. He made some comments about the presentation, and how it was convenient you brought me with you. I wonder what he wants?”
“I can think of a few ideas. Like I said, it would be best if you returned to the hotel. The rest of my meetings today are one on one.”
I scrutinised Neil’s appearance, looking for lingering signs of ill health. Some of the colour had returned to his face, and his eyes looked clearer and brighter than before.
“Will you be okay?” I asked. “How do you feel now?”
“Much better.”
“That’s good.”
I considered mentioning my belief about Daniel drugging Neil on purpose, but thought better of it. Daniel’s home turf wasn’t a good place to bring it up.
“There’s a taxi stand across the road from the main entrance of the building,” Neil said. “On second thought, I have some time. I’ll escort you to a cab.”
I followed Neil to the ground floor, then outside to the taxi stand. The contrast between the air-conditioned building and the blistering heat outside was stark. A warm clamminess bloomed on my forehead and underarms.
Neil leaned close to me before I got in the cab. “Be alert if you decide to leave the hotel. I don’t mean to alarm you, but it’s possible someone could be watching you.”
His words spooked me. I didn’t know how to react except to nod. I climbed into the cab, and Neil closed the door.
His warning echoed in my head as the car started to move.
“Miss?”
I realised the driver was trying to get my attention. “Yes? Ah, sorry. The Laurent Hotel, please.”
Did Neil really think I was of such interest to Daniel that he would have me monitored? I supposed it would explain how Daniel found me so easily after the meeting. But to have his eye on me outside the confines of Zelthia headquarters as well…
I shook my head. Neil just wanted me to be cautious. That’s all. He had to play it safe in case Daniel was suspicious of his actions—and my actions were an extension of his.
When I got to the hotel, paranoia made me check my surroundings as I walked to my room. No suspicious individuals in the lobby, no one getting into the lift with me or following me down the corridor. My room was just how I’d left it, except for the fresh bed linen, towels, and vacuum cleaner tracks in the carpet. Neil’s belongings were all gone—he had already moved into another room.
I set my laptop on the desk and pulled out the chair to sit down. That’s when I noticed one thing Neil had forgotten. His shirt from the previous night was draped over the chair. I picked up the crumpled garment. Even though it was dirty from the long hours of wear and the humidity, I admired it because it belonged to him. My thoughts returned to being in bed with him, and my cheeks broke out in a flush of heat. How did I even make it through the day in his presence when that had happened? Sighing, I placed the shirt on my bed and made a mental note to return it to Neil when he came back to the hotel—whatever time that might be. At last, I settled at the desk to check my emails and catch up on work.
Hunger pangs interrupted my working session late in the afternoon. It made sense since my body was still operating on NZ time, and I hadn’t eaten lunch apart from the snacks provided at the shareholder meeting. I thought about checking out the nearby eateries, but Neil’s warning replayed in my mind. It was enough to put me off going exploring on my own. The hotel restaurant wasn’t open yet, so I ordered room service instead. I returned to my work while I waited for my meal.
Even though I expected the knock at the door, it still made me jump. I gathered myself and rose to answer it. The promise of hot noodle soup to satiate my hunger had me grasping the handle without checking the peephole, and I flung open the door. I gasped as I came face to face with the person on the other side.