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“I say we do business as usual and those who prefer to go by headlines and rumors can go to—"
“Lucas!” his grandfather interrupted, fuming. “We’ve just lost one of our biggest clients, the Carlson College! Do you not care?”
“Of course I care,” Lucas fired back, leaning forward in his chair. He felt his blood burn inside his veins. He folded his hands tightly in front of him on the table.
“That program meant everything to me, Grandfather. You know it did!” Lucas asserted. He was about to break but maintained his cool. Carlson College had a very close place in his heart but he wasn’t about to go there.
“Well then, I’m glad we got that settled. I’m sorry to say this, Lucas, but sometimes we need to take aggressive means to clear our good name. The college does not want to be associated with you or your program because of the recent headlines in the media. Including the most recent one. That woman has been giving interviews on talk shows right and left.”
“I don’t care what she wants to do with her spare time. I’ve got a foundation to run, Grandfather.”
“And a reputation to protect. A family business to run,” Toni added, pinching his lips.
“One thing’s for sure, Lucas. We don’t want to lose more contractors. First, the college makes the announcement they are severing ties with us. Who knows who else will follow?” Zack spoke up in a serious tone. A tone of voice Lucas had not heard from him in a while.
Was Lucas playing with fire? What else was he to do?
“Listen, she wants to play games. I do not negotiate with extortionists. We’ve been through this already. She’s good alright,” Lucas chuckled. “I wonder who put her up to this. She knows it’s too risky to do a paternity test until the baby’s born, which would prove once and for all she’s a liar, so she figured she’d drag my name through the mud for the next few months until she delivers hoping to gain some financial advantage. Have any of you thought of how that would look even if I was crazy enough to pay her off for the sake of a pristine image?”
Zack nodded thoughtfully.
Lucas’s team of close advisors were also in agreement, silently at the table. The truth was that Lucas ran that division of the foundation dealing with software developments, which included the famous Healthy Start Pre-screening programs used at dozens of clinics across the province.
“I understand, Lucas. Please try to understand my point of view as well. I’m your grandfather. I may have come from a different era where business practices differ from today but it’s out of love for you why I’m being tough. I’d rather it come from inside than outside. It hurts me to see your name tarnished while your great ideas suffer negative publicity. Do you understand that, Lucas?”
Lucas could feel the tension in the boardroom.
Though the advisors and he were close, it almost seemed as if they were squirming in their seats. Talk about uncomfortable. He wondered why he allowed his grandfather to attend. Oh, right. Out of respect for him.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Toni Romero was the one who initially gave each of his grandsons their startup cash flow and the connections to get started. Of course, the rest they did on their own with their own ideas and initiatives and their own blood and sweat and precious tears.
They each opened their own division within the foundation and hired their own staff and grew business from their one million dollar startup to their multi-billionaire dollar empire. The tech world took off in ways that surprised even Toni.
Of course, they’d had a string of successful stock investments and wealth building strategies that literally soared. All in the name of helping others achieve their best potential. Still, Toni insisted in continuing to be a presence in their business from the shadows. It gave him something to live for. Something to hope for. He was still useful and wanted to be their ever-present guide. It’s just that they didn’t always see eye to eye on everything or agree with everything.
“You need to do damage control, Lucas. Pronto,” Toni continued, “The media is painting a picture of you as an unstable young man who has a wild side and takes nothing seriously. Unfortunately, sometimes what sells isn’t the good news or the good things you do day-to-day to run this part of the foundation. They love it when you make a mistake.”
