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Nothing makes my blood rush anymore—just… Let’s not talk about that. I’ve learned how to keep the beast inside me tamed. You can’t deal with a multimillion-dollar corporation throwing punches.
Charles clears his voice before replying. “They hired a new lawyer, this time, the guy is at least decent. They found a clause in the will that orders you to do some community service. Their argument went to a new judge and….”
“Community service?” This is ridiculous. The Olympic Games. That can save me from this ludicrous situation. “I’m building a complex for the Olympic Games, doesn’t that count?”
“No,” Charles answers. “They are pulling up a Supreme Court ruling from a couple of years ago. Community Service should be unpaid work, intended to be of social use.”
Fucking shit. It’s too early to deal with this. My head starts to pound. “Figure out something,” I bark. “I’ll manage some hours here and there. It couldn’t be that much, right?”
“Forty-five days.”
Fuck, this is worse than I thought. What in the ever living hell possessed Johan to add this clause to the will?
“I have time available on the weekends, call my assistant and organize something.” I can work around this.
“You’re overdue,” Charles says. “The judge gave you sixty days to submit the proper documentation to the court, or the company goes straight to their hands.”
Wait a second. This had been brewing for a while. “Why didn’t you inform me about this before?”
“You pay me to take care of your business, David.”
True but… “At this moment, I’m about to fire your ass and find me another lawyer.”
He has the gall to laugh about my words. “You won’t find a better counselor than me,” he says, his voice full of amusement.
“Make your wages worth it, Lewis.”
“That’s the reason I called. The company is donating money to rebuild a church affected by the last year’s fires, remember?”
“I do.” I found the news myself and called the pastor to offer the company assistance. His little church and adjacent home had been devasted by the fires and reduced to ashes. He was in urgent need of help.
After researching his work, I sent a crew to assess the damages and take care of the new construction. It was a small church in a poor neighborhood that helped the community as a part of the Feeding America program. I was amazed by the reach of the project, so I decided to lift the weight from their shoulders and acted accordingly. Pastor Garfield is a decent fellow. We have talked over the phone a few times and had lunch once when he was in the city. “What is happening with it?”
“Pastor Garfield will be happy to host you… They are busy with the roof. Another pair of hands will be helpful. You just have to–”
“Absolutely not. Find something else, and appeal to the court. Do your fucking work.”
No, this won’t work. The church is located in Warmer Springs, two hours away from here.
An exasperated sigh fills the silence. “David, are you really risking the company this way?”
No, I’m not, but still. “If I leave now, I’m risking it anyway.”
“David, you have a great team ready to support you,” he reminds me in a paternal voice. “Stop being so fucking stubborn and listen to me. The Collings want to milk the company and then sell it. You know what that means in a moment like this. The deals with the city….” He trails off as the unsaid words fill my brain with dread. “You can be sued or even prosecuted. Time flies. Forty-five days is nothing. The company will be yours….”
“I’ll think about it.” That’s all I can commit to but I’m fucked either way. “I need a couple of days.”
“Yes, you need a couple of days to get your shit together and clear your schedule. But, David, this is final. We need to accommodate forty-five days in a sixty days time frame. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
In an attempt to clear the fog in my mind, I drop my forehead to the window in front of me. I hate when things run out of control, I’ve had enough of it for a lifetime. But fuck, Charles is right. I can’t risk the company’s future and my employees’ fate. So many people rely on me. Yeah, I’m richer than Croesus, but not an irresponsible motherfucker. My staff has families depending on the weekly income.
“I’ll call Marissa.” Time to draft a new plan and execute it,fast.
“Since we have no time to spare, you’re working every day. Even on Sundays.” No shit. “Pastor Garfield assured me you can help them at church. Nothing too big. Also, we need to get ready in case the family decides to send inspectors or even a detective to follow your steps. They are like sharks smelling fresh blood.”
“More like vultures.” I let out a humorless laugh.
That’s the truth. They are ready to pocket hundreds of millions of dollars, no matter whether Johan left reasonable provisions for them or the fact they were never there for him. Ever. He never mattered as a person. For them, he was the cashing machine. I’m sure they are using the money from the inheritance to fight against me. Dickheads.
