ROWON's fall

Eric adjusted his tie as he entered the huge conference room in ROWON Enterprises, the weight of the moment upon him, yet he carried it with slick elegance. Sitting around the long, oval table were several shareholders, some optimistic, some fearful, but all there for one reason: to oust Chris as CEO and install new leadership.

"Gentlemen," Eric began suavely, his feet at the head of the table. "I appreciate your coming here today on short notice. ROWON Enterprises is in a state of crisis, and we have to act swiftly to salvage it. Our management has failed, and the time for change is now. As of today, we will be making a new Chairman and CEO."

Gasps of agreement and doubt passed through the assembly.

"Do the senior board members know anything about this meeting?" inquired one of the shareholders, Mr. Grant, hesitantly.

Eric's eyes darkened, but his lips remained curled in a relaxed smile. "The senior board is a relic, a throwback to an old system no longer beneficial to us. They are unnecessary for this decision. What we must consider is the financial well-being of this company, and I assure you, under my leadership, ROWON Enterprises will thrive."

Some of the men had nodded, drawn by Eric's confidence, but others had exchanged skeptical looks.

In an expensive coffee shop on the opposite side of town again, Emily had a cappuccino in front of her and scrolled through reports on her tablet. Her phone beeped. She half-heartedly picked it up, only to her eyes to widen in horror at her mother's message from Venezuela.

'Eric is having a meeting right now. He's appointing a new Chairman and CEO without consulting the senior board. You have to stop this.'

Emily's heart pounded. She jumped up from her seat, picking up her phone and bag and running towards the elevators. She phoned Leo as she ran.

"Leo, where are you?"

"In Sophie's office. Why?"

"Eric's holding a shareholder meeting today. He's announcing a new CEO! We weren't informed."

"What? That snake!" Leo swore. "Get there as soon as possible. We have to warn Mark and Sophie."

A couple of minutes later, Emily stormed into Sophie's office, breathless. "We have to leave—Eric's already halfway through the meeting!"

Mark stood up, face dark with rage. "Then let's intrude on his little coronation."

Leo, Sophie, and Emily concurred, but before they could rush out, someone knocked on the door. When Mark opened it, he found nearly the entire senior board waiting in the corridor—executives, legal advisors, and chief department heads, all as angry as each other.

"We just learned about Eric's little joke," one of the senior members, Mr. Holloway, said. "We are not going to allow this to occur."

United in a shared purpose, the entire senior board marched as one, storming through the halls of ROWON Enterprises, an unmistaken force of power. Executives and staff parted, grumbling to themselves as the team stormed by like a rolling tempest. When they reached the doors to the conference room, Mark opened them with resolve, leaving the whole room to collapse into speechless astonishment.

Eric's sneer returned as he leaned back against the table, arms folded. "Ah, the kids have arrived. I was thinking you'd show up sometime."

Leo's hands clenched, but Mark clamped his shoulder hard. "Eric, what the heck is going on? You can't install a new Chairman and CEO without informing the senior board."

Eric chuckled, feigning innocence. "I don't? Because I recall the shareholders being more interested in this case than a bunch of overpaid executives clinging to out-of-date rules."

Sophie stepped closer. "Those 'rules' are company law. Directors and executives can be appointed or removed only by senior board approval. You're openly disregarding corporate governance."

Eric's eyes turned icy. "And what are you going to do about it? Run to the press? Complain to your lawyers? This company is bleeding, and I'm the only one who wants to stop it."

The air was thick with tension, but Mark would not yield. He stood before the shareholders. "If any of you go ahead with this, you're making a null decision legally. Without the senior board's approval, no appointment here will hold up in court."

Eric's sneer faltered for the first time.

"You think you can confront me, Mark?" Eric sneered. "You think you have it in you to win this battle?"

Mark stepped closer, voice cut to killing softness. "I don't need to be strong. I just need to follow the law. And right now, you are violating it."

There was a hush that ran through the room. A few of the shareholders felt the danger and began nervously pacing around. Mr. Grant made a throat-clearing motion. "Perhaps… we can reconsider on timing this decision."

Eric's teeth ground. He had almost made it. But Mark, Emily, Leo, Sophie, and now the entire senior board had ganged up against him—for the moment.

____________________________________

Meanwhile, in Buenos Aires, Chris and Ryan stepped out of the private plane, the warm South American air caressing them as they descended the stairs to the runway. The rented luxury car awaited them, gleaming and black in the airport lights.

Ryan yawned. "I'd forgotten the air was so sticky here. Hope the hotel has a decent AC system."

Chris grinned, tossing his carry-on towards the trunk. "We're not on vacation. We have to be on our toes for tomorrow's meeting. TWIGRI won't take anything less."

Once the car departed from the airport, city lights from Buenos Aires filled the horizon. Chris leaned back, gazing out the window.

"You know Ortega is going to try to squeeze us," Ryan told him, the tone of his voice shifting into something hard. "He doesn't cut deals without getting in on the squeeze first. We have to be prepared for anything."

Chris nodded. "I know. That's why we can't take the chance. ROWON is counting on us pulling this deal. If we blow it."

Ryan's eyes eased a bit. "Then we don't blow it. Simple as that."

Chris wheeled around to confront him, appreciating the forcefulness in Ryan's voice. "You always so sure?"

Ryan grinned. "Only when I'm right."

Their car pulled up at the entrance to the five-star hotel, where a valet came up to open their doors simultaneously. Stepping out, Chris's phone rang. He glanced at the message from Emily.

'Eric tried to take your place. We stopped it—for now.'

Chris's jaw hardened as he read the words.

Ryan noticed the shift in his expression. "Bad news?"

Chris exhaled sharply. "Eric just made his first move. And now, it's time for me to make mine."

END OF CHAPTER 6