ROWON's fall

The private plane that was flying Chris and Ryan home to ROWON Enterprises growled softly across the darkened night sky. Chris stared out of the window, his mind racing with possibilities on the deal that they had just brokered. The deal with TWIGRI was a victory, but DAIPAN Industries' inclusion threw a wrinkle into it he hadn't seen coming.

Ryan, facing him opposite, finally said something. "Quiet. Thinking about Kaito?"

Chris inclined towards him, his expression serious. "He is not just a competitor. He's a strategist. DAIPAN has Asia in its control, and with the backing of TWIGRI, they'll be even more ruthless."

Ryan leaned back, crossing his arms. "Yes. But we have America and Europe. If we play our cards well, we can outmaneuver them."

Chris nodded, but it was evident in his eyes that he realized the magnitude of the undertaking. "We must act swiftly. Kaito will not hesitate."

Back at DAIPAN Industries headquarters in Tokyo, Kaito Haneda paced in his futuristic, spartan office, gazing out over the city skyline. His advisors, Ms. Fujimoto and Ms. Rivera, flanked him, discussing the nuances of the TWIGRI proposal.

"ROWON is at a disadvantage in North America," Ms. Fujimoto said, her tone remote. "But if we can set up key partnerships in the emerging economies, we can take them down."

Kaito smiled, his confidence unabashed. "ROWON is still reeling from their internal battles. Chris Rowon won the contract, but he's inexperienced. We'll use that to our advantage."

Ms. Rivera nodded. "What's our first move?"

Kaito turned to face them, his eyes glinting with determination. "We'll focus on Africa. It's a virgin market with vast potential. If we can move in there early before ROWON, we'll have a giant advantage."

Back at ROWON Enterprises, things were cautiously upbeat. The senior board had met in the executive conference room to determine what came next. Emily, Leo, Mark, and Sophie sat at the table, their faces a blend of relief and resolve.

"The TWIGRI deal is a victory," Mark started, "but we can't get complacent. DAIPAN will hit us hard.

Leo leaned forward, his usual smirk erased by a determined expression. "We need to lock down our North American market. If Kaito advances on our target market, we'll be greatly hurt."

Emily nodded in agreement. "I've already started calling our largest partners in North America. We need to shore up those alliances before DAIPAN makes an offer."

Sophie, always the pragmatist, chimed in, "We also have to watch out for Eric. He's not going to just sit idly by and let us get ahead."

Throughout the remainder of the meeting, Chris and Ryan walked into the room, their entrance commanding everyone's attention. Chris sat down at the head of the table, his presence dominating the room.

We're in a good position," Chris began, "but the real battle now starts. DAIPAN is our greatest enemy, and we must be ready for anything."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "What's the plan, boss?

Chris glanced at Ryan, who gave a subtle nod. "We hit them where it hurts. While they're focused on North America, we'll strengthen our position there and in Europe. We'll also reach out to TWIGRI and ensure they see us as the stronger partner."

Emily smiled faintly. "And what about Eric?"

Chris's jaw tightened. "Eric is trouble, but he's not where we need to worry about at the moment. If he makes one move, we take care of him. We take care of DAIPAN now."

The next few days were a whirlwind of activity. Chris and his team worked tirelessly to secure their supply chain and solidify their partnerships. They were so focused on defending their North American and European markets that they didn't see DAIPAN's next move coming.

One evening, as Chris sat in his office reviewing reports, Ryan entered, holding a tablet. His expression was grim. "We've got a problem."

Chris's forehead creased as he glanced up. "What is it?"

Ryan gave him the tablet. "DAIPAN has just signed a massive deal with one of South Africa's largest agri-suppliers. They're closing us out of business."

Chris's eyes opened wide as he scanned the report. "Africa? I thought they'd go for North America.".

Ryan shook his head. "Kaito's smarter than we thought. He's not playing by our rules. While we were preparing to strike our strategic markets, he was quietly capturing emerging markets."

Chris's fists clenched, rage rising to the surface. "This is bad. If DAIPAN gets a foothold in Africa, they'll be way ahead."

Ryan nodded. "We need to counter this immediately. If we lose the emerging markets, DAIPAN will have a foothold we can't ignore."

Chris stood up, his determination unmoving. "Call an emergency meeting. We're not going to let DAIPAN bully us."

When the team gathered once again, there was tension in the room. Leo was the first to speak. "Kaito's resorting to dirty tricks. We need to strike back.".

Emily, as always the tactician, walked in with, "We need to guard substitute markets. If we cannot neutralize DAIPAN's move, we will lose ground."

Chris nodded in agreement. "Right. Sophie, look up some new prospects for us in South America and Eastern Europe. Mark, take Emily with you and establish normalcy for us in North America. Leo, you're riding with me. We're going to approach TWIGRI and remind them we're still the better partner."

As the team dispersed to carry out their tasks, Chris remained in the conference room, staring at the city skyline. The weight of leadership pressed heavily on his shoulders, but he knew there was no turning back.

Ryan approached him, his voice steady. "You're not alone in this, Chris. We've got your back."

Chris turned to him, a faint smile crossing his lips. "I know. But this is just the beginning. Kaito won't stop until he's taken everything."

Ryan's expression hardened. "Then we'll make sure he doesn't get the chance."

Chris returned to his mansion that night, the large halls looking emptier than before. He opened a whiskey and sat in the darkened living room, scrolling idly through his phone. His social media feed was full of photos of his former classmates—smiling, laughing, living their lives. They were there were photos of Christmas, weddings, and nights on the town.

A piercing sensation of jealousy and guilt hit him. He had no idea when he had ever felt at ease. While alive, he was overwhelmed by the weight of ROWON Enterprises, trying to live up to his father's expectations.

He clicked on a photo of a few of his college buddies at the beach, their faces aglow with smiles. One of them had included him in the comment: "Wish you were here, Chris! We miss you!"

Chris sighed, setting his phone aside. He missed them too. He missed the naivety of his previous life, the freedom to make mistakes without the world paying attention. That life was gone, however. He was the CEO of ROWON Enterprises, and the stakes were too high to risk failure.

He leaned back, gazing at the ceiling. "Dad," he whispered weakly, his voice breaking. "I don't know if I can do this. I need you."

Tears built up in his eyes as the burden of responsibility came crashing down on him. He was so isolated, so unprepared. He phoned his phone and went through to a photo of his dad, taken all those years before at a corporate event. Daniel Rowon smiled tall and straight, a man who looked invincible.

"I'm trying, Dad," Chris answered, his voice trembling. "It's just so hard, though. I don't know if I'm strong enough."

The silence of the mansion enveloped him, offering him no comfort. He swiped away his tears, took a deep breath, and stood up. He couldn't succumb to tears. Not now. Not when the future of ROWON was in his hands.

End of Chapter 9