Chapter 11 : At the meeting

Mon takes his seat at the head of the long conference table. When he entered, investors were already seated.

With a calm but commanding voice, he began, "Gentlemen, as you all know, we are here to finalize the merger with Vierra Enterprises. This is the final step to solidifying our dominance in the industry. Once we sign, Mondragon Corp will be untouchable."

The investors nod in agreement. Some even clap lightly.

Just as Mon is about to continue, Rafael leans back in his chair.

"Why merge when we can simply take over?" Rafael said with a smooth voice.

The room goes silent as everyone's attention is brought to him.

Mon's jaw tightens. "Excuse me?"

Rafael sits forward and locks his gaze on Mon. "Merging means compromise. Why share power when we have the means to acquire Vierra entirely? Outright ownership is a far better move."

Some investors exchanged glances as they considered his words. One of them, an older man, speaks up. "That would mean buying out all their shares… a bold move."

"Bold, but smarter," Rafael replies. "A merger splits authority. But if we own Vierra outright, Mondragon Corp stays in complete control.....with no one else pulling the strings."

Mon’s fists clenched under the table. "That is not how this deal was structured."

Rafael tilts his head. "That’s because I wasn’t part of the decision making....until now." He slides a document across the table. "With my newly acquired shares, my vote holds weight. And I say… we acquire, not merge."

A ripple of whispers spreads among the investors. Some exchanged glances, processing Rafael’s words.

Mon’s jaw tightens as he scans the room. He expected complete control, but now Rafael had turned the game around.

One investor clears his throat. "I agree with him. It’s better to have full control now than risk losing everything later."

Another leaned forward and adjusted his glasses. "If we merge, compromises will be inevitable. An acquisition eliminates that risk."

Mon’s fingers curl into a fist beneath the table. His heartbeat pounds in his ears but he doesn't show it.

"This... this wasn’t the plan," he says, his voice slightly unsteady despite his effort to mask it. He exhales sharply before forcing a tight lipped smile. "But... if the investors are in favour, we will have to reconsider the approach."

Rafael leans forward. "Good. Then let’s discuss how we proceed."

Mon swallows hard, his grip tightening around the chair’s armrest. He had just lost his upper hand..

As the room settles from the murmurs, one of the senior investors clears his throat.

"Alright, Rafael," he says and leans forward. "You’ve made it clear you want an acquisition, not a merger. But tell us...what exactly is your long term vision for this company? What happens after you take control?"

The room falls into silence..ready to hear what he has to say for himself.

Rafael, who was unfazed rests his elbows on the table and interlocks his fingers. A slow smile tugs at his lips.

"Simple," he says with a smooth voice. "Growth. Expansion. Power." He taps the document in front of him. "Mon Industries has been playing it safe for too long. I intend to change that. With this acquisition, we’ll have the freedom to make bolder moves, enter new markets, and increase profitability...without waiting for approval from a hesitant board."

The investors exchange looks. Some nodded slightly as they looked at each other.

"But what about stability?" another investor chimes in. "We’ve built this company on calculated risks, not reckless ambition. Merging ensures we don’t lose what we’ve built."

Rafael chuckles and shakes his head. "Stability? Let me tell you something about stability." He leans forward more with a sharp gaze. "It’s an illusion. The world doesn’t wait for you to feel safe. Competitors don’t care if you’re comfortable. If we don’t take control now, someone else will. And trust me, when that happens, we won’t be negotiating mergers...we’ll be begging for scraps."

A tense silence follows.

Mon's grip at the edge of the table tightened. He felt the shift in the room. Investors are listening, and they might consider throwing his somewhere.

His throat dries up but he forces himself to speak.

"You talk a big game, Rafael. But you’re assuming you can just walk in and take over as if experience means nothing." He looked around and forced a smile. "Let’s not forget business isn’t just about bold words. It’s about trust. And trust isn’t built overnight."

 "You’re absolutely right," Rafael said smoothly and gestured around the room. "So, gentlemen...do you trust me?"

Several investors shift in their seats. One of them, a veteran in the industry, exhales before saying, "I think he has a point."

Mon forces a chuckle, though it comes out hollow.. "Alright," he says and masks his frustration. "If we’re so eager to hand over control... let’s put it to a vote."he said with so much confidence everyone was going to be at his side...

The investors exchange glances. Some nod and some remain still.

"All in favour of Rafael’s proposal...acquisition over merger?"

Hands begin to rise. One. Two. Five. Eight.

Mon’s heart pounds as he feels the weight of betrayal...His eyes dart to Leo, the only one hesitating.

Leo shifts in his seat, looking between Mon and Rafael.

Then, finally, Leo raises his hand for Mon.

Mon exhales slightly. "And against?" he says, already knowing the answer.

Only one other hand remains in the air....Leo’s.

Mon loses.

And there was silence in the room for a while.

Rafael leans back in his chair, his smirk widening. He doesn’t even need to gloat. The numbers speak for themselves.

"Seems like the people have spoken," Rafael says with a smile and he stands up, buttoning his suit jacket. "Well then, gentlemen," he says smoothly. "Shall we move forward?"

….……

The door slammed heavily behind him.

"Fools. Bunch of fools," Mon muttered as he stormed inside.

With a swift motion, he grabbed a ball from his desk and hurled it at the flat screen. The glass shattered instantly.

"Betrayals," he hissed, his chest rising and falling heavily. His heart pounded in rage

His hands pressed against his forehead as he took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

"I can't believe those fools...what a waste"..he muttered his voice laced with fury..

His jaw tightened as his gaze fixed on nothingness.

Just then, the door opened, and his assistant walked in. The moment he stepped inside, his eyes darted to the shattered screen before shifting back to Mondragon.

"Mr Mondragon..." he paused with a hesit. "They are heading to the valley for the after refreshment," he said carefully…

Mondragon stepped forward, his gaze locked onto his assistant. Sensing the tension, the assistant instinctively took a step back, unsure of what was coming.

Before he could react, a sharp slap landed across his face, sending him stumbling to the floor.

"You fool" Mondragon’s voice was low and dangerous as he grabbed the man by his collar, yanking him up with force.

A fist followed.....a hard blow to his jaw....then another.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" Mondragon seethed, his grip tightening. "How did he get a share? Why make a fool of me!"

The assistant winced, his hands trembling as he tried to steady himself. "Sir... I...I didn’t know. He...he wasn’t on the list of buyers. He must have gone through someone else… a silent investor… or maybe one of the old board members looking to sell."

Mondragon’s grip tightened. "And you didn’t think to check?!"

“I swear, I didn't know anything about him buying in! ”

Mondragon’s nostrils flared as he shoved the assistant back. "Useless...what did I hire you for.…"

"Sir, please"

"I don’t want to hear another word!" Mondragon cut him off "I want you out of here the same way you got in. You’re fired!"

Before the assistant could plead his case, Mondragon turned on his heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind him with a force that made the walls tremble.