“Good morning!” I said brightly as I opened the door, beaming at the twelve board members who were staring back at me with dull expressions. “I apologize for being late-,”
“Punctuality is part of competency, Miss Finch,” Dick Carson stated. He was my grandfather’s colleague and one of the biggest investors of our company. He was seated at the other end of the table, his hands clasped together on the surface as he looked at me with dull green eyes hidden behind circular glasses, “and I hope your father has taught you that.”
Dick and Dad didn’t see eye to eye and I always felt that Dick blamed Dad for the regression of Finch Records, especially since Dad had flat out rejected Julian Hudson’s band three years ago. I sat on my seat and looked at everyone calmly. “Of course, he did. And I will not bore you with the excuses of why I had to make you wait. I simply apologize for making you do so.”
“Well, now that you’re here, Audrey, we would like to discuss our sentiments about your promotion,” the lady beside me stated, she glanced at the rest of the people in the room and then looked back at me, “while you showed competency at the position that you were in, we don’t think that you’re ready to act as chairman of this company.”
“You’re too young, Audrey,” Dick told me but I could see the smug smirk on his face as he said that, “and while it had been your ideas that the company had used to bring itself back up a little, you’re too young to be able to officially handle everything.”
“And I’m guessing you have a suggestion?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even when everything they had just said had shaken me up.
Dick leaned back. “My son had worked in this company for ten years and he’s fairly older than you and has more experience. While you continue to learn the ropes of this company, Anthony will be the acting-chairman until you’re fully capable of being one. You will continue being the COO, Audrey, at least just for a little while until you get the hang of things.”
I pursed my lips. Of course, Dick would suggest that. Anthony Carson had worked with this company for ten years and had climbed up the ladder as he did so. Since I’d been promoted as the chairman, or CEO of Finch Records, Anthony- as one of the most sought after employee in our company- had been promoted as chief operating officer, the position that I previously held.
“As you’ve previously mentioned, I’ve brought this company up a little after it crashed when I was its COO which for me, only states that I am capable of running this company all on my own. I acknowledge the fact that I’m only 24 and that’s too young to be a CEO of this company that my family has built,” I paused for a little, making sure that I was looking at Dick evenly so it didn’t show that everything he just said shook me to my core, “but I assure you that I will not allow this company to go downhill. I am Ulysses Finch’s great granddaughter and I will not disappoint.”
The board looked at each other and some were nodding while some looked like they were not convinced by my statement. They were aware of my credentials and though today was one of the couple of times Iran a little late for meetings, they knew what I was capable of. So maybe I was a little young but I was mature for my age.
“Well, if that’s what you want,” the woman beside me started, looking at me with vibrant blue eyes, “then maybe it’s time we present to you an option that will help you retain that position you were promoted into.”
My ears perked up at what she said. “And what would that be?”
“Your father regretted that he couldn’t sign Born from Ashes when he was in your position. That was three years ago. It was a call he made that had this company spiral downhill. Since then given how WR Records Company had signed them and they have skyrocketed into fame.” The man speaking was probably was in his early 40’s and I knew him because Dad talked about him a lot. Maverick Saunders, a business tycoon, my father had managed to convince to invest in our records company. He was mysterious and held himself as if he was a young king and was more intimidating to me than Dick Carson ever will be.
I was aware of the story behind Born from Ashes’ fame. They had been interviewed about it countless of times and every member told the same story. They were rejected by countless labels- ours, being one of them- and so they decided to use a different approach by starting a YouTube channel that gained so many subscribers in a span of a month and became the platform wherein their manager found them. It was their manager who sent a demo to WR and had them signed and the rest of the world admired them so much that they skyrocketed into fame.
Much like the other labels that rejected them, Dad couldn’t believe his misfortune. If only he knew that the band would skyrocket to this kind of fame, he would’ve signed with them in a heartbeat but alas, no one could see the future. “What do you want me to do then?”
“There are rumors circulating that they’re on their last year with WR,” the woman beside me continued on, leaning closer to me and seemed to eye me, “and your father had been at wit’s end figuring out how he could sign them with us.”
“Your task is simple, Audrey, sign Born from Ashes with us and you can lead this company how you want it. After all, it is yours for the taking,” Dick finished, the smug smirk still on his face that I desperately wanted to wipe away, “and we’ll give you a month to sign them with us and for that month, you’re free to do whatever you want to get Julian Hudson’s band on board with us.”
“And what about my job?”
“Anthony will take over for a month,” Dick replied with a wave of his hand, “it’s a take it or leave it offer, Audrey, and I do hope that you’re as smart-thinking as you are capable.”
The meeting adjourned after that, with everyone assuming that I took on the challenge. If I failed after a month, my position would be left for Anthony to have and I would be back to my previous one. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be demoted, it was just that I didn’t want to disappoint my family. With a heavy heart and troubled mind, I went back to my office to find Theo pacing around, nervously biting on his nails.
“Hi,” I greeted him rather meekly and then fell on the couch that was in the office. I had planned to redecorate the place to my liking since everything was still of my father’s preference and I didn’t think I could work in a space that was intended to be his. But now I had to push that back further because I had more important matters that I needed to focus on.
Julian Hudson.
How was it that every bad thing in my world had to revolve around that douche?
“How was it?” Theo sounded worried and I appreciated the concern that my friend showed. The thing about Theo was that he was a top-notch worrier. “They didn’t fire you for being late for the first meeting as the CEO, right?”
I pursed my lips and leaned my head on the back of the couch, staring at the white paint of the ceiling. “If I tell you that it’s something like that, how would you react?”
“Oh god,” Theo murmured and I felt him sit beside me, “but don’t worry. I’ve thought of a number of companies that I’m certain would accept you.”
“They want me to sign Born from Ashes,” I said, my voice almost a whisper when those words left my mouth. Theo suddenly stopped mid-thought and I could feel his green eyes boring into my soul and I knew that there were a million and one questions that he wanted to ask but he withheld himself and waited for me to say more, “because apparently Dad had wanted to sign them after regretting rejecting them three years ago.”