Tom spoke clearly. "According to our sources, those protesters outside are willing to risk being put in prison; they're even prepared to burn your building down, which will leave Robinson Winery unable to continue functioning."
He shook his head. "They're threatening to burn the winery down, but your family still doesn't do anything to offer them compensation. All kinds of media outlets are taking notice and accusing Robinson Winery of refusing to take responsibility for the situation."
Maryann frowned at him.
"Maryann," Tom continued, "at present, the situation is looking pretty bleak for you. I don't know what's going on in your head, but you need to work with Belmont Media if you want to resolve this situation. You're being far too passive."
Tom was working as hard as he could to secure his ten million dollars.
"Well, well," Maryann said, slowly. "Tom, you seem to think I'm an easy target, someone who'll just cave in and pay you all that money. But you must have considered your options in case I wasn't interested in your offer. Tell me, what's your Plan B to try to make me pay you?" She leaned back in her chair.
Tom quickly recovered his poise. "Yes, Maryann, you're right; we do have a Plan B. Our financial team has already carried out a comprehensive investigation and produced an in-depth report on your company. If you're really not interested in working with us, then we will have to disclose your company's detailed financial accounts to the market."
He smiled. "Our news channel has coverage across the whole of the US, and we guarantee that we will make Robinson Winery infamous." He radiated self-satisfaction. "I'm pretty certain that, as soon as we report your financial situation, your stock will crash. Even if you don't go bankrupt, your original market share will be greatly reduced. Roughly estimated, you'll see a loss of at least four billion dollars. When that happens, I'm willing to bet you won't be so full of yourself, Maryann, but will come crawling to us to ask for our help. Therefore, in the spirit of friendship, I'd like to remind you about our original offer. I hope you can see that it really does make sense for you to work with us on this."
Feigning nonchalance, Tom took out and lit a cigarette as if no one else was there. Turning to face Maryann, he blew out a jet of smoke while he waited for her response. He felt reasonably confident that she would agree to his demands. Even companies with tens of billions of dollars were willing to spend money to maintain a good public image and avoid financial disasters. Maryann was an intelligent woman, so he was sure she would see sense.
"Well, Maryann, what do you say?" Tom asked, narrowing his eyes at her and casually blowing a smoke ring.
"What do I say? I say get out of here!" Maryann was not impressed.
Tom almost choked on his cigarette as Maryann's attitude caught him off guard. "Maryann, you should talk this through with me. Ten million dollars is not that much to ask. We're offering you this small fee because the winery is only a medium-sized company. We don't want to take all your profits."
He leaned forward. "I think, for the sake of the Robinson family, I'll keep this simple. If you don't know a good deal when you see it, then I can't help you."
Maryann folded her arms as she watched him.
"I'll give you an ultimatum." Tom spoke slowly, as if to a child. "You have fifteen minutes to deposit ten million dollars into my account. If the money isn't there by the end of that time, then you and the Robinson Winery will face utter disaster. Let me remind you that those people outside are waiting for the result of our little conversation. If they don't like the outcome, they will set fire to the building, and you'll be ruined, anyway."
Maryann's eyes flashed with contempt for Tom and his offer.
He dares to threaten me? she thought angrily. She wasn't afraid of him or his threat. She was sticking to her guns to make a success of the winery; she was determined to show everyone she could do it, and to get out of the engagement to the oil baron that her family had arranged.
She looked at Tom with disdain; his attitude was unacceptably arrogant. He was forgetting that this was Robinson Winery's building, and that Maryann was in charge here.
The cup of coffee in front of Tom was suddenly thrown in his face.
He spluttered, "What the hell?"
"Forget your threats. I've got an ultimatum for you, Tom," said Alex. "I'll give you five minutes to kneel down at Maryann's feet and apologize to her. Otherwise, Belmont Media will go bankrupt, you will be left to wander the streets, and no media company will touch you ever again."
He shrugged. "I'm not an unjust man, Tom. I wouldn't leave you without any work. As it happens, I'm short of a brick carrier on the construction site. You can come to work for me." His tone was deceptively mild.
Maryann tried not to show her how grateful she felt toward Alex. She was very aware of her position as the company's CEO and knew she must always maintain her image. In front of Tom, she had to make sure she showed no signs of weakness.
If Tom had looked closely, he would have seen Maryann look at Alex, but Tom was too caught up in his own situation to think about the undercurrents in the room.
"Bankruptcy? What? Have I got that straight? You're threatening to bankrupt me?" Tom felt that he must have heard something wrong, and he looked more closely at the man who had served him coffee, wondering who he was.
Tom sneered and said, "This is hilarious. I can't quite believe what I'm hearing. You're just a secretary who serves drinks and files papers. How on earth do you think you can bankrupt me?"
He laughed again. "Let me help you out here. Don't say you'll give me five minutes. We could still be here in five years if you're going to wait for me to kneel and apologize to Maryann. It's never going to happen. You don't understand what you're talking about. It's sweet that you want to stick up for your boss, but really, people like you should stick to making coffee and cleaning up."
Tom was no fighter and had always relied on his quick brain and clever mouth to get him out of any trouble. On this occasion, it was clear he didn't know who he was talking to, or how much trouble he might be getting into.
But Alex didn't react; instead, he just said quietly, "You have three minutes left."
"Hey, you're crazy," Tom said. "I can understand that you're eager to try to impress Maryann, but you also have to look at the bigger picture here. You want to be promoted and to please your CEO. It's okay; that's human nature, but you have to learn to read the situation a bit better. Know when to stay quiet, if you get my meaning?"
Tom turned his back on Alex, dismissing him.