After a long first day at Maverick Cooperation, Alexander returned home in the evening. He would have stayed longer, but he had to accompany his wife to the Lockwood meeting.
Entering the house, Alexander walked into a heated conversation between his wife, Seraphina, and her mother.
"Alexander is a useless pauper of a husband who hasn't a single penny to his name and is of no good to you. Why wouldn't you just divorce him? You are better offers," her mother argued.
"Mother, we've been over this. I have always had better offers, I always will, and I will always choose Alexander every single time," Seraphina countered.
"Alexander, where have you been? You were supposed to be back hours ago," Seraphina asked.
"I'm sorry, I got held up," Alexander replied.
"It's fine, let's go. We are already running late," Seraphina urged.
"Don't you dare walk out on me, Alexander? You are going to divorce my daughter and allow her to marry Ethan Bishop, someone much more qualified to be her husband," her mother continued.
"What is she talking about?" Alexander inquired.
"Just ignore her. Ethan Bishop told her that he wanted my hand in marriage, and in exchange, he would help get the Lockwood Family to secure the Maverick Mega Contract."
"And how does he suppose he can do that?"
"Well the Bishop Family and the Monroe Family were rivals in their partnership with the Mavericks. But now that the Gavin Cooperation has been liquidated, the Bishops are now unrivaled. This would give them more flexibility in matters related to the Mavericks," Seraphina explained.
Alexander was in awe and admiration. Listening to Seraphina nerd talking about economics was more enticing than he would have imagined.But she was wrong; no one had flexibility in Mavericks except him, and he alone decides what happens in the company.
"Well, what are you going to do now?" Alexander asked.
"I am going to climb to the top of the Lockwood Hierarchy and raise the family even higher by myself, without the help of some rich asshole in search of a trophy wife.
But, I am going to have to let this one pass. There's no way I can pull off such a mega deal," Seraphina admitted.
"Don't sell yourself short. You are a lot more capable than you realize," Alexander reassured her.
"Yeah, right." She snorted sarcastically
"You just have to believe it."
"Alexander, thanks for the advice, but, life isn't a make-believe fantasy. Things don't just happen because you believe they will."
'But life is, in fact, a make-believe fantasy. How else do you explain a wretched son-in-law, looked down on by everyone, secretly being the CEO of the multibillion-dollar company everyone is fighting so hard to get a contract from?' Alexander thought to himself. He wished he could tell her, but he couldn't.
Alexander placed his hand on hers, looked her straight in her eyes, and said, "Seraphina, I swear to you, I would do everything in my power to make your dreams come true."
Seraphina froze. His demeanor was different, and the seriousness and intentionality in his tone made it seem like he meant what he said. But how could he, those words were too heavy for his lips. 'How was her pauper husband going to make her dreams come true?' She smiled, her hands on his cheeks. "Thank you."
At the Lockwood Mansion.
Today was their second meeting to discuss the acquisition of the Maverick Mega Contract.
"My Lady, the Maverick Company is too ridiculous!" Daniel said, his face hot red and furious. "I went there to submit our proposal and asked for an audience with the CEO, but I was told to get lost! Seriously, how is that even allowed in a corporate world?"
"So you failed me?!" Lady Lockwood exclaimed.
"No, Lady Lockwood, it wasn't my fault. I heard a rumor that the Maverick Cooperation recently changed their leadership."
"I see, that would explain the incident with Monroe's. Their new leadership must have been cleaning the house, and you just happened to go at the wrong time," Lady Lockwood reasoned.
"Yes, my Lady that must be it?"
"Silence!" She yelled at him. "The Maverick Cooperation may have changed their leadership and might have an attitude, but they are still the Maverick Cooperation. They have the resources and power to back whatever attitude they have. And we, the Lockwood's, never back down from an offer, especially not one this big. So who among you is willing to go and make it happen?"
No hand was raised, and no voice raised a pitch higher. They looked at each other, murmuring. They couldn't believe Lady Lockwood still wanted the contract, even after the Maverick Cooperation told Daniel to fuck off.
As far as they heard, no other competitors were treated in that manner. Yet, she was still expecting someone else to negotiate the contract. Who would be willing to do that?
Lady Lockwood slammed the table furiously and shouted, "All of you are descendants of the Lockwood Family. How can you be so spineless? Isone rejection, all it takes to silence you all. Isn't there anyone among you willing to make a stand for your family?"
Lady Lockwood let out a long sigh.
They needed this contract, and she didn't want to be the head of a family that was always at the second or third level of the social pyramid. She wanted the Lockwood Family to climb higher, and the contract was going to help them get there.
But even she knew that no one would want to go there again.
To strike a deal with a company as powerful as the Maverick Cooperation was a star too far from their reach. Even if she went to talk to them herself, the executives might not agree to see her, let alone readily offer her the contract.
'Maybe it was time to raise the white flag,' she considered.
Suddenly, in a moment that shocked everyone in the room, including Alexander, Seraphina sprang up to her feet.
"Grandma, I will give it a shot."