Andrew's POV
Las Vegas was exciting, with the excess thrill and high level of adventure. The four days I spent there were days I would look back on for months to come.
I won most of my games at the casino, making back the money I lost at the roulette table and some more. I moved over to poker later, and Judy made sure she kept mute. I could barely hide my grin as I continued to clear the tables.
I was a master at masking my expressions and reading so it was relatively easy. I made sure not to win consecutively, pulling out as many times as necessary.
There was no need to make any enemies over a game.
Finally, I returned to Phoenix, diving straight into work.
It took me two days and an all-nighter to scrutinize the reports and proposals, making all the necessary corrections. The stress gave me a burning headache but I swallowed some painkillers and went on.
Bridget and Annalise had arranged the meeting just like I asked, although my prolonged holiday made things a bit difficult.
I sat at the head of the table, facing the window as I heard the managers walk in behind me. I waited till I heard them shut the door before turning around to address them.
"I received your reports and proposals for new projects over the weekend. To be frank, they were just a little bit better than trash."
Bridget helped me to display the proposals on the large screen at the other end of the room. I stood up, picking the pointer as I walked to the screen. I circled out each point I corrected and with the pointer, I began to explain their errors to them.
"Mr. Stevens, you're the manager of the cosmetics division right?" I asked in an authoritative voice.
"Y-Yes sir."
"Good. Pay attention to this. Your proposal requested human skin testing. And instead of using skin cells grown in vitro, you're requesting to test on babies. What is going on in that head of yours?"
He shuddered as my voice boomed. I was livid, my eyes glaring at the managers as I held back from slamming my fist on the table.
The meeting was more annoying than I had expected. The nonchalance was spread across all divisions, with their lack of commitment to their jobs painted across their faces.
A part of me was ready to fire them all on the spot, but it would be difficult to find worthy replacements in a day.
I couldn't leave their positions empty for long since things would come crumbling down, and the board would gladly have my head.
The harsh part of all this was that the board would still come for me if their results remained this way.
I had to dismiss them, leaving Bridget and Annalise to help me figure a way out of this mess.
More training wouldn't help, seeing as the first one barely did anything. I pushed the idea to the back of my mind, taking the poor reports and proposals to handle myself.
I would just have to manage things for now, till I could think of a lasting solution or some kind of remedy.
Sitting in my office with eyes staring at the ceiling, I heard a commotion outside my door.
"What in God's name is-? Hernandez?"
Bridget and Annalise turned to the door, watching Hernandez storm in with his shoulders raised like a prancing peacock.
He swaggered around, pulled a seat across the room and found a spot in front of me. He wore this annoying smile that he was known for, crossing his legs.
"Hello, Andrew. I guess I win this time."
I stared at him, masking my anger at his entrance before telling Bridget and Annalise to leave.
"What did you win?"
"You know how you always argued about who would get more real estate in a beautiful city near the Grand Canyon? I'm closer to winning than you are. I'll beat you to it this time."
I never really saw this as a rivalry, but ever since I moved my real estate business into Arizona, Hernandez has been a thorn in my flesh.
Competing with me at every turn. Trying to steal every business deal. Buying land right next to mine. Taking contracts from rival partners.
I owned an enterprise that covered various industries so this little situation shouldn't have bothered me.
Unfortunately, Hernandez had an annoying way of churning my mind and constantly destroying my peace. He was an itch I couldn't scratch and he made sure I felt irritated at every turn.
"What exactly did you acquire that makes you think you've already won?"
"Just know it's a beautiful inn, in prime Sedona."
Sedona, right before Flagstaff. My little hometown that bore my childhood memories that had all but vanished from my memory.
I had been focusing on Fredonia and Tusanya when I could have started from somewhere further away and then moved in. Hernandez had a great plan, and it pissed me off that I didn't think of it myself.
"Do you really think that it's over? Whatever inn you think you got, it won't amount to anything when I start making my moves."
"Oh, I'll be waiting. Once I get that inn, I'll make plans for the rest of Sedona."
He laughed, throwing his annoying smile in my face. I felt like I was thrown into a pit of salt after barely escaping a fire.
I watched him storm out, just as sharply as he came in.
The only plan I had in Sedona was on the family mansion, but that was supposed to be long-term and in the far future. Now, I would have to expand them while making an immediate loss.
Clearly, the board wouldn't approve so I would have to use personal funds.
I called for Annalise and Bridget, making them write tons of letters and applications in minutes. I was going to get this done, beat the annoying board members and pummel Hernandez into the ground.