David and Zoey arrived in Ireland at a very early hour, intending to take a short break before attending the much-anticipated meeting.
Olivia's unexpected business trip, David's court proceedings, and the takeover of Miller Corporation made it impossible for James Mason to meet with them. Consequently, they had to reschedule the meeting for today. James Mason was desperate to rescue his father's company, and he had been asking to meet with them for weeks now.
It was the only time David worked with James Mason Senior; he had never worked with his son. Only a few years had passed since he first met him, and David found himself tasked with helping Mr. Mason finalize a business transaction. At the time, he was still in high school. Even back then, he was still a tiny, scrawny, tall brat with pimples and braces. He was also wearing glasses. When it came to boys, he was the type that every girl steered clear of, but it's amazing how time and money can change perceptions. Everyone agreed that James was a womanizer. If David thought that James was mistreating women, then he was not understanding the concept of mistreatment, as James Mason Junior's actions were significantly more egregious than David's.
The fact that he was only twenty-one years old was another important detail to consider. It's possible that his inexperience in operating a corporation was the root cause of the disaster he created. Although David was uncertain about working with him, he had known the elderly man for a considerable amount of time, and he would not simply abandon him due to his son's lack of responsibility.
The meeting was due to begin at ten o'clock in the morning, and when David and Zoey arrived, Kiki, who had previously served as Mr. Mason's secretary, brought them to the boardroom. While they were on their way there, she informed David that it was her last day of work since Mason Construction was laying off employees all throughout the country. "Is there anything I can do to help?" David asked her with apprehension, but the woman only smiled while looking at him.
"It's not for me; I'm approaching my senior years, and I need some rest." Given your longstanding relationship with Mr. Mason and his trust in you, it's plausible that you could consider doing something for him. While his child might cause you inconvenience and prompt you to reconsider your offer, I kindly request that you prioritize James, his father, over yourself. At this moment, he needs your assistance more than ever. David gave the elderly woman a strong nod in response to what she had stated. When they reached the exterior of the boardroom, Kiki drew David back and squeezed his hand before they were able to enter. "Whatever happens in there…," Through her eyes, she pleaded with David to listen to her.
"I understand." As David stepped into the boardroom with Zoey by his side, he calmed her and gently squeezed her hand before the two of them entered the room together.
Just as they entered, everyone in the room turned and stared at them. In contrast, most people would have shuddered at the prospect of everyone in the room staring at them. However, David and Zoey had attended many conferences and gatherings, making them comfortable in this situation. Therefore, rather than focusing a great deal of attention on appearance, they sat down.
"You are late." As someone put it. The eyes of James Mason Junior met David's as he stared up through his eyes. The man wore an expression on his face that suggested he was experiencing severe constipation. He was obviously attempting to be menacing, but David simply ignored his efforts.
"It is 10:05." David was looking at his watch when he said this.
"I don't appreciate tardiness, Mr. Miller." When James finished speaking, there was complete silence as everyone watched David's muscles tense up. Zoey pressed her knee against David's leg from underneath the table, and David was thankful for her intervention, since whatever he was going to say was not going to be pleasant. David wanted to rebuke Zoey.
"Let me guess; because our company is bankrupt, we were supposed to be here at 9 o'clock?" This time, James was the one who froze, and the faces of the other five guys became red with embarrassment because of Zoey's comment, which was made with a raised eyebrow. To say something, James opened his mouth, but Zoey was quick to interrupt him and ask, "Shall we begin?"
"We are waiting for someone." The response from one of the men raised Zoey's eyebrows. They informed them that they were behind schedule, even though a member was on their way. During the moment that Zoey was ready to ask about the person for whom they were waiting, a man entered the room.
"Sorry, I'm late; we had a few issues with my helicopter." As soon as his voice reverberated throughout the boardroom, Zoey found herself raising herself to her feet. No matter where she was, she would always recognize that face: the shadow cast on his face at five o'clock, the broad and pointed nose, the thin pink lips, the bushy eyebrows, and those bright blue eyes, not to mention his short brown hair, consistently cropped in all the images published in magazines and tabloids. He wore a gray suit that accentuated his tall and muscular frame, and he exuded an air of influence that was all about him.
Without doing anything else, he simply stood there. When his eyes met Zoey's, they stared at each other for a considerable amount of time, until someone cleared their throat. The man sent James Mason a sharp look, causing him to fidget uneasily in his chair. The man then ripped his sight away from Zoey and tossed it behind him. To encourage Zoey to take a seat, David gave her a gentle prod, and the man sat down directly across from Zoey and David. Zoey moved closer to David and whispered in his ear, "David, that's right, that's him. His name is Xander Gomez, and he is my brother."