The Corporate Raider part 14
by Denise Mayes
Chapter 14
Taylor stood up and headed for her bedroom. The next morning she got up early and made breakfast for the woman, but she didn’t eat herself, she just headed to the office. When Alex arrived downstairs, she found the breakfast, and a note from the girl. She warmed up the breakfast, and took it to the table. She sat down with it and the note and flipping open the note she read it.
"Alex, I went in early to get some things down, before I start in on the other project. I hope you enjoy the breakfast. I’ll see you at work. I’ve already called for the driver. Taylor."
Alex laid the note on the table, then ate the breakfast the girl had prepared for her. She begun the extending of the robe with that note from Taylor. She picked up her briefcase and headed out the door. When she arrived at the office she found Taylor gone, and the only clue that showed she had been there was the 1/4 of mail that was on the desk. She had noticed that the girl was doing more of the correspondence lately. Salina arrived an hour later, and they went about taking care of the woman’s schedule and setting up meetings.
"Ma'am?"
"Yes Salina?"
"I was just noticing that I haven’t seen much of Miss Young lately?"
"She’s working on something."
"Oh? You mind if I ask what?"
She looked up from one of the reports she was reading over and then said evenly.
"She’s working on a presentation about the Zadria take over project."
"Oh, she’s going to give a presentation?"
"Yes. Now I would like to get back to work. How are the plans coming along for the business party?"
"Very well Ma'am. She had many of the things already done, but there were still some things that needed to be worked out with the planner. I think you will be pleased with the way it goes. Will Ms. Young still be attending it with you as your Personal Assistant?"
Alex gave a thoughtful gaze at the report she was looking at, without showing it to the nosy admin, then she answered casually. "Yes." Then she went back to reading, made a few phone calls, and held conference calls with some of the executives from her foreign companies.
Meanwhile, Taylor had left the building to meet with Zadria. Over the next three weeks, she spent little time at the house, and more time at the office. Only going to Alex's office when she had to bring the mail. Alex was beyond irritation with the girl's evasive and avoiding behavior towards her. Finally, the day came for Taylor to present her proposal. Mr. Shearer and the other members from her team were all there as there were a few proposals from other executives that were also going to be presented doing the meeting.
"All right people, I expect concise, detailed and near perfect presentations. Johnson you're up, go." Alex ordered. Johnson gave his proposal, then waited for the woman to tell him whether she liked it or not.
"Good, make sure you keep me updated on the progress. "
"Yes Ma'am." He said, as he beamed and took his seat, relieved to be out of Alex’s spotlight.
"Carlson, go." She called everyone who had a presentation to give, and finally Taylor was the last one. So far everyone had received her approval.
"Ms. Young Go." She ordered indifferently.
"Yes Ma'am."
Taylor stood and went to the end of the table where the others had presented their proposals. She and her team quickly setup. After a nervous glance around the large conference room, then at the woman who had a very impatient look leveled on her, the girl became even more nervous. She started her presentation using a video disc graphics as her visual.
"Th...The Zadria company is one of the fastest up and coming fashion houses in this country. Now it’s making a name internationally, and it’s stocks have continued to grow. The increase from just the last few months to this point today, as you can see has continued to climb steadily without any fluctuating losses and gains from then to now..."
"I thought you were suppose to be presenting me with an alternative to a takeover. It seems to me that you're only making a case for me to take it over?" Alex stated, without any tenderness or compassion in her voice.
Taylor felt and heard the anger, and lowered her eyes for a moment as she recollected her thoughts and tried to steady her nerves against Alex’s steady, piercing gaze. She turned away for a moment due to the tension and guilt of everything she had done. Her eyes started to cloud, but she continued to try to maintain her composure so as to continue. Marcus Shearer stood up and walked down to where the girl was standing, now trembling slightly from the stress.
"Taylor, are you okay?"
"Ye...yes."
"Would you like for me to continue for you?"
Taylor looked up at the man with appreciation in her eyes. He smiled, and gave a squeeze to her shoulder, then turned around to face everyone, along with the girl.
"Ma'am, if it is all right with you, I would like to take over the presentation?"
"No. Now sit down Mr. Shearer."
"But..." The man started, but seeing the woman’s glare, he went quiet and then looked back at the girl.
Taylor looked at the woman who was now glaring at her, and she resigned herself that it was she who would have to finish the presentation. She looked at Salina who had just walked in the meeting and went to whisper something to Alex, and was told to take a seat. Salina pulled it up next to where the woman sat, and Taylor looked at the smug look the Admin had on her face. She decided she was going to make the presentation.
"Mr. Shearer, thank you, I think I can go on now." She said, letting her friend off the hook with the woman. "Ma'am if I may continue?"
"Do it."
"Thank you. Now, I realize that so far my presentation does appear to be reasons to take the company over, but as you will see, while these are definite pro’s for the takeover, I will also show the contradictions for such actions. Over the last few weeks, my team and I have been meeting with members from the Zadria company. I, myself have been meeting with Zadria herself. During these meetings and after much research between all of us, I believe I have come up with a plausible and feasible plan for a compromise to the actual takeover. I mentioned earlier that some of the pro’s were the increase in stock prices, as well as the continuous and steady growth. I will also add that another pro is the fact that you would own the company outright, and could do whatever you wanted, including the elimination of the employees you chose, but...there are draw backs to a complete takeover also. I’m sure you are aware of them, but just for the record I will point them out anyway. One...while you make money as long as the company makes money, you also will lose money when the company loses. Along with that you will not only lose money with that one company, but also with all of your others, due to the connection between all of your holdings. Two...you will have to reassign members from some of your other companies to go in and learn the fashion business, whereas if you allow the company to remain under the control of Zadria, then you not only will NOT have to be responsible for keeping track of all of the nuances of the company, but you also will still be able to reap the benefits of a profitable company. Basically, what I’m saying is I have gotten Ms. Zadria to agree to a split."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning, a fifty one, forty nine split with Zadria holding the controlling interest."
"Why would I be interested in such a thing?"
"Because it would allow you to have some say in how things are run, while she keeps the staff that has made the company such a prize in the first place. Therefore ensuring the continuation of that success. You also don’t have to worry about the day to day operations of the company, as well as the headaches of benefits and all of those things. Another reason is you will have the company that all of the other companies want, under your umbrella of protection. No one would dare try to take a company that you are involved with. I see a win, win situation all the way around. Ms. Zadria is able to keep her company and continue to run it as she sees fit in order to keep it profitable for both you and her. You win because you will have the company, and will be a silent partner for the most part. She has agreed that if you see some changes that need to be made if the company starts to lose money, then she will be more than happy to accept your suggestions." Taylor lowered her arms and waited for the woman to say something.
All eyes went to Alex after the girl had finished, and although they thought it was a very solid presentation, they didn’t say anything. Instead they waited for the woman to say something. Alex leveled her gaze on the Taylor, who was shifting from foot to foot, nervously as her anxiety level increased with every silent moment that passed. Finally the girl couldn't wait any longer and had to ask. "Well...?"
"Well I’ll let you know, I need to think about it." She said sarcastically.
"Think about it? What’s to think about?"
Alex’s eyes narrowed at the girl's questioning of her, and Taylor went silent as her arms came to cross in front of her and she rocked on her heels. She tried to avoid looking at the angry gaze of the woman.
"All right." She conceded, as she spared a glance at Alex, who had not taken her eyes off of her.
"Of course it is." Alex stood, and looking along the lines of men and women she called an end to the meeting. "Ladies, Gentlemen, this meeting is over." She turned, and headed out of the room with Salina following right behind her.
After the woman was gone, the men and women all turned to the girl and told her that they thought her presentation was excellent, and that it was a good plan. After they all left, Shearer walked up to his friend who had a look of defeat on her face as her eyes were starting to tear up.
"Taylor you did a wonderful job, you are a natural at this. Alex would be a fool not to implement your plans."
"She didn’t like them."
"That’s not so! She didn’t say she didn’t like them, and you can’t assume that. You just have to have faith that your proposal was worthy, and stick to your guns about it."
"Thank you, I appreciate that." Taylor hugged her friend, then after gathering her things, she headed to go and get the mail.
She arrived in the office 30 minutes later and found Salina laughing and talking up a breeze with someone on the phone. The Admin saw the girl coming, but she continued her conversation. "I know it’s great! I’m going to be attending the party with Ms. Madison instead of her Personal Assistant!" The admin exclaimed, as she eyed the girl’s reaction.
Taylor’s eyes went wide with the news, and she looked at Salina with both a confused, and a disbelieving gaze. She walked rapidly past the Admin's desk and into the office, closing the door behind her. Alex was on the phone and the girl stood waiting for her to get off. The woman gazed up at Taylor, and knitting her brows, she studied the girl while she talked on the phone. Finally she hung up.
"What is it? I have a lot to do."
"Why is Salina attending your business party with you and not me? I thought I was to be there with you?"
"You’ve been so busy, I needed to make sure I had an assistant with me." Alex said matter-of-factly.
"But I was going to be there. I thought that’s how we planned it, after I finished with the Zadria project I was to attend it with you?"
"Well things had to change, it’s too close, and you have not even had time to look over the guest list and learn about the guest, Salina has not only learned about them, she has made sure that the caterer’s has at least one of each of their favorite foods, or drinks. Her research on each of them has been thorough to say the least, and she has gone with me to meet some of those same people. You have been so tied up with The Zadria deal you let everything else fall on the backburner. I will not allow anyone unprepared, to attend such an important engagement as this with me."
Taylor had tears in her eyes, but she kept her voice from shaking despite what she was feeling. "So have you made HER your Personal Assistant?"
Alex gave the girl an indifferent gaze, and then said impassively, "Yes, she has been doing the job very well."
"So what....you're going to demote me back to just the mailroom?" Taylor asked, holding up the mail and then placing all of it on the woman’s desk.
"No, you don’t deserve to be demoted. You will go to work with Mr. Shearer as his new Admin Assistant."
The tears now rolled down her cheeks.
"What? I thought you and he were good friends?" Alex asked, somewhat put off by the girl’s reaction.
"You're just being mean." Taylor accused.
"Mean?! What are you talking about?!"
"You know what I’m talking about, you're just mad at me! I know I’ve been horrible, but I didn’t do anything to be mean. But fine, I’ll go to work with Mr. Shearer. All I want to know is what, if anything have you decided about my ideas for the Zadria company?"
"I haven’t." Alex said flatly.
"Do you hate me Alex?" The girl asked quietly.
"No." Alex answered simply.
The girl lowered her eyes in relief, and then she raised them to find the woman watching her. "Will you let me know when you have?"
"We’ll see."
Taylor felt the anger the woman had towards her, so all she could do was just raise her hand in resignation to her fate within the company and with the woman. "Fine, fine." She turned and walked out the office shaking her head. She closed the door behind her and to her chagrin Salina was there to rub her face in it.
"So...how does it feel to be stepped over, after everything you’ve done? Did you really think you could just walk over me and I wouldn’t do anything about it? Well now you know, not to mess with me. Oh, and I’m glad you took my advice about staying away from her, it really made a difference." The Admin grinned, then turned and walked away from the girl to go and refill her coffee cup.
Taylor looked hurt by Salina’s taunts, and not because it was Salina, but because some of what Salina said was true. She had allowed things to turn out the way they did because of her fear of Salina going public about her relationship with the woman. Despite the fact that she knew Salina had no proof, appearances would have made people draw the conclusion Salina would have put out there. Alex watched the interaction between the two, and then saw how Taylor once again shook her head, and walked out of the office. The girl’s stress was growing by leaps and bounds, over the next week. Alex wouldn’t even speak to her at home, which was hard enough, but it became too much for the girl when it started at work.