Shane’s assistant looked at him for a second. The former tried to say something before wondering if it was worth telling him the truth.
“How did our stock do? Hurry up and tell me! Why are you stuttering?” Shane was very agitated, seeing his assistant like this. He couldn’t control the fury in his chest and roared.
“I-It’s not that I don’t want to say it, Mr. Shane. I’m worried you can’t take the news if I do.” His assistant looked troubled.
‘Mr. Shane had some health issues to begin with. What if he passed out after I told him the news? I can’t afford to bear something like that.’
“Cut the crap, Archie. Just do as I say and tell me what I want to know!” Shane’s face turned red. He was pissed off.
Archie looked at his CEO, sighed, and laid everything on the latter.
“The company stock has plummeted since Ms. Bonita made the sudden announcement, and it’s still dropping as we speak.
“Our public shareholders couldn’t process it and left nasty remarks on our official account. At the same time, they’re looking for ways to sell their stocks at a much lower price. If this keeps up, our company will face disastrous losses.”
Shane knew things were serious, but he had never expected it to be this dire.
At that moment, it felt as if the entire world was swirling. His face turned so pale that it was devoid of color. He wobbled a little before slumping onto the floor.
Archie went over and helped him up immediately. Then, he led his CEO to a chair.
“Are you okay, Mr. Shane?”
Shane waved his hand. “I-I’m fine. Hurry up and figure out something to stabilize our collaborators. Do your best to avoid losing too many of them. If we suffer huge losses like this, we might no longer be the top one hundred most prestigious companies worldwide.”
“Roger.” Archie had just responded when his phone started buzzing.
Pulling out the phone, he realized it was none other than one of the collaborators. For a moment there, he wasn’t sure if he should answer it. So, he showed it to Shane and said, “It’s one of our biggest collaborators, Mr. Briggs. Do you want to answer it, Mr. Shane?”
Shane had a bad feeling about it as he stared at the phone.
‘With that said, I can’t escape what happened. I have to answer the phone.’
At the thought of it, he patted his chest and took the phone from Archie. Then, he composed himself and spoke with a smile.
“To what do I owe the pleasure, Briggs? Are you calling about another collaboration?”
“I’ve seen everything on the internet, Shane. I think this is where our collaboration ends. Also, you can forget about looking for me again.”
Briggs’s cold voice further unnerved him, and he felt a sinking feeling in his gut.
“We’ve been partners for a long time, Briggs. I believe you know more about my character than anyone else. How could you just throw everything out the window over something you read online? It isn’t fair at all.”
Briggs sighed helplessly, “Believe me, Shane. I don’t want it to turn out like this, either. However, I can’t find a better way to overcome this debacle! Moreover, you’re well aware of how influential Ms. Bonita is.
“If I continue to collaborate with you, my company will suffer along with yours. I’d appreciate your understanding.”
Shane parted his lips and was about to say something, but Briggs spoke before he could.
“That’s the reason I gave you this call, Shane. Farewell.”
