So Close (Book 1)

Chapter 15

BRYCE'S POV

Meron na ring tatlong weeks since dumating kami galing Maldives. We missed the privacy of the island. Paano kasi, pag dito namin ginagawa, maraming tumatawag. Merong nagpapa-schedule kay Natalie at meron namang nagpapa-pirma ng mga kontrata sa akin. We need one more day in paradise.

Hindi ko na nahatid si Natalie ngayon kasi busing-busy ako. Maaga rin akong pumunta sa RossCorp. Nandoon sina Dad, Kuya Kane, Kuya Enrico, Ianna at si Aria.

Just in case you don't know our divisions, ito sila. Kuya Enrico is in-charge of all the automobiles and technology under RossCorp. Kuya Kane: hotels, resorts and the real estate. Ianna: restaurant and winery. Aria: department stores, supermarkets and malls. Ako, I handle everything.

Our Main headquarters is my office, dito sa New York. Kuya Enrico has his in Germany. Kuya Kane in London. Ianna in Paris and Italy. Aria ni Singapore and Dubai. 

"Enrico! Anong nangyari! Bakit biglang bumaba ang sales?" tanong ni dad. 

Tumayo si Kuya Enrico. "Since nagbukas ang Audi sa San Francisco, bumaba ang sales natin. Feedbacks from various companies told us that our designs are outdated at masyado mahal ang ibang sasakyan for their designs. With the technology, tumaas ang sales para sa ComTab. We're developing a new technology, halong PDA at tablet and its scheduled release would be on November of this year."

"Pagbutihan lang yan. Wag masyadong maglabas ng mga technology kung hindi kailangan. Overall?"

"Same as last year. Debts are paid annually. New stocks come in regularly." 

With news like these, medyo nag-cool down na rin si Dad. He nodded. "Kane. Ang mga hotels and resorts?"

"Kumonti ang pumunta sa Ross House sa London. In Dubai, the same number as before at natapatan na rin ang Burj Al Arab. Velasarru in Maldives is getting better by the year pero we are in danger of sinking."

"Overall?"

"Same number. Steady guests. Not seasonal."

"Good. Real Estate?" 

"Marami ang bumili compared sa last year. In California, we gathered around sixteen million dollars. Texas, around three million lang pero merong isang pending na costumer that wanted to buy ten million worth. New York, we have six potential buyers ng condo sa RossLine and had fifteen buyers sa RossMight. All in all, we got almost fifty million dollars in total."

"Very good." He turned to Ianna. "Restaurants?"

"We're face-to-face with Serendipity sa Haute Choco nila. We're making a new delicacy with its ingredients coming from Greece and Italy. Ang mga dishes naman, they're okay but we will enhance their tastes according to what is in right now."

"Do better on that." He turned a page on his clipboard. "Wine?" 

"Grapes are blooming on the south of Italy. Sabi ng mga cultivators doon, we would have more than enough wine for this year. Yung mga nasa wine cellar natin, they're ready for selling na."

"Very good. Keep it up." He turned to Aria. "Malls?"

"RossCorp Sg had the biggest problem." Aria said. "Maraming gusto mag-pull back dahil sa mga false alarms. We had been presented with a few death threats and attempts at drawbacks pero we've assured them. So far, we're closing on a case with DevTech and they had agreed on having another year on contract."

"Close that case silently. Wala akong gustong lumabas sa balita." Dad said. 

"Of course, sir." We all said.