Need You

Chapter 36

Sitting across from me, Derrick wore a determined expression on his face. He had spent the last thirty minutes trying to convince me that A & H needed a substantial injection of funds to be able to move ahead of competition.

"It's the future of A & H, I'm thinking about here." He began. "We need to expand..."

"What are you talking about? This office was an expansion." I reminded him.

"It was but there's more we need to do if we are going to be the leading financial consultancy agency."

"What are you saying that we should do?" I asked and his response was that we repeat the investment that helped finish the new office quickly.
"We invested in that possible ponzi weeks ago. There's a higher risk of us losing money if we reinvest now."

He groaned. "Not this again." He complained. "Just because your girlfriend isn't doesn't mean you need to play her role."

"I'm not playing her role. I simply don't think that that would be a smart move."

"Look it's not a ponzi." He said impatiently. "Right now, the money we'd gain from that investment would significantly boost the agency."

"I'll think about it." I said.

Derrick wasn't wrong about the money boosting the agency but that didn't make the investment any less riskier.

After work, I left for Amanda's house. She had been invited to a book convention because of how successful her recently published novel had been and she left tomorrow.

She supported my view on the issue when I told her what Derrick wanted us to do.

"I'm very excited for this book convention." Amanda said as she packed her suitcase.

"Why are you not taking me along?" I asked with a playful grin, sitting on her bed. "I am the muse after all."

"Keep telling yourself that." She laughed.

I got up and walked up to her by her wardrobe. "I'm very proud of you. You've completely outdone yourself with this book. Right now I feel like I'm dating a literary superstar!"

She chuckled as she continued packing. I wrapped my arms around her and said, "I hope you don't forget us little people when you're signing autographs and rubbing elbows with famous authors."

"And who exactly are the little people? You? The CEO of A & H?" She chuckled. "Don't worry, if I'm going to forget anybody, it certainly won't be the person who pushed me to write."

Mirroring each other's smiles, she pulled me to her, planting a soft kiss on my lips.

The door opened and Nikki appeared in the doorway. "Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt." She said, wearing a sly grin.

Amanda and I let go of each other as Nikki came further into the room. "Here's what you asked for?" She said, handing Amanda a bag.

"Thank you."

"When are you returning?" I asked after Nikki had left the room.

"Friday."

I raised an eyebrow. "I thought the convention would only be for a day."

"It is but I want to explore the place. I hear it has some incredible attraction sites."

"Mmm... I think it's time I took a vacation, don't you think?"

"Uh-uh." She smiled. "Stay here and keep your company afloat while I try to stay afloat in their beautiful ocean."

The next day in my office, Derrick walked in, took a seat and asked, "Are you still not going to let us make that investment?"

Before I could say no, he continued, "I understand your reluctance but I want to show you something that will tell you that we wouldn't be investing in a ponzi."

"What is that?"

"I've done some research and discovered that the leading company in this industry  has invested in the firm. And you know very well how diligent and shrewd their investment choices are. They wouldn't risk their reputation by getting involved in a ponzi scheme."

I nodded, considering that agency's involvement in the suspected ponzi and how their reputation and careful decision-making could lent it credibility.

"We've never known for sure if it's a ponzi, we've only suspected it." Derrick added. "We can with the money we gain from it, buy that new tech you want us to."

It didn't take long after that for me to agree to the investment. If the leading agency in the industry has invested, then it's certainly not a ponzi, I thought.

How wrong I was.

In a sudden turn of events, A & H had become a victim of the ponzi scheme. Looking at the headline, "Uncovered Ponzi Scheme" on my phone, I was filled with anger.

This was Derrick's fault. I got out of my chair and angrily marched to his office. He jolted from his seat when the door slammed open.

"I warned you from the beginning that it was a ponzi scheme! Now see the mess you've dragged us into!" I shouted showing him the headline on my phone.

His reaction on made me angrier. He shrugged, lounged back in his chair and nonchalantly said, "Yeah, so? Didn't you agree that we should make that investment?"

Frustrated, I stepped closer to his desk and said, "How can you be this nonchalant!? Don't you understand what our involvement in that ponzi means for A & H!? We'll soon have investors and clients asking questions. You've ruined everything!"

"I've ruined everything?" He stood abruptly. "You have ruined everything! We may be partners but you own a greater percentage and so all of this is on you."

"It's on me?" My fists clenched by my sides.

"I'm going to leave you to handle this mess. I'm not interested in dealing with the aftermath of your poor choices."

"You were the one who convinced me to make that poor choice!" I yelled.

He shrugged in response and that was the last straw for me. Before he could make it past me to door, my fist connected with his jaw in a jab.