The morning sun was already streaming in through the window, and Ryan could feel the day's demands creeping up on him already. He stood in front of his wardrobe, staring at the row of suits that hung inside.
Ryan hadn't worn one in months, and he felt a mix of emotions as he considered putting one on again. He finally reached for a navy-blue suit, shaking the wrinkles out as he pulled it off the hanger.
He unbuttoned his shirt, sliding it off and replacing it with a crisp white button down. Furthermore, he buttoned it up, adjusting the cuffs and then slipping the jacket on. As he stood in front of the mirror, he couldn't help but feel a little bit like a stranger.
Knowing he will be spending quite a lot of time in the States before returning to France, he leased a house. The new journey he's about to embark on will be quite a long ride; he needed, if not, a temporary place to stay.
As Ryan stood in front of the mirror, admiring his reflection, his thoughts drifted to the reason for coming back to the States -but the table had managed to turn drastically to what he least expected.
Snapping out of his thought, he quickly knotted his tie and exiting the room in a haste after picking up his briefcase that was laying down carelessly on his dressing table -else he might be late on his first's day of resuming his position after a couple of months. He did not want to give such a bad impression!
*************
The ride to the company was long, and he could feel the tension building up in the cab he boarded. Ryan glanced out through the window of the cab, trying to take in the scenery as they drove through the city streets.
But his thoughts kept drifting back to the reason for returning to the company. He couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right, that there was more to the whole situation than met the eye.
He's yet to inform his mother that he arrived in the States already -he's quite afraid of how she'll react when she learns about the whole truth. For now, he decided to keep it all to himselfto see how everything unfold first before involving his mother.
Eventually and soonerthan he thought, he knows everything will be open to her
-eitherfrom himself, if not from an external source. But at that moment, he tried to push those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task at hand.
The cab finally pulled up to the building where the conference was being held. As Ryan got out of the cab, he took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. He had to focus on the task at hand, no matter how difficult it might be. He took a step forward, entering the building and walking towards the conference room.
As he entered the room, he could feel all the eyes on him. They weren't the type of eyes that pierce through skin or anything of the sort -each of the eyes were clouded with a glint of delight and gratitude as they stared at him in recognition.
The crowd was a mix of his old staff and new faces too, but the one thing they all had in common was the look of recognition on theirfaces. They knew who he was, and they knew why he was here. He was here to take back what used to be his, and they were ready to welcome him back with open arms. But first, he had to address the elephant in the room.
"Good morning everyone." He began, his voice steady and clear. "I can't be more appreciative seeing you all faces gathered around here -it puts me at ease and makes me feel most welcomed." "I want to start by addressing the biggest question on everyone's mind: why am I here?" He paused for a moment, letting the question hang in the air. "The answer is simple: I'm here to take back my position as CEO."
A murmur rippled through the crowd, but he continued before they could say anything. "I know there are many questions about how I'll be able to lead the company again aftereverything that's happened, but I'm confident that with the support of the staff and the board, we can make this company even stronger than it was before."
"But from the contract, you only own thirty-five percent share of this company, is it not?" The eldest executive amongst the gathering vocalized, earning a positive murmuring. "How can you be so confident in becoming the CEO again?"
"Because my right still remain as the former CEO and the existing shareholder of this company, no one said I can't." Ryan replied him in a firm and confidence was evident in his voice.
"You officially null your right as the CEO the moment you reject the post when you were offered." Another voiced out in addition. "Do you still think you have the right to head this company?"
"I believe I do." Ryan said, his voice calm and collected. "I wasn't forced to resign as CEO, I did so because I intended to, but there are still othersigned contracts which permit me to resume my post if I must."
He looked around the room, meeting the eyes of each person, and he couldn't deny the confusion that glitters in their eyes. He knows what they are thinking and the question running through each and everyone's mind.
"How possible is that, eh? What contract are you even talking about?" He heard from one of the staff among the dozens of perplexed faces.
"When part ofthe company was sold, there was a contract that was drafted by the other shareholder and I..." He paused abruptly, gazing briefly at the faces of everyone present.
Ryan gently placed the briefcase he came with on the table. He opened it and bring out a file, opening the last page of the file. "This stated; that at the absentee of the highest shareholder, Mr. Ryan Lerman can take over until the absentee is fully back." He said, doing his best to sound confident and convincing. "That contract is still valid, and I intend to exercise my right to return as CEO."
The room was silent as the staff listened to his explanation, some with looks of skepticism, others with uncertainty. But Ryan remained undeterred, his eyes fixed on the board of directors. Afterwhat seems like an eternity, the dead silence was broken.
"What about Mrs. Kent, who's currently filling in Ms. Fellers post?" One of the executives asked, his voice tensed. "Such news as this would never go down well with her."
Ryan cleared his throat lightly. "I know there will be challenges ahead." He continued. "But I'm confident that with the right team, we can overthrow her. I'm here today to ask for your support, I know that we can make this company even better than it was before."
He held his breath as he waited for a response, hoping that he had said enough to convince them. For a few moments, no one spoke. Then, the chairman of the board, Mr. Robert, cleared his throat.
"Mr. Lerman, this is a bold and ambitious plan." He said, his voice measured and calm. "While we appreciate youreagerness to take on this challenge, we must consider the risks and consequences."
Ryan nodded, respecting the chairman's measured approach. "I understand your concerns, Mr. Robert." He replied. "But I believe that the potential rewards outweigh the risks."
"Given in to your proofs and confidence, I think it's the best to hop on the challenge and give you the chance to take over once more, just like you used to..."