Becoming strangers again (Lily and Ryan)

Chapter 72

RYAN

On the second day, we managed to successfully negotiate a settlement with the company whose design we were accused of stealing. We reached an agreement to keep the matter confidential, away from the prying eyes of the press and the public. which they agreed to uphold.

The issue here is that the already had the design on the process of registration before release, while we worked on release before registeration which is why before the law they are the rightful owners of the design.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not accusing this Sophia girl of having stolen the design because YAEW company registered the product before us. The main issue is that during the period when the started the registration process and made necessary payment, Sarah was yet to submit the product.

Feeling tired and mentally drained, I pushed myself to plow through the mountain of work in front of me, hoping to at least grab a proper lunch since I hadn’t had a decent meal since yesterday.

Suddenly, my phone rang, interrupting my focus. Absently, I reached for it on the table and swiped to answer before placing the call on speakerphone to free up both hands. “Ryan Williams, I greeted, my attention split between the caller and the piles of files demanding my attention.

“What’s happening, Ryan?” Lily’s voice echoed through my office, instantly grabbing my full attention.

Startled, I tore my gaze away from the hardcopy file in my hand to focus on her words. “What do you mean?” I asked a sense of unease settling in the pit of my stomach.

“There are rumors swirling around the internet alleging that your company stole and reproduced a design from YAEW company,” Lily informed me, her tone laced with concern.

My eyes widened in disbelief as I swiftly grabbed my tablet, desperate to verify the unfolding crisis. Simultaneously, the door to my office burst open, and Angelo rushed in, his expression grave.

“The news is spreading like wildfire on the internet,” he blurted out, thrusting a file towards me. “And they’re suing us.” His words hit me like a punch to the gut as I scanned the summon letter from the court that he brandished before me.

How could this be happening? Hadn’t we agreed to keep this matter confidential and settle out of court? “Get Mr. Geo on the line,” I instructed sharply, my frustration mounting.

Angelo winced, delivering unwelcome news. “He’s not taking our calls. They’re all being transferred to their legal team.”

Running a hand wearily down my face, I felt a surge of exhaustion wash over me. “I’ll have to call you back, Lily,” I muttered into the phone, abruptly ending the call before she could respond. “Get our legal team here,” I commanded Angelo, steeling myself for the battle ahead.

As Angelo confirmed the impending arrival of our legal team, his phone rang, and he apologized before taking the call. Ignoring his distraction, I feverishly scrolled through my phone, searching for contacts who might assist me in this dire situation.

Angelo cleared his throat, drawing my attention. I looked up to find him shifting nervously on his feet. “What’s the matter?” I asked wearily, feeling as though things couldn’t possibly worsen any further.

He took a deep breath before responding to my query. “Your father is in the elevator, on his way up to your office,” he informed me.

I clicked my tongue in frustration. “Of course he is,” I muttered under my breath, resigned to the inevitable confrontation that awaited me.

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As if on cue, the office theos qwing open, and my father strode in his gaze sweeping the room until it settled on me. “I entrustslibe company to you and this is how you repay my trai?” he admonished, his voice dripping with disappointment. Ignoring Angelo’s attempted greeting, he advaited further into the office. “What’s going on. Ryan?” he demanded, his tone brooking no argument

Nothing I can’t handle. I replied, mustering a facade of confidence, though I knew it was a blatant lie.

My father settled into the chair opposite me, his expression skeptical. “This clearly looks like something you cannot handle. he countered, his disappointment palpable. “How do you expect the company to recover from this if we’re found guilty in

court?”

His words only made my throbbing headache worst. “This won’t go to court, I can assure you of that, I insisted, attempting to reassure him.

He shook his head, unimpressed. “I’m sorry, son, but your reassurances mean nothing to me. The fact that the news is spreading like wildfire across the internet indicates that you’ve lost control of the situation.”

His relentless criticism grated on my nerves. “Your incessant nagging isn’t helping me at all,” I snapped, my patience wearing thin. “I’ve told you, I’m handling the situation. What more do you want from me?”

“Results,” he deadpanned. “I want results from you, Ryan.”

Leaning forward, he placed his hands firmly on the table, his expression intense. “What measures did you take to prevent this from becoming public knowledge in the first place?”

I straightened in my seat. “I had a discussion with Mr. Geo, and we reached an agreement not to escalate the issue publicly while we sought to settle the matter out of court,” I explained, hoping to justify my actions.

My father’s reaction was swift and vehement. He threw his hands up in exasperation. “You did what? You agreed to settle?” His disbelief was obvious, and I braced myself for his reprimand

Perplexed by his response, I allowed him to elaborate. “By agreeing to settle, you’re essentially admitting to the crime,” he explained sternly. “I’d wager every dollar I have that they’ve got a recording of you suggesting settlement outside of court as evidence of your guilt. By agreeing to your terms and agreeing to refrain from publicizing the issue, they effectively ensured that you would let your guard down and fail to mount a proper defense against them.”

“Damn it! Why didn’t I consider that angle?” I cursed inwardly, berating myself for not seeing the situation from a strategic perspective. My focus had been solely on containing the news and shielding myself from the board’s scrutiny.

My father’s voice cut through my self–recrimination, offering a clear path forward. “This is what you should have done,” he asserted. “You should have taken the initiative to release the news to the public, despite your promise to YAEW. By doing so, you would have framed the narrative, casting

them as the aggressors falsely accusing your company of theft. Instead, you find yourself in the unenviable position of being perceived as the perpetrator who stole their designs.”

His words hit me like a wake–up call. I should have sought his counsel from the start. “What do you suggest I do now?” I inquired.

“Find a way to position yourself as the victim in the eyes of the public,” he advised, his tone firm. He fell silent for a moment, lost in thought. “But did we really steal it?” he pondered aloud, his expression troubled. When I confirmed his suspicions, he muttered a curse under his breath.

“I can’t believe you allowed something like this to happen. You were too preoccupied chasing after your ex–wife to see this coming.

“Don’t bring Lily into this,” I cautioned him, unwilling to involve her in our fraught conversation.

He returned my glare with a steely gaze of his own. “I never intended to,” he retorted sharply. “I don’t have the luxury of discussing individuals of little importance.“–

III

Before I could protest, he wayed me off, redirecting our focus. “Let’s get back to the matter at hand. While you work on rebuilding the company’s public image, dig up some dirt on YAEW. Use it as leverage to coerce them into dropping the

lawsuit.

“And if we can’t find any dirt?” I pressed, skeptical of his plan.

“You will,” he asserted confidently. “Leave that to me. I’ll deploy the right people to uncover whatever skeletons they’re hiding.”

I nodded. “And what about the stolen designs?” I inquired, recognizing that this was a crucial issue that couldn’t be overlooked.

He scrutinized me for a moment before absentmindedly scratching his beard. “Always striving to do what’s right. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t concern myself with the stolen design. The damage has been done, and life must go on. However, given your conscientious nature, I suggest a different approach.”

He leaned forward, his expression serious. “Have your team create three new designs and offer them as compensation. Ensure that it’s documented that the misunderstanding has been resolved. Then, demand a public apology from YAEW, Before they produce the designs you gave them, produce something similar but not identical

I furrowed my brow, uneasy with the suggestion. “Do we really need to resort to such underhanded tactics? Why not simply allow them to keep the design?” I questioned, hoping for a more ethical solution.

“The company will suffer losses regardless, my father countered “But if you follow my instructions and they proceed to produce the design you provided, the public perception will shift. They’ll see YAEW as the ones copying us, and the company will be at a disadvantage because despite receiving compensation in the form of new designs, they won’t be able to proceed with production”

As I looked at him, a dawning realization washed over me. I finally understood why he refused to step down from the board even after officially resigning. My father’s shrewdness and strategic thinking were indispensable assets, especially in times of crisis like this.

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