The words spoken out loud had stung Karen deeply, hitting her right in her chest. Although she always thought her dad never quite looked her way, or praised her accomplishments when she made large wins, this was the first time she had heard him say those words, that he had actually disappointed her.
She knew the risk of what might come if she came here, that this would be his reaction and she didn’t want to hear the rest. She wanted to turn around and go back through the doors where she had come in, but her feet wouldn’t let her. It was as if she had rooted herself in place the moment he spoke. For all of her confidence in business, for all the times she had negotiated contracts and shut down competitors without hesitation, standing in front of her father made her feel small again.
"For the group to do this much to you, they must be rather powerful, they must have made their place in this world somehow." Dennis claimed. "Sure, I have the connections, I have the money to stop it.
"But why would I do that? Do you think this group that is in the position it is today, had just gotten there randomly, do you not think especially in the world they are in, that they don’t face any opposition?"
Karen didn’t know how to answer, she didn’t know what to say that would please her father. There was no easy response. Everything he was saying wasn’t wrong. It just wasn’t what she wanted to hear. She had come here hoping for support, for protection, maybe even for him to show that he cared about what she had built. Instead she was being questioned.
"When I rose to the position to where I am today, I also had the same troubles!" Dennis shouted. "I fought through the opposition I needed to do everything I could to get to where I am.
"There will always be people trying to bring you down, and when I’m gone, if I was to pass on my empire to you, and you were to face the same troubles you have now, who would you go to then?
"You need to face these troubles on your own, surpass the problems you have to prove that you are worthy, the fact that you have come to me, says a lot, that is why I’m disappointed."
His voice echoed in the room, firm and unwavering. He wasn’t angry in a reckless way, he was decisive. To him this was a lesson, something necessary. To her it felt like abandonment.
Dennis had gone back to shift through some papers on his desk, and took a sip of his whisky. The movement was deliberate. It was clear to Karen that the conversation was over. He had made his stance known. There would be no assistance, no hidden influence pulled behind closed doors, no calls made on her behalf.
Karen knew now anything else she said would fall on deaf ears, this was the cue that their meeting was done, what was said was said. She had no choice but to turn around, and head back the way she came. Each step felt heavier than the last. The long hallway out of the office seemed longer than before.
She drove away in her car, continued to drive, she drove across the sea, and continued on with tears falling down her face, as she had no idea what to do, until she eventually stopped, parked up and walked out onto the beach. The night air was cold against her skin, and the sound of the waves crashing did nothing to quiet the storm in her mind.
As she walked out she was at a loss of what to do, who to go to.
’The fines and fixing everything, it will cost me half of the fortune I have, and even then, how long will I have to fight off this invisible enemy? If they keep causing trouble...and even if it all stops I’ll be starting up again, I will lose everything and there’s a good chance that I won’t be able to revive it to the way it was now.’
Even without funds, once a store, an area was on its last legs, it was very hard to revive it back up again. It took years to build trust and that trust was disappearing in days. Customers wouldn’t wait for legal battles to settle. They would move on. Vendors wouldn’t gamble their resources on uncertainty. They would relocate. Momentum once lost was difficult to regain.
She looked out at the dark horizon, the faint lights in the distance reflecting off the water. All of her work, all of her effort, the brand she had carefully cultivated, the department store she had grown into a flagship symbol of her success, it all felt like it was slipping through her fingers. She had believed that being part of the Stern family meant security. Now she realized it only meant expectation.
"I guess I only have one choice, they helped me out once, and maybe they’re the only people that can help me out again."
Although it was late, she had a feeling that there would be someone that would answer her call and she was right, and she was allowed a meeting. So she hopped into her car and drove until she saw the Billion Bloodline buildings. The structure stood tall, lights still on despite the hour. It felt different from the Stern manor. Less traditional, more modern, more aggressive in its presence.
She walked in, and just like before Darno had escorted her up to the top floor where the chairman would be waiting for her.
"I’m surprised you’re here again so soon?" Darno said.
"I’m also surprised that you’re here even at this time of night." Karen asked. "Do you live here or something."
"Actually I do." Darno replied, and he wanted to say that her son was living here as well as the Chairman as well, but he knew it was best to keep his mouth shut. His expression remained neutral, professional, giving nothing away.
Eventually as they reached the top floor, the door opened and Karen found herself in the same position as before, looking at the masked Chairman sitting behind his desk, only she felt that this time there was nothing going in her favour. The room felt colder than she remembered. The silence felt heavier.
’All I have is my money, and he asked for a high price last time, so what will he ask for this time?’ Karen wondered, as she licked her dry lips and cleared her throat. Her confidence in negotiation returned slightly. At least here the rules were clear. It was business. There was a price for everything.
"I need to ask for a favour." Karen said. "I’m sure you’re aware of what has been happening at the department store...I want you to stop all of this, you can do it right...no matter what it costs, I’ll pay you to stop it."