The Numbers That Brought Our Fates Together 75 This Is A Planned Operation.

The head of the public relations department slowly got up from his chair and walked to the speaker's stand. He turned on the projector and displayed the current news bulletin.

"As you can see, the initial positive trend was replaced by sharply negative in just a couple of hours. If earlier information about a possible relations.h.i.+p between Miss Lee and Mr. Anderson was actively supported by the public, now the situation is diametrically opposite.

Several leading media outlets and most of the Internet news portals presented articles about the possible fix-up of the two companies in order to increase the value of their shares in the securities market," the department head began his report.

"What kind of nonsense is that? We already have one of the most expensive stocks in the world. Why do we need such cheap tricks?" A member for the shareholders' council spoke out indignantly.

"It doesn't matter for ordinary people. The names of Lee Pharmaceuticals and Greenline Inc. have been in the top of the information field of the world's leading media for the last three months, and any such event entails significant market fluctuations," the head of the department explained.

"President Lee, one more thing," the head of the a.n.a.lytics department stood up and handed Mr. Lee the papers, "according to our a.n.a.lysis, someone is actively buying up not only our stocks but also the ones of Greenline Inc. and the Berne Group. Other partners are also starting to worry, as their company's stocks also lost in value, but not as significantly as ours."

"Mr. President, we a.s.sume that this is a planned operation. Articles with identical promise came out almost at the same time, and as soon as the price of the stocks reached a maximum bottom, someone began to buy them actively. We can't track who it is yet."

Mr. Lee was listening to the reports of his subordinates attentively and tried to a.n.a.lyze who could be so influential as to buy such a large number of stocks, not only of his company but also of a compet.i.tor company.

'Hmm, it doesn't seem like Greenline Inc. is behind this. What is the point of dropping their own stocks,' Chen thought.

"Mr. President, I'm sorry to interrupt during the meeting. There's a visitor wanting to see you. He's saying it's urgent," the presidential secretary said.

"Who is there?" Mr. Lee asked, feeling a little annoyed.

"Rick Stein from the Berne Group, Sir."

"Rick? Just in time! Take him to my office; tell him I will be in ten minutes."

The secretary bowed and left the conference room.

"So, if you have something to add, then you have eight minutes. I am listening," the president addressed to everyone who was in the room.

. . .

David got out of the car and breathed clean air. Green gra.s.s was spreading for vast distances in front of his eyes. A small river gave the air a special freshness. A gentle breeze played with the leaves of green trees.

"Well, what do you say? Tell me, isn't it great here?" Mom patted her son on the shoulder and walked lightly toward the small house on the top of the hill.

Yes, it was quiet and comfortable here. One may say, it was almost perfect in all the ways, except for one small, but significant fact - cellular communication and the Internet were inaccessible. "Hmm, the village," David sighed with annoyance. 'Well, for a change, one may hang around here a little,' he thought and followed his mother.

When he reached the house, he saw how his parents were already discussing something lively.

"What are you arguing about?" he asked.

The man and the woman, as if they were caught in some sort of secret conversation, immediately pretended that nothing serious was happening.

The man walked forward and hugged his son, "Welcome back, David. I'm glad to see you."

"Likewise, dad. You look great," he praised his father.

"Yes, I am trying. As you can see, I am leading a healthy lifestyle. You, better do it too, do not sit at your computer much, you'd better think about the grandchildren for your mother and me. We won't see Daniel doing it any time soon anyway," Mr. Anderson sighed discontentedly.

"Yes, yes. I am actively working on this issue. Therefore, I wanted to discuss something important with you. Where can we talk face to face? This is a serious matter," David asked his father.

"What serious business?! Well, no business on vacation!" Mom came up and slapped her son with a towel on his b.u.t.tocks. "They gathered here to discuss business issues! Oh dear! To the table, now! You will discuss everything tomorrow," the woman strictly commanded.

David's face looked bewildered by such an att.i.tude towards him. She once again took him as a child and just scolded.

"Hey, mom, what do you mean by "tomorrow"? We'll be home tonight, right?"

"You wis.h.!.+ I sent the driver back to the city; his grand aunt has a birthday. He will pick us up the day after tomorrow," Madame Anderson replied calmly and went into the house.

"What??! What does "the day after tomorrow" mean?! What will I do without communication with the rest of the world for two days?!" David was utterly indignant.

"You will manage to survive these two days easily. As if something could happen in two days."

"That's exactly why I don't spend nights at home!" The young man shouted angrily, but no one listened to him.

. . .

Daniel pulled out his cell phone and called David. After making sure that the subscriber was unavailable, he put the phone back in his pocket and went to the main office of Greenline Inc.

Approaching his brother's secretary, he playfully leaned on the edge of the table and said with a sly smile, "Lily, I have one very important thing for you."

The secretary stopped working at the computer and looked at Daniel, "How can I help you, Mr. Anderson?"

The man leaned lower and almost whispered, "Call the board of directors, please," and he smiled sweetly after saying these words.

The girl swallowed a lump that came up to her throat, "Um, sir, your brother did not give such orders. He demanded not to do anything without his approval while he was away."

A smile immediately disappeared from Daniel's face, "If I get right, you are now saying 'no' to the person who has a controlling stock in the company?"

A little s.h.i.+ver ran through the girl's body, "Well, no way, sir, how can I. I will inform the board of directors of your request."

"Now that's a clever girl," Daniel gave the secretary a charming smile and went on to his brother's office with a steady step.

'Has he always been so terrible?' the girl thought, still feeling the trembling in her knees. 'G.o.d, I hope Mr. Anderson will not fire me after that. I wish he could return as soon as possible.'