Hope This Works
Once the idea of going to the small town where the solar panel plant was located had taken root. There had been no dislodging it. While Emily had been busy preparing things for their last minute travel plans. Derek had been busy getting things ready for the work that would actually take place once he got there. He had familiarized himself with everything, from the key figures he needed to be aware of. To the common complaints that often came from the plant.
Then he had gone about tailoring what he was going to say focusing on those facts. No doubt, now that they had his attention, they would want a raise…everyone always wanted a raise.
When that came up, Derek would be ready. His uncle's monthly expenditure's were more than enough to cover it. So he had decided to take from the man's allocated budget. He'd tried to get in touch, but since his uncle had not been available to discuss the issue, he had written him an email stating that failure to reply within an hour would be taken as an agreement. There had been no reply, so Derek had gladly diverted the funds.
He had been in the middle of planning for other possibilities when his phone had begun to ring. Seeing that it was his mother Derek had wanted to ignore the call. But knowing that ignoring the call might have risked her coming to the office he had answered. It was never a good look to have your mother showing up in the middle of a crisis. Especially when she was the former CEO, and many people were of the opinion that she was still running the show behind the scenes.
"Mother," Derek had answered, and then he had waited, sure enough, he had not had to wait long.
"Is your uncle's little temper tantrum still giving you a problem. I can smooth things over if you want," Derek had forced himself to breathe before he had answered.
"Mother, we talked about this, I am in charge of the company now. You may offer advice, but even then, that does not mean that I will take it," That had earned him a dramatic sigh, but well used to her antics, Derek had held firm.
"But he is such a nuisance, darling," She had continued.
"If your grandfather had not created that imaginary position for him, and then written in his will that it was a lifelong post, I would have gotten rid of him the moment your father died," She might not have been able to kick him out of Haven Group, but his mother had kicked him out of Haven manor. His uncle had not set foot there since the funeral of Derek's father.
"While I appreciate, how much you cannot stand him. He is my problem now mother, let me handle him," There was a long silence on her end, only the sound of her soft breaths letting him know that she was still there. Derek did not get along with his uncle for his own reasons, but his mother was carrying another form of hate for him. Hate on behalf of Derek's father. During his father's lifetime his uncle had made it his job to make sure that Derek's father never knew peace, jealous of his twin's accomplishments. Derek's father had allowed it. Bound by a sense of sibling love. But his mother had hated every moment of it, only staying quiet because causing a ruckus would have hurt her husband.
"Are you certain that you have this covered?" Came her question, and even though she had not been able to see him, Derek had nodded.
"I have a plan in the works. By tomorrow, this whole debacle will be behind us and Haven Group will be stronger than ever," He had injected as much confidence as he could into his voice, not wanting her to hear some of the doubt that he had, and it had worked.
"Take care then, darling, and make sure to make him regret this," She had said before hanging up.
That had been hours ago, and now Derek was looking outside and watching as the lights that meant the town of Joy was close by came into view. They would land soon, and then it would be show time. He really hoped that things worked out.