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“You wish to return to the States?” Marcel asked as I told him that Garcia’s Group might be going to
the States after all.
“Not return, but rather to move the firm there, papa. I took time to review Mario’s presentation, and after considering all the odds, I saw we could make it work,” I answered,
In the last week, I dedicated myself to Marlo’s insane proposition, trying to make it work. I had to tear it all down and rebuild it back up. I would have thrown it into the trash and left it there, but things changed.
“Pensaste que la idea de Marlo era el suicidio. (You thought Marlo’s idea was suicide,)” He pointed
out.
I didn’t like Marlo’s proposal because it lacked depth. He probably saw the “Land of Opportunity” and thought it was for him. He lacked vision, and it showed in his rash decisions and actions. As ! pointed out during the board meeting, there was more to research before considering expansion. He
didn’t do his homework, but I have.
I also never thought I’d want to return to the States because that was the place I left after almost losing my life. It was a place I didn’t want to be a place that didn’t want me to exist. The memories still lingered, but seeing Oliver and Cecil being happy and loving made me want to go back,
“Because he hopes to set up as an independent firm and wait for financially crumbling companies to seek us out. That’s what the other companies are doing. I hope to take your approach from forty years ago and offer a hand of help to companies that are failing but who are too prideful to ask for help. The United States is home to many massive companies, so we go for the biggest and struggling ones. The economy has hit an all–time low and fallen into a recession, one never seen before, and it will take a while to get it back up. I hope to capitalise on that. If we can raise them back up discretely, they owe us a percentage depending on our involvement. Others will follow suit when they learn of our business offers.” I explained.
Marcel nodded, seeing my point. “It could work.”
The Garcia Group thrived on giving financial advice and, many times, aid to companies going through tough times. Marcel’s father, Hector Garcia, founded this firm after many years of working as a financial expert. Success, however, came after Marcel took over from him forty years ago and reworked the goals and drive of the firm. Macel sacrificed and worked until the firm excelled and
reached its billion–dollar net worth today.
When asked what brought him success, he replied that people ran companies, and most people are
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too proud to ask for help. He took a different approach than his father’s, which was to extend the hand of help to companies instead. This way, their pride remained with them. To do this, Marcel called on his friends, who were just as good and business–oriented as he was.
After the firm became a success, crumbling companies didn’t need to hide; they came to him for financial advice. Garcia’s Group’s advice was not always easy, but it always worked.
“Yes, I think it is the right call for the company,” I replied.
“A right call for the company or you?” he asked, raising a brow at me.
I opened my mouth to speak, but no word came. He was right. It was more for me than for the company, but there was no crime in killing two birds with one stone.
“You do not have to go back there; there is nothing to prove,” he said, reaching for my hand not far
from his.
“Are you saying this for me or yourself, papa?” I asked and raised a brow at him, “Are you saying this because you believe that or because you fear they might come for me like they did four years
ago?”
He didn’t pretend or deny it. “You barely escaped the last time. No quiero perderte. (I do not want to
lose you).”
I squeezed his hand into mine and smiled. “Things have changed, papa. No te preocupes por mi; estaré bien (Do not worry about me; I will be fine).”
Telling my plans to Marcel was one thing; telling my plans to Fermín was another.
“You are going back to the States.” It was a statement, not a question, and his eyes stared at me in
disbelief.
“Yes, Fermín, I didn’t think I would have to repeat myself, even though I have said the same thing twice already,” I replied, and my annoyance grew. “I teamed up with Marlo to work through his presentation in a way the other board member would agree to it.”
“Marlo?” His thick brows furrowed into a frown. “Pensé que habías dicho que odiabas su idea y fue desastrosa. (I thought you said you hated his idea, and it was disastrous.)”
“Because I was looking at it from only one perspective. I’m telling you because I do not want you surprised or confused when you see Marlo in the conference hall tomorrow.” I would have given the presentation myself, but I didn’t want Marlo to feel cheated out of his idea.
He stared at me quietly, and it felt as if he were reading me. “What are you not telling me, mi amor?”
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he asked.
Fermin Martinez wasn’t a fool he was among the most intelligent and catentating men i lanew. That was one of the things I loved about him when we first met. He was much more muturre, being ten years older. He also know what he wanted hen we met two years ago, and he wasn’t afraid to walls
up to me and tell me.
We have dated since then, and we both took our time getting to know the other person well enough. When he asked about Ocean, who was two then. I told him his father, and I didn’t work out That detail I didn’t go too much into, and it was good that he didn’t push
Fermin was kind, gentle, and passionate when he needed to be, and he helped me a lot with figuring many things out, both personally and business wise. He was a partner at the Garcia Group of Companies; his father and Marcel were friends, and he was loyal to the company
A few men had approached me while I was pursuing my master’s, but many cared more about themselves than they did me. With Fermin, everything clicked. I didn’t have to tell him what to do or
how I wanted to be treated; he knew.
Just like there were pros, there were cons. He could read the room, people, and emotions and act accordingly, and right now, he was reading me.
I walked to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Nothing you do not already know. Expansion isn’t so bad. The Garcia group of companies is in Athens, Paris, Australia, and South Africa not because we were too careful but because we calculated the risk and knew the reward
would be much better.”
He nodded, exhaling loudly, “Tine. What is going to happen to us, then?” he asked.
Confusion became known on my face: “I am not breaking up with you, Termin. I am only going to
the States.”
He didn’t look very convinced, though. “¿Está usted seguro de eso? (Are you sure about that?)”
“Si! Now shut up and kiss me, Fermin,” I groaned, and he didn’t hesitate to obey.
I kissed back, and he swept me into his arms and took me back to bed.
