THE LIE: DECEPTION TO THE CEO

One month later

On the fortieth day of the workers’ strike, Christopher was released, due to the fulfillment of his sanction. But, just at that moment, his father was rushed to the Clinic, with an acute myocardial infarction that happened to him, when he confronted the group of workers.

Besides, that same day in the morning, in the stock market, the company’s shares had lost a lot of value, generating losses for millions of dollars, which could lead to the closing of the company, strongly affecting the engineer, Ozzi Morillo, Christopher’s father.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

His mother, such an even-tempered woman, was totally devastated thinking the worst, although her husband was still alive. Christopher could not believe what was happening, he never believed that refusing to negotiate with his workers could even end his father’s life.

-Mom, I’m here! -he answered, when he arrived at her side at the Clinic, while his father was being attended and they were trying to stabilize him. They were not allowed to enter the room where he was kept, but his sister Daniela and her husband Thiago were with him.

-What happened to daddy, Thiago? asked Christopher, trying to calm his anguish, in the presence of his mother when he saw his brother-in-law leave.

-He had a heart attack! -The doctor assured him, running his hands over his head, with deep concern. To him, Ozzi was a father, not a father-in-law. Turning to his mother-in-law, he commented.

“Maddie, he needs to have a catheterization!

-Is it indispensable? -She asked. “Please explain, son,” she added, looking at him and letting her tears run down her cheeks.

-Yes, it is indispensable. It is an exploratory procedure by which a catheter is introduced from the groin to the left side of the heart and if there is a blockage, a stent is placed,” he explained, adding, “But we need your authorization for it.

Maddie immediately authorized the procedure, which was scheduled to be done in two hours. Once this was completed, Ozzi was hospitalized at the Clinic for follow-up and to monitor his evolution, so far everything was going very well.

Christopher stayed with his family that night to wait for the progress of his father’s health. At dawn, he was evaluated again and showed a slight improvement. Due to this, Christopher announced to his mother that he would go to the mansion to change.

-Mom, when I leave, I will come to accompany you. Tell dad that I already found the solution so that he remains calm,” he said with a strong feeling of guilt, for not having looked for a quick solution to the conflict, in an objective way.

-Calm down, son! Your sister assured me that the danger is over, so go ahead and be confident, besides, I don’t think he will be discharged today. In any case, I’ll let you know,” said his mother, hugging her son, who apparently lost weight in those days he was detained.

-Okay! Please, whatever you need, call me,” he begged, leaving and saying goodbye to his sister and brother-in-law.

After showering and changing at home, he left for his company. When he arrived, the first thing he did was to call his lawyers to get Amber Tovar’s cell phone number. Once they located it and got it to him, he called her to negotiate with her alone, without the presence of anyone else.

Ring! Ring!

-Amber? -asked Christopher, when the call was answered.

-Yes, this is she! -she answered indifferently, recognizing his voice.

-Amber, it’s me Christopher, I need you to meet with me to negotiate the contract, but you alone with me, without anyone else,” he demanded.

-That is impossible,” she answered, with an impostured voice, without hesitation or fear, “the workers have their own representatives, who speak and decide for them, I cannot assume that role.

-But if you could decide without consulting them, to send me to the checkpoint,” he cried with hostility.

-I’m sorry, but I wanted to indulge myself,” she said, putting aside her professionalism.

-That means that all this has been simply a personal vendetta against me and that it almost cost my father his life,” he added, hurt.

-Acquired rights are not negotiable -was her answer, calm and collected- Being that precisely the essence of this conflict, therefore, you must only comply with their demands.

-Is that your last word? -he asked.

-Yes!” she answered, maintaining her entrenched position, without giving in.

-Then, I will wait for you with the president and, at the most, with the secretary of the union that accredits the majority of the workers’ representation, today at five o’clock in the afternoon in the company’s meeting room,” he said.

-Perfect! We will be there,” she replied, with a smile on her face, feeling happy bells ringing in her heart at this triumph.

In the afternoon

In the boardroom of Constructora MORILLO & WOOD, Amber arrived with the president and the secretary of the union for the meeting, simultaneously with Christopher and his lawyer. Meanwhile, all the workers were in expectation of this outcome.

This session lasted until midnight, at which time the meeting was adjourned. From this, she came out totally tired, but satisfied and with a wide smile, for the victory obtained. For this reason, she was applauded and cheered by the workers, who did not move from there.

However, Christopher came out with his face slightly stiff, tired, with red eyes and dark circles under his eyes that made him look bad. In addition, to the frustration of having had to give in to almost everything requested by the workers, obviously advised by Amber.

He is getting into his car and observing the time, he called his mother and then his immediate boss, who had given him the order, that at the time he left, to call him. She gave him a summary of the outcome. As she hung up the call, she noticed Christopher standing at the side of her car door…