Chapter 57 - Family Comes First

"Thank you so much, so there is a deal I want to crack and I have a meeting with the client in a few hours. I got to know they met a lot of our competitors for this project."

"Yeah that is normal, because they want to give this project to the people who would bid the lowest price, it is a norm in the industry."

"Yeah exactly but when I went through the details, I realized it is not about money, they won't give this project to the lowest bidder but it is something else."

"Okay and what is this something else?"

"That I am not sure of, so wanted your thoughts and advice on what to do."

"Who are these investors?"

"The Tanakas, are you aware of them?"

"Yes, of course, actually our company was also supposed to bid for it but it is clashing with another important project we are targeting, 'The Carlson Project', I had to make the hard choice to focus on the Carlsons' instead of on the Tanakas but yeah we did research on them and I do have an idea about this project."

"What are your thoughts?"

"Jimmy, before I share my thoughts with you, I want to know what you think, I just want to see if our wavelengths match." 

"So, what I observed is for the Tanakas, integrity, courteousness, politeness matters a lot, the way they described their project it was obvious how much ethics and values mean to them, even more than money and profits."

"Bingo, that's exactly what I felt too, they are not the people you can impress with showing off the money and the previous successes of your company but showing them how much you value people, for this you need to show them how much you value your own people, so note some of my suggestions, these are the things I would have done if I was dealing with the Tanakas."

"Wait wait let me get a book and a pen to note them down."

"Hahaha Jimmy you don't need a notebook and a pen, just listen to my instructions carefully."

"Okay" Jimmy stopped pacing around and stayed at one place and keenly listened to Rachel's suggestions. His eyes brightened with her ideas.

"Okay Rachel, I'll do exactly like you said, thank you so much, you are the best." saying this Jimmy cut the call and prepared the plan.

Rachel chuckled hearing the childlike excitement in his voice, just then she received a message from Daniel.

'Hope you remember our plan today.'

'Oh I totally forgot, thanks for the reminder.' Rachel replied back. She did remember and was very excited to meet him but she also wanted to tease him.

'Glad I messaged you then' Daniel replied back, he didn't realise she was teasing him.

Rachel laughed at his innocence and thought 'Both brothers are so naive, innocent and cute.' She then continued with her work.

Jimmy skipped his meals and planned his next steps for the meeting. The meeting was supposed to be held in a conference room, Jimmy's secretary was supposed to receive the investors and bring them in there but Jimmy asked her to not do so and he personally went to receive them. Anthony Morris arrived at the main office ten minutes before the investors were supposed to come and he met with Jimmy near the reception area.

"What are you doing here, aren't you supposed to be in the conference room and why the hell did you call me at the last minute, I have no idea anything about this project." Anthony started scolding Jimmy as soon as he saw him.

"Grandpa calm down and listen to me."

"What?" Anthony glared at Jimmy.

But Jimmy was not scared and he glared back at his grandpa, "Just listen to me, go to the conference room and sit on the main chair, the one where the head of the company sits."

"Are you nuts? Your father has taken over the office, why should I sit there."

"God grandpa for once just listen to me and follow my instructions, please trust me and stop annoying me." Jimmy very seriously instructed his grandpa.

Anthony never saw Jimmy to be this serious, so he agreed, "Fine, I'll do as you say but if anything goes wrong you will be the one taking the blame."

"Sure, but please go now, the investors must be reaching, go" Jimmy insisted and therefore grandpa went to the conference room and sat on the main chair as instructed by Jimmy.

Few minutes after grandpa left, the investors arrived, they were three people, two old men and one middle-aged man, Jimmy quickly went to the entrance with his secretary to receive them. As soon as he met them he did a respectful 90 degree bow to wish them, seeing this action of his the two old men instantly became very happy and bowed back their heads, the middle-aged man was not very impressed but he too bowed as a way of courtesy. Following Jimmy's previous instructions the secretary too did the same and received the same respect from the investors.

"I am Jim Morris, I am really sorry sir my father couldn't come for today's meeting as he was stuck somewhere else." Jimmy politely explained while taking them towards the conference room located on the third floor.

"Sure, we can understand, we preponed the meeting at the last minute, so it was not your fault" One of the old men replied.

"Please don't say that Mr. Tanaka, we understand there was an emergency situation at your home, any day family comes first, it is the right thing to keep families on the top priority, I too would have done the same." Jimmy politely said.

The secretary was shocked hearing Jimmy's words 'Family comes first', 'Really young master? you tortured your family to fulfill your dreams and even made fun of yourself and in turn troubled the boss, what a hypocrite you are' secretary cursed but didn't show her feelings on her face and presented herself as the perfect secretary.

The Tanakas were very impressed hearing Jimmy's words, they were happy that such a young man had such golden thoughts, they didn't expect to come across someone like Jim.

When the elevator arrived, Jimmy asked the three men to enter first and then he and his secretary entered. All these small actions of his were impressing the old men but the middle-aged man seemed indifferent towards Jimmy's behavior. They all then arrived on the third floor and entered the conference room.

They all were surprised seeing Anthony Morris in there. As soon as they arrived Anthony stood up from his chair and went towards them and was about to extend his hand for a handshake but the middle-aged man bowed to him to wish him, seeing it Anthony too bowed respectfully to wish them then the old men did the same.

Jimmy felt thankful to the middle-aged man for bowing, he forgot to inform his grandpa to bow to them instead of shaking their hands. He was lucky there was a man younger than his grandpa in the investors team and everything fell into place as according to Tanaka's tradition the younger ones in the room should bow to the older men.

"Everyone please meet my grandpa Anthony Morris, before every important meeting we ensure the elder-most person in our family is present too and every important decision is taken with them in the loop. It is rare for my grandpa to visit the office to attend a meeting after he handed over the company to my father but since we are meeting such important people as you and my father couldn't be present, he decided to come here in his stead." Jimmy explained.

Anthony was surprised hearing Jimmy's words, for a second there he too believed whatever nonsense Jimmy was spouting out, if it were not for him witnessing Jimmy's behavior himself, he would have really believed everything he said, 'Your acting really improved' grandpa thought.

…

One hour back before this meeting

"Grandpa you have to come to the office right now."

"Why?"

"There is an important meeting and I need you here."

"Can't you handle a meeting on your own?"

"I'll handle everything, I just want you to come here and just sit, don't do anything, just sit and smile. Come fast." Jimmy practically shouted on the phone.

"What the hell Jimmy."

"Grandpa dress up and come and if you don't come here in half an hour then from now on I'll come to every gathering of yours with your two best friends and I will also ensure to spoil your fun time, I'll make your life hell." Jimmy seriously threatened his grandpa.

His threat really worked as after hearing his words Anthony sighed in frustration and unwillingly came to the office.

…

Back to the present

'You despicable man' grandpa thought, remembering Jimmy's initial behavior.

Jimmy then led all the three men to the meeting table, Jimmy sat to the left of his grandpa and the other three investors sat on grandpa's right.