“It was…” Kendra thought back on the last week and a half. “Unexpected. But I’m glad I went.”
Even though things had ended badly with Lucas, she reallywasglad she’d gone. He’d opened her eyes to how it truly felt to fall for someone. And Kendra had really had a wonderful time. At least until this morning — though her heart still ached at how quickly he’d left.
“Well, you can tell us all about it later.” Ruth smiled. “For now, eat your cake.”
So, Kendra did. It was not broken-heart ice cream, but it was sweet and delicious, and it did take her mind off everything.
CHAPTER 21
LUCAS
“Jim Adams’ actions have saddened me greatly,” Lucas said. His hands gripped the podium as he looked out over the reporters who’d assembled. “I considered him a close friend and a good businessman, and I had no idea of what he was doing. His embezzlement was not only an attack on Omegron but also a personal betrayal.
“That’s why you can count on me to unravel everything he did. I won’t rest until what he did has been put back to rights. Mr. Adams set Omegron back, but he won’t bury us. I remain as committed as ever to creating affordable, top-of-the-line electronics that help both people and our planet. The rest of Omegron does, too.”
Lucas paused as he reached the end of the prepared remarks. His gaze drifted over the reporters again, then he nodded once. “I’ll now take questions.”
Hands flew up, and he indicated a young woman in the front row with a pencil behind her ear and her phone held up to record him. Lucas wondered what the pencil was for.
“Mr. Chambers,” she said, standing. “How could you not have known what was happening in your own company?”
“Mr. Adams had set up a network of fake clients and offshore accounts to be able to siphon off very small, irregular amounts of money from various Omegron departments,” Lucas explained. “No one knew what was happening, and no one could have known. The only way the police found out what he was doing was that he got overconfident and took a larger amount.”
“If you didn’t know what was happening, how can you make sure this doesn’t happen again?” the same reporter asked.
“Great question. Over the last two weeks, since I’ve returned to LA, Omegron has begun implementing a new system of checks and balances. We’ve also introduced increased oversight, including highly competent pattern-recognition software, to reduce the likelihood of a similar situation recurring. Next question, please.”
An older man with a beard and mustache stood, smoothing his tie. “Mr. Chambers, you disappeared right after the embezzlement was discovered. This sparked speculation about your potential involvement, especially since you seem to have been out of the country. Where did you go and why?”
“I left because I wanted to ensure that the investigation proceeded smoothly. At the same time, it was for the best that I stay silent until I had something to say — as I do now.” He hesitated before answering the second part of the question. “As for where I went, I took a little time off near Cabo.”
Memories rushed back from his time in Cabo with Kendra, but he forced them down as he called for the next question. He couldn’t let himself think about Kendra. Not right now. Shealready occupied his dreams and stole into his thoughts in his rare moments of free time, but if he gave in now, he’d never be able to focus on the reporters.
For the next ten minutes, Lucas continued answering the same questions he’d been answering for the last two weeks: What were his plans for Omegron? How did he feel about Jim Adams now? Had hereallynot known about the embezzlement? Each time, he gave the same answers he’d been giving for the past fourteen days, with some variation. This time, though, it seemed like the reporters weren’t quite as eager to trip him up.
“That’s the last one,” Lucas said finally. “Thanks, everyone. Have a good day.”
With that, he headed off the raised dais and into the hallway. Oscar Jones, his PR head, was waiting for him, and the two men fell into step together as Oscar pulled out an Omegron tablet.
“Things are looking great,” he said. He tapped a graphic and showed it to Lucas. “Omegron’s stock prices are starting to rebound, and yesterday’s snap poll showed that most people now believe that you didn’t have anything to do with Mr. Adams’s embezzlement. Even better, most people are now saying that they’re willing to invest in Omegron and buy Omegron products again, and we have seen an increase in the purchase of Omegron products. It’s working.”
“Great.” Lucas allowed himself to take his first deep breath in two weeks. He’d been practically living in the office, eating energy bars and drinking black coffee, his complete focus on his company. When he’d first gotten back, Omegron’s situation had been dire. Although his name had already been cleared, public trust in the company was at an all-time low, as were stock prices.Lucas’s hard work, along with the hours put in by his team, meant that things were finally looking up.
“I’d recommend you take time for yourself,” Oscar continued. “The fires have been put out.”
Lucas took another deep breath. He was relieved, of course, but he was also bone-tired. He’d gone to so many board meetings, crisis sessions, and interviews over the last two weeks that he felt like he was stumbling across the finish line of a marathon.
“Thanks, Oscar. I really appreciate all your hard work on this.” Lucas held out a hand, which Oscar shook.
“I appreciate that, boss.” Oscar smiled. “The next priorities include hiring a new CFO and deciding when to launch our new phone, but those things can wait. At least for an evening.”
“I’ll go home, then.” Lucas paused. “You should, too. You’ve been here as much as I have.”
Oscar nodded. “I will.”
Lucas stopped by his office to get his stuff before heading out. As he walked to the elevator, he passed offices filled with people working and chatting. The Omegron offices buzzed with life again, just as he’d wanted them to. He had brought the company he loved back to its feet after a huge blow. He should be shouting from the rooftops right now.
But the victory felt… hollow.
