2.Take quarterly leadership retreats. 3+ Days
“Quarterly?” Cruz muttered. “I’ll be home less than I already am.”
The marker made soft pounding sounds as Simon continued writing. His body hid the words though, so we all had to wait until he finished.
Jude leaned in closer to me, whispering, “This oughta be good.”
Despite myself, I smirked. It took me back to our sophomore year when we moved in as roommates and signed up for as many of the same classes as possible.
3.Take two weeks of vacation a year.
Jude frowned deeply. “Two weeks? That’s not practical.”
But Simon kept writing.
4.You must get married within the year and sign a prenuptial agreement guaranteeing your wife 50% of your shares upon divorce.
And that’s when the chaos began.
2.Bryce
“You’ve gotta be shitting me,”I said, staring from the words to Simon like I’d read them wrong.
He capped the marker, putting it back in the tray, then stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I can assure you, I’m notshittingyou.”
Aaric said, “Are you thinking clearly, Simon? Does this condition affect your mind?”
Jude stood up next to me, hands balled into fists like this was a physical fight. “This isn’t legal. It’s extortion.”
“Sue me,” Simon said with a shrug. “Then all the shares will be tied up in the courts. We all know the government will makegreatchoices with my assets.”
Quentin got up and paced along the wall of windows, brow furrowed.He has to be coming up with something, I hoped. My mind had been wiped clean by Simon’s last request.
Cruz said, “We’re already prepping to launch the new software arm of the app. Isn’t that enough to deal with without being forced to find a wife too?”
Aaric nodded quickly. “Simon, isn’t there another way? Surely you don’t want us marrying for money.”
We all waited for his answer, and Simon stepped closer to the conference table, bending at the waist and resting his hands against it.
“The research spanned multiple countries and cultures. Whether it was an arranged marriage or a love marriage, the results were the same: Life improves for married men.” The conviction was clear in his tone, but a softness, too, as he added, “You boys are like my children. I can’t fail you like I’ve failed them.”
Cruz spread his hands wide, his watch scraping over the conference room table. “We’re doinggreat, Simon. That’s all thanks to you. There’s no need for this extra stuff.”
“Don’t blow smoke up my ass,” Simon said, aiming a long, hard look at Cruz, then the rest of us. “You boys have a successful company. What else do you have to show for it?”
He gestured at Aaric. “That stupid self-driving electric car?”
Aaric frowned. “It’s good for the environment,” he muttered. But Simon’s gaze was already on Quentin. “You own a football team? Congratulations on watching people throw a ball around.”
Quentin scowled in return.
Then Simon said to Jude, “You have a hospital named after you? Whoopie.”
“I didn’t do that,” Jude retorted.
Simon gestured to Cruz. “That family compound of yours is pretty cool, and yeah, Bryce, you hired some help for your old man on the farm. But you boys all work more hours than you don’t.You don’t have lives.”
Now the room fell silent, because Simon was right. Work was our life. Had been for years.
