Daddy (Ashton Irwin)

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

***Ashton's POV***

"There are several companies that have withdrawn their applications for our post bankruptcy program." Our COO said.

I couldn't focus on anything that he was saying. I just kept thinking about Lily. I wondered what she was doing as I sat in a boring meeting.

My phone buzzed on the table in front of me. A few people turned their heads, but quickly looked away when they saw that it was me.

On the screen, I saw a text from Lily.

'Whatcha doin?'

I replied, telling her that I was in a meeting.

She sent back 'Don't make things harder than they should be.'

I frowned in confusion, but before I could reply, I got a snapchat notification from her.

I opened the app and waited for her snap to load. When I saw the red box beside her name, I held my thumb on the screen. I was slightly shocked at what I saw.

Lily was laying in her bed in just her bra and underwear. There was thirty seconds, so I waited for the next picture to show up.

She had taken her bra off and her arm covered her breasts. In the last one, her arm was removed, and I released a breath I didn't know that I was holding.

"What do you think Mr. Irwin?"

"They're perfect." I said before I realized what I had done. I quickly locked my phone and looked back to everyone that sat in front of me.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I apologized.

"I think that we should start looking for companies outside of California to invest in and maybe start looking to set up another office."

"We're not near big enough to start thinking about setting up another office. So far, we have around three thousand companies in California, and less than a hundred in bordering states. What good would it do us to set up an office somewhere else when everything that we have is here?"

"Well, Sir, with all due respect, I think that setting up an office in New York, or another large city in the country, could improve our profit greatly."

"Are you saying that I don't know what I'm doing?" I questioned.

"No! That's not it at all I was just-"

"You were trying to tell me what's best for my company. Before we even thought about building the American office, we had a thousand companies from California. You have to make sure the foundation is sturdy before you build the house."

"You're right, Sir. I'm sorry. However, we do still have the issue of companies withdrawing their applications."

"Have any of them given a reason?"

"No, but I think it has to do with the uh, recent events that have taken place."

"Events as in?"

"The company closing for a few days and the incident with Ms. Brooks." He said sheepishly.

I sighed as I pressed my hand to my temple.

"Well there's nothing we can do about that now. Does anyone have any ideas on how to repair the company's professional image?"

Several glances were passed around the room, but no one said anything.

"We'll get out of here a lot faster if someone says something." I sighed.