Jolyn walked into the company's reception room with brisk steps that spoke of her hurry, her brows were creased and worry was etched on her face. Directly to the receptionist she went, and without skipping a bit or letting the receptionist ask for her name and reason for visit, she said, "I'm Jolyn Hale, and I have an appointment with your manager today."
Source
"Give me a minute, let me clarify from the schedule." Saying so, the receptionist whose name tag read 'Haley Gallan', pulled out a ledger from the desk below and flipped.
"When was your last meeting with the Manager please?" Haley asked politely, her tone calm.
"Two days ago, October 16th." Jolyn replied, the calmness the receptionist exuded was a tad contagious as it calmed her a bit, not much, but a bit.
"Oh, yes, Jolyn Hale. You where scheduled to meet again today. Sorry for the wait, please head in, the Manager is expecting you." Haley said with a calm smile, but it had lost it effect on Jolyn, her nerves were back again.
Without saying anything in reply, Jolyn headed to the elevator, the ride was brief and soon it opened with a 'ping'. A penthouse, renovated and refurbished to become an office greeted her, in front of the wide Windows was a massive mahogany table, and on it seat Sat a man who had a honorable bearing and dignified air around him.
"Good afternoon Ms Hale, thank you for coming." He stood up from his seat and offered his hand for a handshake. She grasped it firmly as she replied with, "The pleasure is ALL mine."
"Do have a seat please."
When she was comfortably seated, their conversation began. Jolyn had bought 30% of the shares of the company two years ago, and as one of the shareholders, if the company had an up wind in gross profit, she benefitted massively from it success and progress. investments was needed as well, owning shares was not Enough, she knew that, that's why she made sure to be part of every movement and projects the company made. There was none as invested in it as she was.
But recently, Jolyn had began to suffer a loss, or so she noticed anyway. She had sat down to tally her account and come to a shocking discovery, one that shook her core and left her flabbergasted. While the income she received at the end of every month seemed high on paper, it didn't cover for the little investment she had made here and there in the company's many project.
She was suffering a massive 20% loss every month, and worse, it was increasing at an alarming rate.
Thus, two days ago, she had come to clarify things with the board, but she was informed that most of them weren't in state at the time. Her worry had escalated, she feared that if this issue wasn't rectified at the earliest, there would be nothing else she'd be able to do. Luckily for her, she was scheduled to come today, as the manager was going to be in office.
"A 20% loss in gross profit with a 2% to 5% increase every month?" Mr Harold, the manger asked, his face a mask of calm.
"Yes, yes, exactly. Which is worrisome because the company doesn't look to be in a period of loss, infact, it earning more profit than it has in the last year. So how is it that I'm suffering such a terrible loss and not growing along with it? There's definitely something wrong." Jolyn said with worry and a touch of satisfaction. Clearly, the Manager was a gentleman who understood the situation thoroughly, she only needed to say it once.
"Right, right. I have a question for you Ms Hale. Did you read the non redrawal contract in it entirety?" Mr Harold, questioned with a kind of stillness that unnerved her, suddenly, she wasn't feeling comfortable about how things were going anymore.
"Well, no, not really." Jolyn admitted, her cheeks burned hot with shame and embarrassment, but she pushed through, she needed to clear things up.
"Well, if you had, you would see in the clause where it stated that new shareholders after a year will have to give up their monetary right to the company in little suggestion.
First 20%, then 40%, then 50%, until they slowly lose everything they own to the company within a period of five years. So then Ms Hale, what problem did you come to clarify?"
Jolyn sat stumped, as she felt goose bumps crawl under her skin. She had been completely defrauded of everything she owned, but in such a legal manner that there was nothing she could do about it.
"Please see yourself out Ms Hale, and have a good day."