MEANT FOR EACH OTHER

CHAPTER 4: The Merger

Bry was surprised and then he said, "Okay, let us talk about it at home. I have already coordinated with your Uncle Anselmo regarding the overall security of you, your Mom and all of your residences and place of work."

She responded, "Okay. Thank you for everything. And yes, let us talk at home regarding the merger."

They decided to go to Monreal Mansion and have their private talk there.

Bry asked her for confirmation, “Are you really sure that you really want the merger?”

“Yes. I know nothing about the coconut industry,” she said. “I am quite lost without Dad. And Mom is still recuperating from all the physical trauma her body had sustained.”

“Once we signed the merger, you are bound to marry me within a year,” he reminded her.

“I know. You will have 60 % shares and I will have 40 % shares. Atty. Cortez had already explained to me the terms and conditions of the merger. As soon as we sign the documents, the merging process within the two companies will start and we can get married sooner or later within a year,” she responded.

“But your half-siblings are still contesting Ninong’s last will and testament,” he told her, “This could impede the merger.”

She informed him, “Atty. Mallari and Atty. Cortez had already studied the case. The only thing they could have a claim on is the Monreal Mansion. Dad and Mom had a prenuptial agreement. All of Mom’s properties prior to the marriage would not be included in their conjugal properties as well as Mom’s earnings from such properties before and after the marriage. In the prenup, Dad had expressed that Mom would be entitled to 50 % of all his assets before and after the marriage upon his death or dissolution of their marriage. As for his last will and testament, such 50 % had been defined as the El Coco Farm and El Coco Company. As his legitimate offspring, he bestowed upon me 20 % of all his assets, which included the ACI shares. His other family received the remaining 30 %. My half-siblings each receive 10 % while their mother also received 10 %. As for the mansion, any offspring of Dad could inherit it but he decided to bestow it upon me in his last will and testament. Atty. Cortez and Atty. Mallari believed that the petition would be dismissed by the court once they presented all the supporting documents including the pre-nuptial agreement as well as the mansion being a life estate as indicated in my great grandfather’s last will and testament . The mansion can never be pawned or sold. Its ownership could only be transferred to any Monreal descendant. Dad left the farm and the company to Mom to keep his legacy. Mom had already arranged for the transfer of ownership of those properties in my name. She told me it was Dad’s wish. Dad knew that if he left such properties to his other family, his legacy might just go down the drain. Also, the merger between ECC and ACI might not be possible. Because our grandfathers and fathers agreed for you and me to marry and not my father’s other daughter.”

Because of her honesty, he also decided to tell her regarding the marriage clause in his grandfather’s last will and testament. “Before you fully decide about marrying me, there are a few more things you need to know.”

Iya was puzzled, “What are they?”

Bry imparted, “When Lolo died, a marriage clause involving us was also indicated in his last will and testament.”

Iya was shocked, “What?!”

Bry continued, “Hear me out first.”

Iya acknowledged it, “Okay.”

Bry stated, “Your Dad knew about the marriage clause. The merger could possibly be the reason. I approached him after the reading of my grandfather’s last will and testament. He told me that he agreed on the marriage clause because it was what both our fathers’ as well as our grandparents’ wished for – to join the two families through marriage. I tried to reason out with him. I told him we deserved to marry out of love and not just because of any arrangement. But he told me not to reject the idea immediately, not until we meet again. Your Dad seems very confident that I will be very interested in you and he was right.”

Iya asked him, “What will happen if you don’t marry me?”

Bry answered, “The 25 % share of your Dad at ACI will remain with you. I will retain my father’s 25 % share. And my grandfather’s 50 % shares would be sold publicly to one major stockholder or numerous minor stockholders. Either one of us is not allowed to buy any of those shares.”

Iya inquired, “Do they have prospective buyers already?”

Bry replied, “None. It would only be sold publicly if we don’t get married within the allotted time. If we don’t marry, then anyone can purchase them at fair market value.”

Iya queried, “So together, we shall only have 50 % control over ACI. My siblings will be allowed to buy those shares?”

Bry responded, “If they have the money, they can buy all 50 % shares or some. We both know what it could mean having those shares in others’ hands, but ours.”

“Yeah, an outsider or a group of outsiders can have a say about ACI. ECC’s existing deals with ACI may be overturned if the outsider or outsiders may not work cooperatively with us,” Iya asked him personally, “Is it the reason why you are pursuing me?”

Bry became honest, “Partly. I would be lying if I said no. I really disagreed with the idea as soon as I heard it, even if the ACI is very important to me. Even if I have my own multi-billion business empire, it is still my family’s legacy. When I approached your Dad, he told me to meet you again before I make any decision. I know that even if I courted you there is a possibility that I will not convince you to marry me. So I still tried. Anyway, you are quite attractive and we already know each other. Marriage will both be a win-win situation for us. Nobody else but us should know that we are not marrying for love.”

Iya weighed the pros and cons, then stated, “You are right. But still I do not like the idea of marrying not for love. It was only recently that I discovered that my parents married for political reasons and not for love. Dad’s first love was the mother of my half-siblings.”

Bry stated, “I was also surprised when I found out that Ninong had another family. Your parents really seemed to love one another.”

Iya imparted, “Well, they do. According to Mom, they might not have married for love at first because my grandparents had betrothed them for political reasons. But they had always been honest with each other. They became the best of friends and that eventually led to love. According to the personal letter I received from Dad, they already loved each other before they had me. He had fallen out of love with his first love. He mentioned his first love and their son and daughter, being bitter and materialistic. Anyway, I also got my own inheritance from Mom. She has already transferred her 55 % shares of Maria Navarro Memorial Hospital under my name. As her deputy, bit by bit, she allows me to perform the duties and responsibilities as the chairperson of the board of trustees of the hospital and as chief of surgery. I am also earning a lot from my profession. Nevertheless, El Coco Company and El Coco Farm were everything to my father. The farm had been with the family for three generations while El Coco Company was his brain child. He knew I had no interest in the coconut industry and he indicated in his letter that you are the only person he can entrust the company with should I decline managing it on my own.”

He informed her, “I have a year starting from the reading of my grandfather’s last will and testament to execute the marriage clause. If you are fully decided on our marriage, we can still have a longer courtship stage before getting engaged and eventually getting married.”

She asked, “I am already fully decided. Could we sign for the merger immediately?"

He answered, “Yes, we could sign the merger already tomorrow. I will inform Atty. Mallari and Atty. Cortez to prepare the necessary documents. You do not need to learn the ropes of managing the farm and the company anymore. Once the documents are signed, the merging process will start. I can already manage ECC on your behalf.”

“Thanks,” she felt relieved.

He then suggested, “But I still suggest you hire your own executive assistant. Even if I manage ECC, you still need to attend some business meetings and business functions. You still need to understand the operations of the company. An executive assistant could also help you out with your medical career as well as your civic activities.”

She acknowledged it, “I will hire one. Have you any person to recommend?”

He had recalled his maternal cousin. “You can hire Lacey. She used to work for me when she was still single. Her husband had just died a few months ago. She is left with their one and only son. She needed a job. I got no hiring at ARC as well as at ACI.”

She knew about Lacey. They were classmates in high school. “Okay, I will hire her then.”

Bry video called his cousin via his smartphone and let Iya talk to her.

They agreed for Lacey to start the following day. Lacey was so thankful.

After the video call, he informed Iya. “By the way, I have already contacted Callix Valderama about the installation of CMOS and CSS here at your home, the farm, the company, and the hospital. CMOS will help you a lot with managing the hospital and monitoring the activities at the farm and ECC. CSS will be for your safety. I also instructed my chief security officer to hire more security personnel to keep you and your Mom safe, whereas your uncle will have the security personnel he would hire for the hospital and your other properties.”

She appreciated it, “Thank you for making things much easier for me. These things had also been planned by Dad and Mom. But with what happened to them, I need to take charge.”

He informed her, “Both software systems along with the hardware will all be installed tomorrow. I personally asked Callix to expedite the process since he has already received the requests from your parents last week. You will get 50 % discount because Callix and I are FEBC brothers.”

She said, “There are funds allotted for the CMOS and CSS already. As for my added security personnel, I will ask Lacey to arrange funds for them too, tomorrow.”

He told her, “I hired the added security so I will pay for their salaries. Just pay for the security personnel that your uncle hired for this mansion, the hospital, the farm, the corporation and your family's other residences. You are your Mom’s personal security will be my responsibility. You and your Mom are my family, so please don’t argue with this anymore. It is a promise I made to your Dad to keep you safe as well as your Mom when he is gone. Your Uncle Anselmo is also very occupied with all the matters of the city government. So when I contacted him, he felt somehow relieved. He was very much aware of all the connections of FEBC members.”

She did not argue anymore, “Okay.”

He added, “So, while everything is not in order yet, I suggest that you stay at Angeles Manor for a while. I cannot jeopardize your safety. You will be safer at Angeles Manor than here at the mansion.”

She argued on such, “But people around us will speculate on so many things if I stayed with you at Angeles Manor.”

He told her, “Then, we have to go public with our relationship. We can do it by the end of the month at the charity gala of the Angeles Foundation. We can attend together and I will introduce you to everyone as my girlfriend.”

She had misgivings, “If we did that, my adversaries would be yours as well.”

Bry accepted, “That is indeed my goal, Iya. I think Lavinia is so confident in her plans because you and your Mom have lost your formidable protector, who is Ninong. She does not seem to see your Uncle as capable as your father. Protecting you and your Mom is now my responsibility.”

“Okay,” but she still voiced out, “But I am still unsure if staying with you at Angeles Manor would be a good idea.”

He already knew how stubborn Iya could be. He had to be firm on her at times, “I will not take advantage of you, Iya. To hell what will people say?! Your safety is my utmost concern. I think that Lavinia will not stop until you and your Mom are dead. So let me protect you and stop being stubborn for once in your life. I promise your Dad that I will protect you and you will also be my wife eventually. So just listen to me on this matter, okay?”

She even said, "I could just stay in our other residences. Dad had just purchased a condominium unit for me near the hospital."

He said, "My security team will have to check if you will be safe there. So, for the time being, you should stay in Angeles Manor with me and all my well-trained household and security employees.

True to his words, the front driveway of the mansion had been bombed as they argued about whether she would go with him or not.

Iya was in a panic as she heard a loud sound of what seemed to be an explosion, "What was that sound?" She even looked outside from the window and saw some sort of fire and smoke by the main gate of the compound.

Bry’s chief of security, Gener, who had followed his SUV in a security convoy to the mansion, had rushed inside the house to immediately inform them regarding the bombing and the attack. Gener had already arranged for their escape. Bry’s helicopter pilot had already been called upon for an extremely urgent emergency extraction, "The compound is under attack, Boss. Dr. Iya. Our men are trying to delay them. The security personnel of the mansion had all been wounded due to the bombing. We should head now to the back lawn for the helipad."

Iya panicked, "Why are they attacking the mansion? Could Lavinia Tecson order this too?"

So Bry had to pacify her, “We need to go now, Iya. Every second counts. They are by the front gate already.”

They moved very fast. Gener had provided Bry with two guns as they ran toward the helicopter. Bry gave the other gun to Iya.

He told her, “This is for your safety, Iya. Shoot the attackers if they get near us.”

She answered, “I cannot. Why do you even have guns? Is it legal for you to use a gun?”

A man had shot at them. Gener had immediately fired back, knocking up the shooter.

Bry told her, "Everything I do is legal, Iya. All these guns are licensed and my security team all had clearance to use them if my life is somehow in danger from the most wanted criminals that FEBC had strongly bent on taking down by providing all the advanced technology and ammunition to the law enforcers. So take this gun now and shoot for your own protection. Immobilizing shots or disarming shots only, okay? I know you are a sharpshooter. So unleash that skill."

Iya held on to the gun. She had target shooting lessons in the past. Her father had insisted in the past on her having self-defense training as well as target shooting lessons. But it never came to a point wherein she used such skills that she learned. Her father had always provided her with a bodyguard/driver in the person of Manong Herman. But with Manong Herman in the hospital as well, she was left with no choice.

Another man had run shooting after them. Bry had fired back, knocking up the shooter. Another three more appeared. She shot back in sync with Bry and Gener.

Iya seemed to be talkative when she was anxious, "Why are there so many men after us? They keep on coming even if we have already immobilized one after the other."

Bry told her, "Lavinia Tecson definitely wanted you and your mother dead. She even timed all of their attacks on a Sunday. I do not like it so, Gener. Where is the helicopter? Have you already notified the police about this?"

His chief of security answered, "Those are the first two things that I did, Boss. But it is a Sunday. So most people are resting. There might be a slight delay."

But even more men appeared as they ran to the back lown of the mansion where the helipad was.