Offer To The CEO

Tuesday, continued …

Once they had left the courtroom and where shown into a private room for their discussions, Anna turned around and looked at everyone in the room until the door had been shut.

As soon as the door was shut, Anna spat out "How dare he do this. What gives him …"

Amanda, put her hand on Anna's arm to calm her down. Hou Yi, when he rang them this morning pleaded with them to keep her as calm as possible. He had explained to them the worry about Anna getting too stressed out given her collapse the previous weekend and its risk to her pregnancy. As Hou Yi had told them the risk was that too much stress could result in a miscarriage, and that Anna would not cope with that.

Anna turned at Amanda's hand on her arm and looked at her friend, who quietly said "Anna calm down, the last thing you need is …"

Still wound up, Anna spat back "Do not tell me to calm down …"

Amanda realizing that not only was her friend hormonal due to her pregnancy she was having a bridezilla moment due to the potential this would ruin her wedding. Amanda understood the feeling, given that she had lost count of the similar moments she had because of her and Tan's parents in planning their wedding. Yao Tan, however sensed that she was becoming worried and moved behind her taking Amanda gently into his arms.

"Anna, take a couple of deep breaths and let us see what can be done," Yao Tan said quietly but firmly.

That, sunk into Anna, and following Yao Tan's suggestion she took a few deep breaths, which calmed her down somewhat. She turned to the national prosecutor's representative before stating "He had to be crazy. My husband and I are scheduled to leave tonight to head to Australia, where before my family and friends we are having a religious ceremony to bless our marriage on Saturday. That b*stard wants to do this. No Way. Plus, I suspect he will be contesting the charges all the way along."

Amanda could see Anna was getting would up again, so decided to take a more direct approach "Sir if he is going to contest the charges, why drag it into court so quickly. That is obviously a tactic to mess with his victims more. This wedding has been planned ever since CEO and Madam Hou got married, and at the last minute he wants to pull this stunt."

"Additionally, my stepdaughter, one of his victims is studying in Australia presently and forcing her back will interrupt her education. She is due back late November early December, and to be realistic waiting until them, in all the circumstances should not matter."

"Madam Yao, we will be in the court's hands as to available dates. Mr Nang can put forward the point, and we will support it. I suspect he wants to use this to force his victims into a private compensation settlement to prevent matters going before the court."

Amanda and Anna turned to Alister Nang "All we can do is ask. At the moment for matters where the defendant is intending to contest charges there can be about a three- or four-month delay for a hearing. Mr Lu's lawyers are not stupid. What they want to do is force an agreement to one or two charges to proceed in relation to the first matters without jail time"

"They know we will not be agreeing to that. It is all about messing with your mind and pushing out the other matters for as long as possible for him to arrange as many payoff's as possible. The real issue is him being released until the next court date. His lawyers, if I can read the mood of the court, will succeed in having him released…"

Anna now highly angry about the situation "No damn way should he be allowed out."

"Madam Hou," responded the lawyer from the national prosecutor's office. "You need to be realistic. The sheer volume of charges he is currently facing and the real potential for hundreds of more charges to come, the court is going to be sympathetic to the view that he will need to be free to appropriately consult with his lawyers, simply to ensure that the court process can go as smoothly as possible."

Yao Tan, decided he needed to say something "Look gentleman, we have to be in the hands of the court, but the most important thing, will be the protection of Anna, CEO Hou, my daughter and my wife and I. We are the people he cannot easily manipulate or payoff, and therefore we will be the people he will likely target."

Anna was ready to yell, but her mobile started to vibrate in her pocket, so she pulled it out. It was Hou Yi. When she answered it, Hou Yi said "Sweetheart, I get the impression that you are not going to cooperate Calm …"

"What!"

"Anna, Yao Tan dialled me, and I have been listening." With that Anna shot a look at Yao Tan who realized that he was in trouble for having dialled Hou Yi so he could listen. "You are not thinking rationally presently, and Amanda is right you are going Bridezilla. I was expecting it…"

"You are …"

"Dead, but you love me so you will not hurt me. Now I am going to talk to Alister Nang, and for one occasion I will insist that what I tell him is what we will go with. Just remember we have something more important that this coming up on the weekend."

"Fine, Yi" came Anna's pouting response "But just remember I am …"

"So, in love with me. I love you sweetheart. Now pass me over to Alister Nang please."

Anna handed her phone over to Alister Nang.