The front runner

As Jason made his way back to the front to face the group of people who were to decide on his fate, he thought of a good explanation. The drop the experts had found was the drop caused by him losing focus during the time that Jenny had left the Westwood mansion to live in a hotel nearby. Of course this was something he couldn't use as a reason here. So, when he had to explain the results, he took a deep breath and with his former calmness and confidence said that it had been due to an unfortunate set of circumstances. He elaborated that these circumstances hadn't occurred in all the years prior and were unlikely to repeat itself in the future. Even if they would, now that he had experienced it once, he had taken precautions in order to prevent such errors to occur in the future. Telling them that it was therefore no reason for concern and this situation had proven that he was resilient and was able to come out stronger after a setback.

After Jason had finished speaking and he had thanked the people present once more, the room filled with applause. The explanation Jason had provided had been enough to satisfy the majority board and share holders. He had proved to posses qualities needed by a good CEO. He had made a mistake, he had owned up to it and had corrected his mistake, making the company come out even stronger as a phoenix that rises from its ashes. It was unanimously decided then and there that Jason would become the sixth candidate to be in the running for CEO. Though this didn't mean that everyone approved of him or the explanation he had provided, but even if people hadn't been satisfied by Jason's explanation, they had no valid reason to reject him as a candidate based on that single error that had been more than equally compensated. Even if they wanted to, they couldn't act out if front of Stephen. Not if they wanted to remain in the positions they currently held. So, most of them swallowed back the words that they wanted to say. As right now it was better to cut their losses, before they lost everything. Now they still had a chance to regroup and attack when Jason and Stephen least expected them to, because nothing was set in stone yet.

Fully upset, his family members left the meeting room the moment the meeting ended. One by one they walked out, still fuming on the inside. Congratulating Jason through gritted teeth before they did. The reason for them being upset wasn't just that Jason was accepted as a candidate, but because with Jason's results he was not only added to the list, but he had also become the front runner. If he managed to stay on top till his company had been fully merged with the Westwood empire, he would be named the vice president and it would be clear to everyone that he would be the future CEO. Something which would not change unless he would make an error before he could official inherit that position from Stephen. So, this meant they had to act before that happened.

The last to leave were the other candidates sitting in the back of the room. Today's results were a blow to those selected before Jason, who felt that it was unfair that he could make their hard work for the past years turn into nothing. The results Jason had achieved before gaining access to the connections and resources of the Westwood empire were exceedingly better than they had achieved after the completion of their merger. Making them convinced that Stephen must have helped Jason from the shadows somehow. People like this always faced setbacks like this. Not looking where they had been lacking. Not thinking that they might have underestimated their opponent, making them drop their guard. Not blaming it on not working for it as hard as they should have because they were convinced the position was already theirs. But instead blaming it on the other. Blaming it on the world being unfair. Claiming that the other must have cheated, just because they had or would have. With sour expressions and cutting looks they left the meeting room as well. All but one who tried his hardest to listen in on the conversation that was about to start in the room between Jason, Stephen and their grandfather.

Despite Jason's well thought of impromptu explanation, some of course still remained curious as to what those circumstances were that had him drop the ball that one time. If they knew, then they could try and make him repeat that mistake or a make a similar one. One of the people that was curious, who didn't have such intentions, was Jason's grandfather. When most people had walked out, he asked Jason about it. "Jason, talk to me boy. What circumstances could have made you lose your focus during such a critical time?" Jason didn't want to answer his grandfather's question here but he could see the worry on his face. He looked around and saw that the room appeared empty. This was because the candidate that was the front runner before him, Frederick, had crouched down. Pretending to tie his shoe laces. Making him disappear out of sight, behind the table rows. Luckily, despite it being seemingly safe, not trusting the environment he was in Jason didn't go into any details, but smiled and said in a soft spoken voice "It wasn't me losing focus. There were some personal reasons that had lead to an error in judgement."