30 Good and Bad News

"Because he just sent Ardi, my son, to the hospital yesterday and Ardi has told me, although the cleaning service cannot be fired according to Ardi's previous promise to him, but the cleaning service cannot go anywhere in this company," said Aji.

"What does that mean, sir?" asked Gatot.

"He must remain as a cleaning service as punishment for hitting Ardi and hospitalizing him."

"But that's a shame, sir. The cleaning service is very good, Mr. Aji."

"I don't care! Ardi is currently in the hospital in a very miserable state, so I don't care if she will benefit the company or not, after all my company is doing well, it doesn't need someone like her, the one who beat up Ardi. So, she should stay where she is as a cleaning service!"

Gatot was very surprised to hear these words from Aji but as a subordinate, Gatot could only let out a long sigh. Actually, he felt it was a shame that a talent as great as Ken was not utilized by the company just because of the grudge after Ken and Ardy's fight.

Finally, Gatot languidly left Aji's company leader's room to return to his room. "What about these two laptops, sir? Do you want to keep checking them?"

"Take them there. I don't need people who have harmed my son. Take these two laptops away. I don't need them!" snapped Aji,

Finally Gatot was forced to leave Aji's room with these two laptops.

When Gatot thought about Ken's greatness, Gatot felt that it would be a shame to let such a great talent go to waste, so he immediately contacted his friend who was a stockbroker in the rival company Mulia investment and securities led by Aji.

"What do you mean, Gatot? You said, you want to offer a talented stockbroker that your company has, is that it?"

"Yes, Gung," said Gatot to his friend named Agung who worked at the rival company Mulia investment and securities.

"Hmmm."

"If you don't believe in his ability, you see my account history that I sent to you. You see the spike that my account did all day. He did that and not me."

"Okay, I'll take a look first. I'll call you back later," Agung said on the other end of the phone.

Gatot had indeed sent the history of traders made on his account by Ken this morning, to Agung.

Towards the end of office hours, Agung called Gatot. "My boss and I have seen it, Mr. Gatot, and I have conferred with my boss. My boss is eager to meet that person. He wants to offer a high salary but, my boss has a question, why don't you take the guy? Why would you let him go?"

"Because that person had a problem with the son of our CEO. He hit our CEO's son and was hospitalized and is still in the hospital. Therefore, that person cannot be a stockbroker in our company."

"Okay, if that's the case, I'll confer with my boss again, okay? You just wait there, my boss is beside me."

"Okay, after that, Gatot only heard whispers on the other end of the phone until Agung's voice came back.

"Our boss wants to recruit that person, give us his phone number so we can contact him."

Seeing the opportunity, Gatot immediately took advantage of it. "No. I never said it was free, Agung."

"What does that mean?"

"I found him. During the 1 year he worked here, no one knew of his abilities, he was never given the chance to become a stockbroker, until I found him. I taught him to use his instincts in the stock market, therefore, I must own 60 percent of his initial contract value. After that, if there is a contract extension, you can extend it with him without having to pay me again."

Agung could be heard whispering in the background again until he finally said, "Alright. We agree. Just bring your man to meet us at our company. The contract signing will be done in front of you, so you can know how much share will go to you."

"Okay. What salary are you guys offering and also the contract? So that I can discuss that with him."

Finally, after Agung went back to the back, Agung started to say the amount of salary, bonus and contract offered to Ken through Gatot.

"Okay, tomorrow morning I will bring him to you. His current job is very low so I'm sure he'll be willing to accept it."

"Okay. We'll see you in the morning."

After that, Gatot walked out of his room with a face so radiant he wanted to find Ken right away.

After circling around, Gatot finally managed to find Ken who was walking with Lidya. It turned out that Ken and Lidya were about to leave the office together.

"What's wrong, Mr. Gatot? And what about Ken?" asked Lidya as she saw Gatot stumbling towards her and Ken.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Let's talk over there." Gatot pointed to the 'L' shaped guest chair and excitedly headed towards it and sat down and waited for Ken and Lidya to come and sit near him.

"How is it, Mr. Gatot? Mr. Aji wants to receive Ken, right?" asked Lidya.

Gatot looked at Lidya and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I've tried to persuade Mr. Aji but Mr. Aji won't make Ken a stockbroker in this company."

Ken and Lidya's faces were instantly disappointed. Lidya looked at Gatot and asked, "But why? Ken's skills are very good. Didn't you show all the trader test results that Ken did today?"

"I told you everything, Lidya and even Mr. Haji was very impressed with Ken's prowess."

"Then why was it rejected?"

"It's because of Ardi. Because Ardi was hospitalized because of Ken."

Hearing that, Lidya immediately went sluggish. She let out a disappointed breath, "I knew this would happen. Is Ardi going to fire Ken?"

"No, Lidya. Ardi told Mr. Aji that Ken can't be fired, but Ken can't go anywhere, he can't move up, he has to stay as a cleaning service in this company."

Lidya tapped her forehead. Her dream that she and Ken could be in the same room, so that no one would call Ken 'cleaning service' was not a reality with this rejection by Ardi and Aji, Ardi's father.

Ken looked at Lidya. "I'm sorry, Lidya. But at least, since Ardi kept his promise to me not to fire me, then he will also definitely keep his promise to break off his engagement with you."

"Well. This is pretty good news indeed. Hopefully Adi will also break off my engagement with him as he promised you, so that I don't have to go against my mother and father, because I wouldn't approve of my engagement with Ardi," said Lidya.

"I have good news, Lidya, and it's good news for Ken."

"Good news, what?"

"Ken has been invited to Jaya Raya investment tomorrow morning to be a special stockbroker there. How's Ken? Lidya?" asked Gatot as he looked alternately at Ken and Lidya.