Chapter 11

The conference room was already occupied.

Three executives sat around the long glass table, with their laptops and several documents arranged neatly in front of them. A big screen at the far end of the room on the wall displayed the BluTech logo beside a title that immediately caught my attention.

ASIA-PACIFIC EXPANSION PROPOSAL.

Okay then...that sounded quite important.

I went in first and Alexander followed. And the moment he stepped in, the atmosphere changed instantly.

The three men all sat up, straightening in their seats.

“Good morning, Mr. Thorne”

“Good morning.” Alexander’s response was brief as usual.

I moved with him to his seat, still gawking about, only to realize that every pair of eyes was now on me. This was the same reaction I got from the employees at the lobby.

Apparently, being married to this guy came with an invisible spotlight I didn’t know I signed up for.

Alexander pulled out seat next to him.

“Sit.”

I glanced at him.

“You really like giving orders, don’t you?”

His eyes moved toward me.

“You’re welcome to stand.”

I narrowed my eyes at his words, glaring him down subtly. But then I sat down.

One of the three men seemed to be struggling with himself to not smile. Alexander noticed, he always did especially with how his eyes moved to him for a second before moving back to me, and I swear on my third rib bone, I spotted a smirk behind his hand on his mouth. It was gone as fast as it appeared though.

“Mr. Hart.”

Immediately, the man turned to Alexander.

“Sir?”

“Begin.”

The got up from his seat and introduced himself as Daniel Hart the moment he walked to the big screen.

He looked to be in his early fifties, dressed in an expensive navy suit.

“Mr. Thorne, as you can see, BluTech’s performance across the Asian market has remained exceptionally strong over the last twelve months.”

The first slide appeared, full of charts, graphs and numbers.

I leaned forward slightly.

Daniel continued. “Our customer acquisition rate has improved by twenty-eight percent, whereas our operational costs have stayed quite steady. Using these statistics, we expect a thirty-two percent improvement in regional revenues within the next eighteen months.

One of the other executives nodded.

Another took notes.

Alexander however, was silent. He simply watched the presentation.

I tried to do the same. But something about the numbers bothered me. Something wasn’t right, although I wasn’t sure what it was at first.

I looked down at the report in front of me. A copy that was made available to everyone present. Then I looked back at the screen.

Customer acquisition was twenty-eight present.

But looking back at the report, it stated fourteen percent.

Did I misunderstand something here?

I furrowed my eyebrows, and read it again. The figure was still there, still the same, even as I flipped the page to see if it was simply a typo. It was still fourteen.

I looked back at the screen again.

Twenty-eight percent was still boldly displayed.

Then I looked at Daniel, who carried on speaking.

“Our marketing campaign has been very successful, and it has greatly contributed to the success we are experiencing in the region.”

I glanced down again at the report, specifically at the part he was presenting.

Marketing expenditure.

And my eyes widened a little. I read the numbers over and over again. And it made me look around

Is no one else moving with the reports on this presentation? Did DANIEL not read the reports?!

I slowly raised my hand.

Daniel paused. And the room went extra quiet in turn.

Alexander’s gaze moved towards me.

“Yes?” He asked, and I hesitated.

I immediately regretted opening my mouth as everyone was now staring at me. But I spoke before I could hold myself back.

“Can I ask something?”

Daniel smiled politely.

“Of course, Mrs. Thorne.” He said, and I pointed towards the screen.

“The twenty-eight percent increase in customer acquisition.”

“Yes?”

“Where did that figure come from?”

The man’s smile remained.

“Our regional marketing reports.”

No shit Sherlock.

I looked down at the document again. “Why is it different here then?” I said, turning the report around and sliding it across the table.

Daniel gave it a glance. “The figure you’re talking about is from the previous reporting period, Mrs. Thorne.”

I frowned.

“Are you sure?” I asked and a brow of his lifted.

“Mrs. Thorne-”

I pointed at the date, interrupting him.

“Same quarter.”

He went silent, and I caught that bob in his throat. He then took the report from me and studied it, before looking back at the screen.

“Mrs. Thorne, you’re comparing two different data sets.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, ma’am. Things like this can seem confusing, especially for our new comers.”

“Well then, explain it to me.” I said curiously. I wasn’t trying to challenge him, nor was I interrogating him, not really, but I was curious as to why there were two different results.

“You said customer acquisition increased by twenty-eight percent.”

“That is correct.”

“But this report says fourteen percent.”

He nodded. “That is the actual acquisition rate.”

“Then what’s with the other fourteen percent?”

“Projected acquisition.”

I blinked.

“Projected?”

“Yes ma’am. Let me explain-”

“So basically, you’re adding actual growth and projected growth?”

“It’s a standard forecasting method.”

“That’s not what I’m asking.”

I looked at Alexander, hoping I’m not going crazy or something. He however, was staring at Daniel.

“If the company has actually gained fourteen percent more customers, and you’re expecting another fourteen percent, then the company hasn’t experienced a twenty-eight percent increase.” I stated, pointing at the screen. Then leaned back, crossing my arms. “You’re presenting projected growth as though it has already happened. How’s that okay?”

Daniel shifted his weight where he stood, clearing his throat.

“That is not an incorrect representation of the overall growth trajectory, Mrs. Thorne-”

“But it is incorrect if you’re using that number to justify an expansion.”

His eyes moved to Alexander, and that was when I realized I’d probably stepped too far into something that wasn’t my business. So, I slowly leaned back.

“Sorry. I just-”

“Don’t.” Alexander’s voice stopped me. My gaze snapped to him, and saw his eyes didn’t move from Daniel.

Is he in trouble?

“Continue.”

“Who, me?” My eyebrows rose.

“You’re the one who noticed something.”

I swallowed hard, leaning forward again. “Right.” Looking back at the presentation, I dang right continued.

“And there’s something else.”

Daniel’s clenched his jaw. And I noticed, Alexander probably noticed too, but I couldn’t care less.

If he messed up, he gets called out for it. Sorry boo.

“Your marketing budget increased by almost forty percent.” I stated and he nodded.

“Yes. The company invested a lot in the region.”

“Why?”

“To support the expansion.”

“But the expansion hasn’t even happened yet, not at it’s supposed goal rate at least.”

“We’re preparing the market.” He said, and I just had to look at the numbers again, then right back at him.

“So why is it that customer acquisition is only up to fourteen percent.”

Daniel’s expression changed slightly. I knew he was already fed up with me, or knew I was messing him up, and I could feel Alexander’s attention shift as well.

“Mr. Hart. Your team is spending forty percent more on marketing, yet your customer acquisition has only increased by fourteen percent.” I glanced around the table, realizing that nobody seemed to know what to say, I wasn’t sure what I was saying anymore, but I just knew the numbers didn’t make sense.

“And your cost per acquisition has increased by almost thirty percent. Unless I’m the one missing something as the ‘new comer’”

“N-no Mrs. Thorne.” He answered immediately. Alexander leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping against the table, and Daniel looked to him.

“Mr. Thorne, there are various external factor which can account for the fluctuations.”

“What would those be?” He asked, as his voice noticeably took a deeper tone. A dangerous one.

“Market conditions.”

“What sort of market conditions?”

Daniel paused. “Regional competition.”

“Specific competitors?”

He paused again, looking down at his notes. “I would need to review the exact figures.”

Alexander’s expression hardened. “Figures you’ve already presented?”

And that was enough to make Daniel freeze in silence.

A few minutes ago, Daniel had been confidently explaining why BluTech was supposedly thriving. But now he seemed to be struggling to explain why numbers weren’t matching.

“There’s another problem, however.”

“Chloe.” Alexander called, but I ignored the warning in his tone.

Looking at the Singapore proposal…If the current marketing strategy isn’t producing the results we’re expecting, why are we planning to use the same strategy in another market?”

“Because Singapore has a much stronger technology sector.”

“I know that.”

“So you understand why expansion is so vital.”

“No.” I tapped the report. “I understand why expansion is attractive. But I don’t understand it’s necessity.”

Daniel stared at me, probably wanting to beat me up with that hard look on his face. But I continued.

“You haven’t proven that the current strategy works the way you want it to. And you’re spending more money to acquire fewer customers, and still want to do the same strategy somewhere else.” I shook my head. “That doesn’t sound like growth.”

Then I looked at Alexander. “That just multiplying a problem, and wasting money on it rather than solving it.”

Nobody spoke, and I suddenly became hyperaware of my own heartbeat.

Shit. What have I just done?

“Cancel the approval.”