Page 97 of Analysing Her Assets

“Do you know where Young Doron is?” Gideon asked his father, who shook his head.

“Are you okay, Abba?” Gideon asked.

“I must have eaten something at the party,” his father answered. “My stomach has been bugging me for the last couple of days.”

Gideon fired up the laptop and brought up Berdiplast’s FX trades. Trading overseas had resumed, and Young Doron’s hedges had gone south. The losses were ridiculously substantial. They would erase the last two years’ entire earnings. Gideon checked and re-checked the numbers several times, while the small gathering of worried Berdiplast’s officers watched his computations.

“Nothing short of a miracle will save us now.”

“We can wait. The trends may change,” Yehoshua said.

“Or they may worsen,” Gideon said. “They’re talking about rate hikes in the States, and all our positions are against the USD.”

Yehoshua straightened in his chair, as if it was uncomfortable. He massaged his left shoulder, but he shook his head.

“No, there’s still time.”

“We need to release an immediate notice,” Gideon said. “People are converting into the share, not aware of the bad news. This is serious stuff.”

Miriam, the company’s attorney, nodded, but remained silent. Gideon always thought that his father ran Berdiplast too tightly, overriding other company officers, except for Old Doron.

“The market could still change for the better,” Yehoshua persisted.

Gideon locked eyes with his father. Yehoshua looked guilty. As guilty as he looked outside the small house in Beer Sheva, when Gideon had uncovered his second family. The truth hit him then–his father was in the know about the hedges the whole time.

With such large monies involved, the banks would have increased margins long ago, requiring his father’s signature. Young Doron was a yes-man, just as his mother and grandmother said all along. He was acting all this time on Yehoshua’s behalf. The generous option settlement was a prize for a loyal soldier, for Young Doron willing to risk his professional neck. Back at the party, his father probably realized that the game was lost. Yehoshua also knew the truth would surface–and he wanted to protect him, his son. That was why he tried to dissuade Gideon from coming back.

He was grateful to his father for this protective instinct, but he wasn’t shying away on the sidelines anymore, and he would be fighting his own battles. He instilled some of Tamar’s directness and righteousness into his next words.

“Abba, the losses will come out. We could get sued for hiding vital news from investors. Draft the announcement, Miriam,” he commanded. It was the first time in his life he disagreed with his father publicly. “Do it, Miriam. Now,” Gideon repeated when the lawyer hesitated, looking to his father. “Or I will. Notify TASE on a trading halt in preparation for an immediate notice.”

Miriam looked to Old Doron, who nodded. She exited the conference room, half running to her desk. It would take time for people to obey him. After all, he had just come back yesterday and had no official standing.

“Don’t do this again, Gideon, in front of other people,” Yehoshua said, scrambling for shreds of his dignity.

“Doron, Dina, I need to speak to my father,” Gideon said. “Can you leave us please?”

His father massaged his left shoulder.

“I need you to step down from being CEO. Right now. You are the reason for the bad hedges, not Young Doron,” Gideon declared when they were alone. His heart was beating, his palms were sweating, but he felt confident. He was doing the right thing.

“You’re right. But I won’t step down. It’s my company, I built it, I can fix this.” He looked pale and sweaty.

“You should step down. You’re not objective.”

“I won’t step down.” His father was unreasonable.

“If you don’t, I’ll tell Imma about Beer Sheva,” Gideon said, hating himself, wondering if he was really willing to do it.

“You would hurt your mother just to get me out of my job?” Yehoshua asked.

“I will.” He bluffed.

“What’s in Beer Sheva?” It was Savta Paulina’s voice. She had finally arrived at the meeting.

“Nothing,” Yehoshua answered.

Gideon looked at his father.

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