BOOKSDRAMA Chapter 45
Chapter 45
“What do you mean, Mr. Weiss?” Izzy asked, her expression calm though a hint of curiosity flickered in her eyes.
Calen stepped forward, a triumphant glint in his gaze. “The projected costs for the cultural center are disproportionately high,
according to the preliminary budget breakdown included to your report,” he said, clicking his remote to display a slide he had
prepared. It showed what he believed to be Izzy’s earlier data, with the cultural center’s costs seemingly dwarfing the casino’s
revenue projections. “These numbers don’t align with realistic market estimates or even the government’s benchmarks for similar
projects. I think it’s fair to ask for clarification.”
Izzy’s lips twitched into a faint smile as she glanced at the slide interesting,” she said, taking a step toward the screen. Let’s
unpack this, shall we?”
Clicking her remote, Izzy brought up her actual data, which had been distributed in the board’s official reports. The numbers were
starkly different from the ones Calen had displayed–precisely calibrated and well within industry standards. “Mr. Weiss, the
figures you’re presenting don’t match the final budget in my report,” she said, turning to face him. “Would you mind telling me
where you sourced this information?”
Calen faltered for a fraction of a second but quickly recovered. “It was included in an earlier draft,” he said. “Perhaps you failed to
update all your materials”
Izzy nodded slowly, the faint smile still playing on her lips. “Ah, that must be it,” she said. “Let’s address that discrepancy.”
She clicked on her next slide, which displayed timestamps of her report revisions alongside a summary of the changes. The
board murmured as they noticed the meticulous detail in her work. Izzy’s final draft clearly outlined the adjusted cukural center
costs–streamlined and optimized without compromising quality
Seeing this, Calen’s expression turned ugly. Clearly, the numbers weren’t the ones he had seen. Did something happen! “You
see,” Izzy began. “These revisions were made three weeks ago and presented last week to CEO Weiss. They were distributed to
every member of this board and uploaded to the project’s central repository. However, I made a few changes this week. The
changes was made in response to updated supplier negotiations and government feedback, reduced costs by, 15%. I ensured
that all stakeholders had access to the latest figures. So, Mr. Weiss, I’m curious–why are you using outdated, numbers? Were
you able to see the updated reports?”
Calen stiffened slightly, the flicker of unease in his posture betraying his confidence. “I must’ve been given incomplete data” he
said, his voice tight. He was certain that those numbers were not the ones given to him. Changes? Monica didn’t mention,
changes! Even his team had
any
Izzy
mentioned any changes!
tilted her head slightly, her gaze sharp. “Incomplete? That’s odd, considering my team ensures synchronization across all
documents.” She clicked on another slide, showing an internal email thread that verified the report’s dissemination. “And just to
confirm, Mr. Weiss, you were ce’d on these updates, weren’t you?”
The board members exchanged glances, murmuring quietly. Izzy didn’t give Calen a chance to respond before continuing. “Of
course, mistakes can happen,” she said. “But let me clarify the current numbers for everyone here.”
She clicked again, bringing up a comparative chart of costs versus projected returns. The cultural center’s expenses were
outlined alongside its expected revenue contributions, showing significant return on invesenient within three years. The
accompanying notes detailed partnerships with local artisans and sponsorships from–global luxury brands, which had
The cultural center isn’t just an expense,” Izzy said, addressing the board directly. “It’s an investment that positions LX as a
forward–thinking, culturally aligned leader in the region. By leveraging these partnerships and aligning with Macau’s vision, we’ve
ensured that the center enhances our profitability while meeting regulatory requirements. As you can see, the ROI is not only
competitive but strategic.”
The room fell silent as the board absorbed the data. Jørgen Lund broke the silence, his voice firm. “Miss Rossi, this is well-
presented. Your revisions and partnerships show remarkable foresight.”
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887%.
Svend Nielsen nodded in agreement. “I have to admit, I was skeptical about the costs, but this breakdown makes it clear. The
phased integration of these partnerships is impressive.”
Calen’s jaw tightened, his eyes flicking to the table as murmurs approval for Izzy’s work grew louder. He opened his mouth as if
to interject, but Izzy wasn’t finished.
“Before we move on,” Izzy said, clicking to a final slide. It showed a detailed timeline of her report updates and the team
members involved. “I’d like to address another concern. Over the past month, my team flagged suspicious access patterns to our
internal documents–unauthorized views that didn’t align with our project permissions. To ensure transparency, I had our IT team
investigate.” Izzy eyed Calen
She knew Calen had every right to access this information–it was well within his authority, What Izzy was addressing. however,
were minor concerns flagged by the system. They weren’t significant, but handling them would showcase her competence to the
board.
She paused, her gaze locking onto Calen. “The findings were interesting. An employee from my team–someone who no longer
works with us–attempted to access early drafts of this report after leaving the company. I’ve already alerted corporate security,
and the matter is under review,”
The room went completely still. A few board members exchanged glances, their expressions ranging from surprise to suspicion
Calen’s composure visibly cracked, a flicker of alarm flashing across his face.
Izzy let the silence linger for a moment before clicking back to her main presentation slide. “Of course, I trust that we all value the
integrity of this process,” she said, her voice cool. “Which is why I ensured my final report was as thorough and accurate as
possible.”
The CEO cleared his throat, his gaze shifting to Calen, who looked like he wanted to melt into the floor. “Mr. Weiss,” the CEO
said, his tone sharp. “Do you have anything to add?”
Calen forced a tight smile. “No,” he said after a long pause. “No further questions.”
“Well... I believe it is now my time to ask questions,” Izzy said, smiling at Calen. She took a step forward, her movements
calculated as she addressed him directly. “Mr. Weiss, since you brought up questions about budgetary allocation and timelines,
may I ask about your own proposal?”
Calen straightened, clearly bracing himself. “Of course,” he said stiffly.
Izzy clicked on a new slide, which displayed an excerpt from Macau’s regulatory guidelines regarding foreign investments in
integrated resorts. Highlighted in bold was a specific clause pertaining to cultural contributions as a mandatory requirement for
project approval.
“You mentioned in your presentation that the casino should take precedence, with cultural elements introduced later,” Izzy began,
her tone calm but precise. “Could you explain how your phased approach ensures compliance with Macau’s Cultural
launch?
Calen’s face tightened. His hand shifted slightly as if reaching for his remote, but he stopped himself. “Well, the Act allows for
certain exceptions,” he began, but his hesitation was obvious
Izzy tilted her head, her expression polite but unyielding. “Exceptions, Mr. Weiss? Could you clarify which exceptions you’re
referring to? Because, to my knowledge, Clause 8.3 has no exemptions for phased cultural integration unless explicitly approved
by the Cultural Advisory Board. And from the records available, no such approval has been granted for The Pearl Resort”
The room grew silent, all eyes turning to Calen. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. His gaze darted toward the board
members, then back to Izzy, as if searching for a lifeline.
Izzy continued before he could stumble further. “For context,” de said, clicking to another slide. “My team conducted a thorough
review of the advisory board’s recent approvals. All projects with cultural components deferred to later phases faced either
rejection or significant delays in licensing. That’s why my proposal ensures compliance by integrating the
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Macau Cultural Center into the initial launch. It not only meets regulatory requirements but also streamlines the approval
process,”
Jørgen Lund nodded, clearly impressed. “That’s a critical point. Miss Rossi. Regulatory delays could cost us millions”
Izzy smiled briefly before turning back to Calen. “So, Mr. Weiss, if your plan prioritizes the casino and delays the cultural
elements, how do you plan to secure timely approval without violating Clause 8.3?”
Calen’s jaw tensed, his composure cracking. “We... we would address those requirements as needed,” he said finally, but the
weakness in his answer was evident.
Izzy clicked on another, slide, showing a breakdown of projected licensing timelines for noncompliant projects. “Addressing them
as needed? Interesting strategy. According to the advisory board’s own data, non–compliant projects face delays of up to 12
months for licensing approval. That’s an entire year of missed revenue.”
She turned fully to the board, addressing them now. “My phased approach not only ensures compliance from the outset, but also
aligns with the government’s cultural vision, creating goodwill and trust. By contrast, Mr. Weiss’s approach risks unnecessary
delays and financial setbacks due to incomplete alignment with local regulations.”
The board murmured in agreement, several members nodding as they reviewed the data on the screen. Calen’s shoulders
stiffened as the weight of their approval shifted toward Izzy.
Izzy paused, her gaze sweeping the room before returning to Calen. “One last question. Mr. Weiss,” she said, her voice
deceptively light. “You emphasized immediate profitability in your proposal. Could you clarify how your budget accounts for the
required cultural integration, given that no line items in your report address this? Or was that an oversight?”
Calen’s face turned a shade paler. He fumbled for his remote but didn’t click it, clearly stalling. “The cultural elements. would be
added in subsequent updates,” he said weakly.
Izzy arched an eyebrow. “Subsequent updates? Without a preliminary budget allocation? That’s bold. However, the Cultural
Contribution Act explicitly requires upfront budgeting for these components before any permits are issued. So, again, how do you
propose to meet that requirement?”
Calen was silent, his hands clenched at his sides. The board members exchanged glances, their earlier confidence in his
proposal now visibly shaken.
Even CEO Weiss seemed stunned at Izzy’s questions. He stared at his son as he leaned forward, his fingers steepled as he
addressed Calen “Mr. Weiss, do you have a concrete answer to Miss Rossi’s question?”
Calen opened his mouth, then closed it again, clearly unable to salvage the situation. “Not at this time,” he admitted finally, his
voice tight.
Izzy inclined her head slightly, her expression serene as she clicked back to the main slide, summarizing her proposal. “Thank
you, Mr. Weiss,” she said, her tone carrying just the faintest edge of finality that only made Calen even more irritated. “I believe
that answers my questions.”