Chapter 52: Obligated
Alexander drove into the estate and went inside the mansion to pick Rain up. He had dismissed his driver and Tyron, preferring to drive himself.
As soon as he saw Rain, something in her felt off. She had a serious expression on her face the moment she saw him and maintained it even when they were finally alone in the car.
The silence in the car was unsettling, even though Alexander usually preferred it but it was making him uneasy. He didn’t enjoy small talk or engaging in conversations he deemed unnecessary, but he liked to hear her talk. After a few more minutes of silence, he cleared his throat and decided to break the silence.
"How’s the winery? Did you find out what’s causing the unrest among the employees?" he asked.
"I did. There are changes that most senior workers are worried about. Some mentioned that the quality has been slipping, and they’re being pushed to cut corners they know aren’t right. Most of the issues are minor and can be easily solved. But the real problem is there’s an instigator planted by someone in the workers, who is spreading false information and stirring up the workers," Rain explained.
"Instigator?" Alexander asked with a frown.
"His name is Thomas, he is definitely sent by someone to harm your business. Thomas is playing both sides, acting like he’s helping while actually making things worse," Rain stated, her frown deepening. "It didn’t take long for me to piece everything together after talking to some of the workers alone, one by one."
"He’s been in contact with outside unions and notorious groups, the so-called labour rights organizations known for aggressive tactics harming the companies and shutting them down. This man has been fueling the workers’ anger, all while feeding me just enough information to make me suspicious of the management," Rain added with a sigh.
She turned to Alexander and continued, "I wouldn’t be surprised if he soon brings in some outside workers. It’s likely a ploy to incite a full-blown confrontation—something that could cripple the winery and force management’s hand. I believe you’ll need to personally step in since Lucian is a bit... Hmm, how should I put it?"