Revenge of the Heir

Meeting the Families

Eric spent the first half of the next morning making a plan that would allow him to directly hire any of the members of the families that needed the work. He realized that with the family enterprises could hire most of them already. They would not be ideal positions for all of them, but they would have the ability to advance as they proved themselves in the positions they were given. He was even able to give the Cooks in the family positions at the various companies, and was surprised how quickly they were taking the opportunities.

He was working away when the first of the remaining families entered his office. He looked up to see someone he didn't recognize, and invited him in. "What can I do for you?" he asked.

"Howard Newman Lord Heinrich, you asked to see me?" he said as Eric had him sit down.

Eric pulled out the file, and opened it in front of him. He was the first of the mid tier families that he would be meeting with, and there were a dozen of them. "Mr. Newman, what can I do to make your job easier?" Eric asked him.

Howard looked surprised he asked that, as it had always been the family position that each family should be self sufficient. "How do you mean sir?" he asked.

"Exactly what I asked, what do you need to do your job more successfully? Do you have family members who need jobs? Investments? How can we make your branch of the family stronger?" Eric asked him.

Howard shook his head in disbelief, as he had not expected that question at all. "I am not sure sir, it is something I would need to ask the families under me. May I ask why this is a concern now?" he asked as Eric looked through the list of skills that his people had.

Eric looked up at him, and shook his head. "I am not sure how this family has been run in the past, however it is my belief that our family is only as strong as our weakest link. It is my job to ensure we remain strong enough to fulfill our responsibilities to the Empire. So far my review is that the entirety of the family is out of compliance, and I will be investing heavily in the families to counteract that downward slide. So I am meeting with the head of each family, to see where we can improve." Eric told him before he looked at the file more. He was looking at opportunities that Howard may not have been aware.

"The Newman Family has been looking for an investment of $500 million to expand the majority of our enterprises." he replied honestly. "With that I believe we would be in a position to ensure that our objectives are achieved." he said as Eric saw other opportunities as well.

He spent a few minutes in silence as he added the numbers up, and smiled as he found several ways to make the Newman Family stronger. "What if I said that just in your file I found opportunities totaling another $250 million?" he asked Howard.

Howard knew that some of the smaller families needed investments as well, he just had not considered it when he gave the amount. "That would not surprise me sir, however I cannot tell you how successful all of them might be."

Eric nodded as he knew that he was about to have his investment team do a deep dive on all of them. "Understood. Consult with your families and determine what all of you need and develop a proposal to be presented at the Investiture Conference in 3 weeks. Include everything you need for a new investor, if you have it to me in a week, I will have an answer by the time the Conference happens." Eric told him closing the file. "It doesn't have to be an investment, if families need assistance include that as well in your proposal."

"I have 3 families that are in need of assistance in different matters. Some medical, some financial." Howard told him.

"Good, either give my secretary the details, or have those families come in themselves. We will strengthen this family in it's entirety, or we will fall together. You can inform the others as well, as these meetings with them will essentially be the same."

Howard nodded as he stood up. "There are several of them that are asking what these meetings are about." he admitted.

"If they ask again, let them know. Let them know this will be the new normal. We are only as strong as our weakest link, and at any time our detractors can use those links against us. Never be afraid to come to me with issues, it is part of my job to help solve them regardless of what their last name is, or how they are family." he told the man who nodded.

"I am glad the way you are returning to the way our family used to be. It seems that the head families have forgotten that we help them make the money they do." Howard said as he leaned forward. "If you are sincere in this endeavor, I can assure you that the lower and mid families will support you fully."

Eric nodded as he knew Howard was the head of the Mid Tier Families, and smiled as he looked at the man. "I am not going to sit here and say trust me. I would rather let my actions speak for what I am willing to do. The simple fact that I have been here for over two weeks, and almost none of the families have come for assistance is telling. It is well known that our family is fractured, and as soon as it emerges that I have become Lord, the other Lord's will be coming after us. We must fortify all levels of the family before that happens, and for that I need the help of the family heads. There are 42 of you, only one of me."

Howard nodded, knowing he spoke the truth. "Good, because if that had been your response you would have lost me as an ally. If you are willing to do as you have said, you will find the lower families are much more unified than one might be lead to think. We however have been neglected for so long we have no desire to see the status quo remain as it has. I will inform those I can trust, and will have the proposal to you by end of the week. Is there anything else we need to discuss?" he asked.

"No, my review of the family trust is nearly complete. Now I will be reviewing the family for expansions, new investment, and taking another look at our supply lines. If you or the families under you need anything, do not hesitate to let me know." Eric said standing and shaking the man's hand.

"Let us work towards a brighter future than." Howard said before he turned and walked out of the office.

By the end of the day, 2 of the other families had came to see him, and even brought their proposals with them to the meeting. Something he noticed with the 3 families, was each of them used the same suppliers for materials, and paid different prices for them.

It was the first of many discoveries that day that he could use to strengthen his position as a new Lord. He had until the day after the Investiture Conference with the family before it would be announced he was ascending as the newest Lord, and he realized that consolidating the supply chain into a single company before it was dispersed to the family, would save them millions per month.

Holly had made it a common thing that she would come and get him at the end of the day, just so they could spend the evenings together. "How did it go?" she asked knowing that he had invited 3 of the other families.

"Fairly well I think. Apparently none of the lower families are interested in Kevin becoming Lord, and feel abandoned by the upper families." Eric replied as he closed the file ready to end the day as another knock came from the doorway. "Enter." he called as Marcus entered his office.

"I would like a word please." he stated formally as he walked in and Eric invited him to sit.

"What do you wish to discuss?" Eric asked him inviting him to take a seat.

"Privately." Marcus replied pointedly looking at Holly.

"Than schedule an appointment with my secretary." Eric replied trying to remain calm.

"This cannot wait." Marcus said annoyed that his nephew was trying to brush him off.

"Than speak."

Marcus looked at Holly again, and snorted. "Get out." he said rudely to her.

"First off Marcus, you do not get to come in here and demand my time without so much as a hint what it is I'm regards too. Second, you don't get to decide who I do or do not allow to attend any meeting between us. This is my office, and if you cannot treat my people with respect, you can leave." Eric replied angrily as he stood up. "Now speak your peace or get the f**k out of my office!" he yelled at the arrogant man in front of him.

Marcus was taken back for a moment, as he realized his nephew wouldn't be bullied as easily as he thought. "Fine, you can deal with the fallout. I tried to warn you." Marcus said before he turned to leave.

"You haven't done s**t, and if it is in regards to you and your family, you will have no assistance whatsoever from me if you walk out that door. You can go tell the other families of the high table the same thing as well. It is high time you lot learn that I AM THE LORD, and no matter what your opinions about it may be, it will not change." Eric told him making Marcus hesitate.

His issue was exactly that, as he had discovered someone was attempting to exploit a weakness in the high table. "Than make her leave." Marcus said as he looked at Eric.

"Why would I make my Fiancé leave the room because you demand it? Whether she hears the words from your mouth or mine, she will be informed the same regardless of what you wish to happen. Now you can either speak you piece and tell me what is going on, or you can watch as your power and influence crumble to nothing more than dust." Eric told him brutally honest.

The look on Marcus's face said it all when he heard that. They thought he was alone in this endeavor, and saw her as nothing more than a common worker. They had no idea she was the future Lady Heinrich, and would indeed be part of the family. "Someone has purchased a large share of voting shares in the Companies that make up the majority of the High Houses of the Heinrich Family. Without your assistance we have no ability to fend them off of achieving a minority share." he said flatly as he took a seat.

"What is it you expect me to do?" Eric asked him bluntly.

"Is it not your responsibility to ensure that the family remains strong now that you are the Lord?" Marcus asked him.

"It will be when I am fully appointed, however what do you expect me to do in a few short days? My review of the High Table has not begun, as it is expected that they retain enough of their own shares to fend off the type of attack you face." Eric told him bluntly. He was well aware that each of the High Families were retaining only 30 percent of their shares, the bare minimum that they had to retain. They however were unaware he had been investing in them for years, and was the one that had just bought the shares they had put on the market.

"You seem well informed of the issue for not having begun your review." Marcus replied as Eric grabbed the business section of the paper and threw it on the table.

"The entire world is aware of the weakness of our High Table since your father passed, and now that there are rumors I am present to wage war against, they are circling." Eric said as Marcus looked at the paper. It was one they didn't read very often, and it had the details of each of their status of power. Not one of their high seats would be able to maintain majority share holders of their own companies. "Believe me, I will be investigating the matter. But it is going to focus on what ineptitude allowed this tragedy to happen before you brought this weakness to my attention. I was under the impression the unwritten rule was that each family had to maintain 51 percent of their Companies in order to maintain their power. How is it none of you owns more than 36 percent of your own stocks?"

Marcus's face grew redder and redder as he read the Business Analytics article, as it totally eviscerated the Heinrich Family High Table. Not only was all of it completely accurate, it showed the attack had been seen far in advance as it appeared it had been going on for atleast 10 years.

"Is it not the responsibility of the Family Heads to ensure we are not caught up in scandals that are easily avoidable? It seems all of you have been falling asleep on the job, and it has been a long time since this began. I will do what I can to stop what is happening, but you all must face the real possibility that each of the Families at the High Table will be minority share holders in their own companies." Eric informed him. "Keep the article, and pray I can acquire enough of those shares myself to stave off disaster."