The Art of Wealth: I Became a Billionaire
Chapter 49: Proposal by Thomas Finch

Chapter 49: Proposal by Thomas Finch

It was a cold, quiet Monday morning, but Alex’s mind was already racing. His head was full of thoughts as he made his way to the tall building that housed the ADIG Group of Companies.

He wasn’t late. In fact, he had arrived earlier than most. He had found himself a small corner, just a simple desk tucked away near the west wing of the headquarters, where he was allowed to work on his personal projects. Ever since ADIG sold off its flagship company, ADIG Constructions, the air around the whole place had changed.

Today wasn’t just another day. It was especially important.

The company had been shaky recently. Just last month, ADIG sold off its flagship, ADIG Constructions, the very arm that built the company’s legacy. It was a tough but necessary decision. Still, the big question remained:

What’s next for ADIG?

That’s why they were all here today. There was a major presentation scheduled, a strategy session that could very well decide the future of the company.

And the man leading it?

Mr. Thomas Finch... The new analyst.

Some people thought he was just another consultant. Others believed he was a retired executive trying to stay relevant. But most knew little about him except that Chairman Raymond Carter had personally hired him.

By 9:00 AM sharp, the board members started arriving, one by one for the presentation. Mr. Raymond Carter, the Chairman himself was the last to walk in.

And then came the moment they had all been waiting for.

The entrance of Mr. Thomas Finch.

He walked in slowly, not in a rush, not trying to impress anyone. He looked middle-aged, maybe late 50s. But in a room full of people nearing retirement, he looked... odd. Out of place. Like someone who had wandered into the wrong meeting.

He wore no tie. Just a neat blazer, a plain white shirt, and dark trousers. He carried a thin laptop, a file in one hand, and a calm look on his face, as if he had done this a thousand times.

There was a low murmur in the room.

"Is this the new analyst?"

"He doesn’t look like much..."

"Why would Raymond bring in someone like this?"

"Does he even have a portfolio?"

You could feel the doubts in the boardroom, but Mr. Finch didn’t seem bothered. He nodded politely, walked to the front, connected his laptop, and the screen lit up.

A bright blue slide appeared with bold white text:

"E-COMMERCE PROJECT."

That got their attention.

He turned to them, smiled briefly, and spoke.

"Good morning, everyone. My name is Thomas Finch, the new analyst. I know most of you are seeing me for the first time. But let’s skip the introductions, we have more urgent matters. This is about where the ADIG group is going next."

He paused, let that sink in.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if ADIG wants to stay alive, not to talk of being relevant, then we must move into e-commerce."

You could hear the slow shift in people’s postures. A few leaned forward. A few leaned back. But no one spoke.

Finch continued, clicking to the next slide. This time, graphs appeared, statistics, numbers, global trends, and market shifts.

"For too long, we’ve tied our identity to traditional industries. Construction. Manufacturing. Logistics. We’ve done well, yes. But the world is changing, faster than many of us are willing to admit. The future is digital. The economy is shifting online. And ADIG... is not part of that conversation, yet."

Still, no interruptions.

He turned away from the screen and looked them in the eyes, one by one.

"I know what some of you are thinking. E-commerce is risky. It’s volatile. It’s for tech bros in their twenties. But here’s the truth... E-commerce isn’t the future anymore. It’s the present and we’re already late. Every second we hesitate, our competitors are growing stronger."

He stepped back slightly. "And respectfully... one of the reasons we’ve avoided this space for so long is because this board is full of brilliant minds, yes, but minds that were built for a different kind of world. That of factories, land, oil, and goods. Not apps, data, and online stuff."

There were a few uncomfortable shifts in the room. Some board members stole glances at each other. But Finch wasn’t trying to insult anyone.

He was being honest.

"And I get it," he added gently. "Most of you don’t trust what you don’t understand. That’s human. But if we want to keep our jobs, if we want this company to be more than just a memory in five years, we must evolve."

He clicked again.

The slide read:

"ADIG’s Leap into E-Commerce"

He began to explain the vision. Not just a random online store, but a full-blown e-commerce ecosystem. How physical products will be moved by digital services, and customer service driven by AI. A flexible platform that could grow into anything.

He had it all planned out.

A pilot phase. A partnership with top local vendors. A logistics branch that’s powered by ADIG’s existing assets. Marketing campaigns, risk strategies, and data management teams. He even broke down how much capital it would take and how fast it could start generating returns.

It was clear, practical, and all to ADIG’s strengths.

When he finished, he stepped back. No one was taking notes. Everyone was listening and everything was clear.

The room stayed quiet for a moment.

Then Chairman Raymond leaned forward.

"Thank you, Mr. Finch. That was thorough. As is protocol, we’ll need to reconvene and vote on the proposal."

He glanced around.

But before he could speak further, the CFO, Mrs Grace raised her hand slightly.

"With due respect, Mr. Chairman," she said, "I don’t think we have time for more meetings. We’ve been losing ground every week. This... this is the first plan that gives us a fighting chance."

She looked around the room.

"From the look on everyone’s face, I believe we all agree. We start now. Not next week. Not after a vote. Now."

There was a beat of hesitation, then silent nods.

Mr. Raymond Carter looked uncomfortable. Not angry, just uneasy.

Because once again... it was happening.

They were agreeing with him too quickly.

And he knew the game too well.

If this project failed, they’d all blame him for letting it happen. That’s how it had always worked.

But still, he nodded.

"Let the records reflect: E-commerce project is approved. We begin immediately."

"..."

"..."