Afrikaans | The Price of Sugar, the Cost of Love

Die prys van suiker, die koste van liefde – B1

Hoofstuk 5: Toivo en Viljo se bekommernis

Toivo stap op en af in die donker kantoor en gryp sy selfoon styf vas. Viljo, wat by die lessenaar gesit het, staar leeg na sy skootrekenaarskerm. Die nuus dat hul maatskappy byna bankrot was, was 'n groot skok, maar hulle het nie geweet dat dit vals inligting is wat slim deur Antti versprei is nie. Toivo se stem skud terwyl hy praat.

"Viljo, dit kan nie reg wees nie. Daar moet een of ander fout wees. Ons maatskappy het baie goed gevaar net 'n maand gelede!"

Viljo vryf oor sy voorkop en sug: "Ek weet, Toivo. Maar kyk na hierdie syfers. Die syfers lieg nie. As hierdie inligting waar is, is ons klaar."

Toivo het opgehou stap en na Viljo gekyk, sy oë vol bekommernis. "Maar wat kan ons doen? Ons het so hard gewerk om hierdie maatskappy te maak. Ons kan dit nie net laat uitmekaar val nie!"

Viljo leun terug in sy stoel en maak sy oë toe. "Ek weet nie, Toivo. Ek weet net nie."

Net toe kom Antti die kamer binne en maak asof hy bekommerd is. "Mene, ek het sopas dieselfde aaklige nuus gehoor. Ek is regtig ontsteld, eerlikwaar. Maar miskien is daar iets wat ek kan doen om te help."

Toivo kyk na Antti, met hoop in sy oë. "Wat dink jy, Antti?"

Antti het geglimlag, "Wel, ek dink al 'n geruime tyd hieraan, en ek is gereed om jou aandele in die maatskappy te koop vir 'n klein deel van hul oorspronklike prys. Dit sal nie die maatskappy red nie, maar dit kan dalk maak jou persoonlike geldprobleme 'n bietjie beter."

Viljo frons. "Hoekom sal jy dit doen, Antti? Jy sal ook geld verloor."

Antti trek sy skouers op. "Noem dit lojaliteit, of 'n gevoel van verantwoordelikheid teenoor my vennote. Ons is al deur baie saam. Dit is die minste wat ek kan doen."

Toivo se bekommernis het oorgeneem, en hy het vinnig ingestem. "Ek is dankbaar vir jou aanbod, Antti. Ek sal dit aanvaar."

Viljo het gehuiwer en gevoel dat iets fout is, maar op die ou end het hy aan sy eie bekommernis toegegee. "Goed, Antti. Ons aanvaar jou aanbod."

Antti het sy geluk probeer wegsteek terwyl hy met Toivo en Viljo hand geskud het. "Mene, ek is jammer dit het so gekom, maar ek hoop my aanbod help julle 'n bietjie."

Daarmee het Toivo en Viljo hul aandele aan Antti geteken, hul lot besluit en Antti se wraakplan onwetend gehelp. Hulle het nie geweet dat die finansiële probleme waarvoor hulle bang was, 'n fyn beplande truuk deur Antti self was nie.

Chapter 5: Toivo and Viljo's Worry

Toivo walked up and down in the dark office, gripping his mobile phone tightly. Viljo, sitting at the desk, gazed blankly at his laptop screen. The news that their company was almost bankrupt had been a big shock, but they didn't know that it was false information cleverly spread by Antti. Toivo's voice shook as he spoke.

"Viljo, this can't be right. There must be some mistake. Our company was doing really well just a month ago!"

Viljo rubbed his forehead and sighed, "I know, Toivo. But look at these numbers. The figures don't lie. If this information is true, we're finished."

Toivo stopped walking and looked at Viljo, his eyes filled with worry. "But what can we do? We've worked so hard to make this company. We can't just let it fall apart!"

Viljo leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "I don't know, Toivo. I just don't know."

Just then, Antti came into the room, pretending to be worried. "Gentlemen, I've just heard the same awful news. I'm really upset, honestly. But maybe there's something I can do to help."

Toivo looked at Antti, hope appearing in his eyes. "What do you think, Antti?"

Antti smiled, "Well, I've been thinking about this for some time, and I'm ready to buy your shares in the company for a small part of their original price. It won't save the company, but it might make your personal money problems a bit better."

Viljo frowned. "Why would you do that, Antti? You'll lose money too."

Antti shrugged. "Call it loyalty, or a feeling of responsibility to my partners. We've been through a lot together. It's the least I can do."

Toivo's worry took over, and he quickly agreed. "I'm grateful for your offer, Antti. I'll take it."

Viljo hesitated, feeling that something was wrong, but in the end, he gave in to his own worry. "Alright, Antti. We accept your offer."

Antti tried to hide his happiness as he shook hands with Toivo and Viljo. "Gentlemen, I'm sorry it's come to this, but I hope my offer helps you a bit."

With that, Toivo and Viljo signed over their shares to Antti, deciding their fate and unknowingly helping Antti's revenge plan. They didn't know that the financial problems they were scared of were a carefully planned trick by Antti himself.