âEverything was thoroughly investigated, and all our property acquisitions were by the book. Here are the files on that man; weâre still looking into it,â reported the manager.
Nolan nodded slightly. âSo, what youâre saying is weâre clean on this front. Whatâs got you tied in knots, then?â
The managerâs stride halted abruptly, and Nolan stopped too, turning with a questioning look.
Frowning, the manager said, âThat guy who looks like a vagrant has been making a huge scene. Quite a few media outlets are reaching out to him. I think it could smear our companyâs reputation, which is why I brought it to your attention.â
Nolan nodded, signaling for him to keep up. âYour concern isnât unwarranted. But this kind of thing, residents clashing with developers, is all too common. Many homeowners are initially discontent with the offer they get from developers. They feel especially shortchanged when they find out their old plot might turn into a bustling shopping district. They start thinking they couldâve gotten more. Itâs a classic case of the grass always being greener. Not all issues deserve our attention, get it? Even if he stirs the media, thatâs an issue between him and the developers. All of our procedures are reasonable and legal, and thereâs no loopholes to be found. Thatâs all we need to focus on.â
The manager nodded and said, âI understand, Mr. Harris.â
Little did anyone expect that a single man could blow things up overnight. The media was abuzz, and by some twist of fate, Regina found herself on the frontline.
âSir, you claim your house was taken over by force by the developers. Whatâs all that about? Can you share with us?â one reporter asked, pushing the microphone toward the disheveled man. It was hard to imagine that his house once stood on what was now slated to be a major shopping center.
âArghhh- May lightning strike those heartless developers! The Harris Group, youâre in tech; why meddle in real estate? Youâve ruined my life, taken my family and my house!â
The man didnât give reasons; he just kept screaming, pounding the ground so hard his knuckles bled, making the journalists wince.
Shaking their heads at each other, it seemed the interview was going nowhere. They had to find another angle to dig into this vagrantâs true story. Regina jotted down notes, surprised to learn this land was part of the Harris Groupâs portfolio. Ever since meeting Nolan, she kept running into his business affairs, she mused.
Wandering the intended development site, she saw the potential for a shopping center, given the residential area and decent environment â a middle-class enclave. Securing this could mean another windfall for the Harris Group.
Navigating past real estate giants to claim this land was a testament to Nolanâs prowess and the companyâs clout. Yet, with the development not even off the ground, this incident. posed a potential setback.
The man looked pitiful. The property was already leveled surely theyâd settled compensation by now.
Why cry foul over a piece of land supposedly once theirs now?