That he wasn't certain played games with his mind and mocked his wits. The perfect plan he had laid out wasn't as perfect anymore. Things were changing. Mayce had become a stranger to him, and the future looked bleak. For the first time in years, he realized how dumb and clueless he had been. For the first time, he was unsure of his next move.
As he walked into the conference room, a team of four rose to acknowledge him at once. They approached and shook hands with him, one after the other. His eyes took notice of the way they all twinned in well-tailored and thoroughly pressed suits, looking smart and dapper.
"I am Michael Shaw and this is my creative team from Envoy." The last man to tender a hand introduced himself with a confident smile.
Jacob gripped his hands in a brief but firm handshake. The corners of his lips stretched slowly into a plastic smile. It was at this moment he knew this meeting was going to be unforgettable.
He sat by the middle plane of the u-shaped table that faced the projector screen directly in front. His guests settled down on his right; by the curve of the table that bent outwards.
Violet took the seat right beside him on his left, scribbling away on her notepad. At minute intervals, as if planned, she would click her pen. The sound was annoyingly loud, and it irked him. She had a knack for getting on his nerves.
A woman stepped up to the front; the designated pitcher and the only female in their midst. Even when she had been in front of him seconds ago, she towered over him. Some had compared Jacob with a walking high-rise in the past, but this woman was taller. It had shocked him, but then he glimpsed the high pumps, and his interest deflated.
While she spoke, he fixed his gaze on her long eyelashes that fluttered like a peacock's feather over her eyes. He compared her with Nicole. They seemed alike.
His attention returned to the meeting. A laptop, controlled by the woman as she addressed them, gave the commands. He watched the video on play. The woman fluctuated the pitch of her voice, detailing her years of experience in doing what she was doing now.
Envoy's marketing idea was to present the residential areas of the city as the last resort for families that sought for more prime living opportunities. Through the minute-long logline, they rebranded the floating city as family-friendly alone. They did not project any attempt to draw the attention of single buyers or other members of the public.
"...and therefore Mayce Towers should be your one and only choice."
The woman ended her spiel with a dramatic flair in her tone. She clasped her palms together, and after the resounding claps, all eyes in the room travelled to where Jacob sat; legs crossed, head tilted a bit, and fingers steepled.
He could see the eagerness in their eyes. They needed him to be impressed. They needed to be validated and scored perfectly for their work.
Yet, his expression remained neutral as he took his time and worked at his own pace.
Finally, he cleared his throat and said, "I'm afraid what Mayce wants to portray here cannot be a one-sided idea. The cards you've just opened answer only a question, not all."
"But sir, with all due respect, families hold majorly the bid for residential homes these days," Michael Shaw said in defence.
Jacob suspected he had bruised the older man's ego. Michael's agency had lost none of the contracts they'd ever set out to get and now, some executive was tainting Envoy's perfect record. Michael wore his wounded pride like an open book. It was a rare skill to handle Jacob's assertiveness. It was almost impossible to do that.
"Did your creative team even do their research?" Jacob asked.
"Excuse me?"
Disappointed, Jacob made a face.
He shook his head, and said on the exhale, "The thing is, my assistant here swore on her job that this meeting would be worth my time. When I saw your winning streaks, they were impressive. But now I'm not so convinced that I made the right choice..."
Envoy had worked for Castle even. Almost all top companies and producers in the country had them as their brand promoter. Jacob wasn't familiar with their work, but he knew he had seen better.
Regardless, his statement had sent the room into another quiet lapse.
"If you're not pleased with Envoy's pitch, we can always bring up fresh ideas." Michael said, impatience riding in his tone.
"I'm saying that your entire agency is trash."
"Sir!" Violet whisper-yelled at his side, but he had still maintained that blank expression.
Her job was already on the line. Objecting him another time would allow him room to decide with ease.
Jacob edged closer and propped his elbows on the table.
He clenched his hands together, gesturing when necessary. "Envoy can't even paint the simple picture provided. Our slogan clearly states that this city is an island for gods. We have given you time. Your agency wasted the opportunity all by itself. Mr. Shaw, there's nothing left to say here."
A derisive smile spread across Michael's face. The man jilted. "An Island for gods? Isn't that just some sweet talk?"
"Mr. Shaw." Jacob's voice was deep and threatening.
The man stared at him, ears opened.
"Are you a fool?"
Michael's face immediately turned red. His nostrils flared. The rest of his team shared puzzled looks, mouths agape. Jacob couldn't care less that he had put them all in an awkward spot. He wasn't even close to done.
As expected, things were getting exciting. Jacob enjoyed himself, and the expression on Shaw's face was priceless. He had wanted to speak when someone thought otherwise.
"Mr. Mackay, you are out of line," the female creative executive said.
The silence in the room was clean after that.
Smirking, Jacob lifted a brow. "Am I now?"
He thought her attempt was brave, but also stupid. She didn't read the look in his eyes. This wasn't something that concerned her, but she had continued her play of Russian Roulette.
"You should apologise to Mr. Shaw."
Jacob chuckled, still wearing that arrogant smirk. "On what grounds?"
"On the grounds of using affronting words, Mr. Mackay."
You don't say...
Jacob fell back into his seat and folded his arms. "But how's that?"
"Envoy messed up today. We all agree, but calling a respectable man a fool, that's not acceptable," the woman said.
Jacob made a thinking face. "I see. Envoy must be fond of victimising clients."
"What?" She looked taken aback. "Victimising? What do you mean?"
His eyes gleamed. "I never said that..."
Jacob glanced at her ring finger, "Mrs..."
"Baker," she said, and quickly pinched her eyes closed, regretting that she had lost focus.
The woman couldn't understand how he had trailed off so fast.
"Semantics, Mr. Mackay. It's clear that you're in the wrong—"
"Are you sure? Last I checked, I am the only one being wrongly accused here." Jacob played with his right cufflink. "It's rude to stand there and victimise me in my building, don't you think?"
Those eyes regarded him with indignation.
He then pinned his gaze on Shaw. "The press would hear from Mayce. I'm afraid Envoy would regret this day."
Her poise was no more. The committed pitcher with the eloquence of a fine actor had vanished. Nerves bubbled up inside her. Mrs. Baker lost a step, fully aware that she had overstepped her professional boundaries. Her actions today would later cost her her job.
Violet broke the tension by leaning over to her boss.
She said in a quiet, but terrified voice, "Sir, your father would not like the way you are handling this—"
The loud yawn that fell from his lips cut her off first.
"I repeat, there's nothing left for Mayce here." He interjected and rose to his feet. "Good day, Mr. Shaw. I hope the next time we meet will be in court."
No one understood the promise he had made, not even Michael. Violet rushed to pack her materials in what seemed like less than a second and followed as Jacob stormed out of the room.
He turned to her on their way out. "You have thirty minutes, Violet. If you want to save your career, get me in a meeting with people who actually know what they're doing."
Horror masked Violet's expression. It was day one working with him, and it already felt like hell. Jacob Mackay was the devil himself.
It had been the minute Jacob heard the name 'Michael Shaw' that had changed it all. That man owed him something that could cost a life, but the interesting part of it all was that Shaw didn't have the slightest idea...