3:00 pm on a Wednesday Afternoon that is when the meeting was supposed to start yet 40 minutes later he still hadn't arrived Sofie Fairisle usually loved her job the big pay cheque and many more benefits that came with it, her boss wasn't that bad he was like all bosses demanding but ultimately fair she loved his ruthless business nature along with that spark of brilliance that most people lacked but like most people he had flaws ones she needed to compensate for especially when he was late for meetings with very important people like at that specific day.
it was these times she disliked it the most when her boss was unavailable for a very important meeting letting her take the brunt of the reproach from whomever was unlucky enough to be meeting the great Simon Bailon, especially if they were almost as rich and important as him. Frankly she didn't think they would stay this long given their status: John Woodraw CEO of the Brotherhood a multinational company with many subsidiaries rivaled only by Bailon Inc. long time competitors and virtual enemies which made that meeting even more nonsensical Sofie wondered what kind of deal was important enough to stay a rivalry so old it existed before she was born and by the looks of it seemed her curiosity would not be sated at least at that point in time,
Marley Simon's second assistant pushed the glass door to the conference room open in her usual gray suit blonde hair tied into a knot she flashed a nervous smile her head peeking into the spacious room Sofie recognized the look in those ocean blue eyes something had happened meaning Simon was not going to make it "Excuse me!" she mouthed brightly hiding nervousness in her bright demeanor "Sofie there's a phone call for you" she held the door half open staring directly at Sofie " Its urgent" she spoke gravely which did nothing to assuage Sofie's imagination
Sofie channeled her most apologetic face before excusing herself from the conference room going to take the call pretending not to know what it was going to be about or at least hoping the situation was not as bad that it could not be salvaged
John Woodraw five foot ten tall wore a dark blue suit for the meeting, as he did whenever he went to court back when he was a defense attorney. Now a business conglomerate having a net-worth that could buy a quartor of America with change to spare he still liked to wear blue suits, a good suit in his experience was the best armor one could have especially when dealing with people as vicious as Simon Bailon.
He felt irritated bordering on anger but he smiled his eyes devoid of any warmth he tried to radiate, he had been completely been against this meeting but as he was quickly reminded he was, how did they put it a 'Figurehead' a face of the company anything he had was given and could be taken away so he should stop being so fucking cocky and do what he was told and that was it. That coupled with the Bailon patriarch and his "Heir" forcing him to wait so long wore his patience quite thin in fact it was bound to break at any moment. The winding pure gold watch on his wrist indicated it was almost an hour since he'd gotten to that damned place, he would wait no more.
The petite red head came back just about he was about to stand "I am truly sorry but an urgent matter has occurred, Mr. Bailon sends his most sincere apologies but he will not make it." John sensed an almost imperceptible tremor in her voice he recognized it from when he used to cross examine witnesses something was wrong that actually diminished the annoyance in his gut quite a bit "I hope everything is alright" he spoke worry lining his forehead masking emotions came easy to him like a second nature he mused
"Everything has been taken cared off, Mr. Bailon nonetheless is still interested and would like to schedule another meeting this Saturday." John didn't like being ordered especially when it was the other party's fault for none appearance but he only smiled "You can reach out to our office if I am available, Excuse me" he left his tall six feet assistant trailing behind him unlike Sofie he stood most of the duration behind John and was secretly relieved, once in the elevator he pressed the ground floor button it started to descend from the fifth floor of the Bailon office building feeling better with each floor the metal box passed going down never good with heights anything above a ground floor made him queasy even while inside a building.
"Brienne!" his boss' commanding voice shook the phobia to the back of his mind "Yes sir"
"Find out whatever that was.." the metal doors pinged open
My name is Brian you dimwit I have been working for you for six years! he wanted to shout instead answered in his usual professional tone "Okay sir" they stepped out at least the exit was in sight.
******
Simon Bailon sat in his office study a spacious room with book shelves lining the walls tall enough to need ladders to get to the highest placed hardcover book, all of them were hardcover he liked them that way. He wore his usual gray suit almost matching his well made silver hair despite the news of his grandson's kidnapping and missing the meeting with the people from Brotherhood a slight smile tugged at his lips betraying the hilarity with which he regarded the entire situation. Truth be told he was never going to that meeting, the fact that Michael got taken felt a ´bit concerning as to the image of the family and more importantly the company but it was manageable now his daughter would stop fighting him on the matter of protective detail and finally bring Michael to the fold. On the day he met the kid he expected the usual annoying naivety and childishness that lay in most kids his age, but something felt different about him.
In all his years of business even before that everyone struggled to understand how he was so good, personally he couldn't explain it himself if he were to explain then at best it was something he inherited from his forefathers an instinct for business that Adam Bailon the founder of the dynasty honed then passed it down the generations a 'Torch' enabling the growth and subsequent success of the Bailon dynasty to what it has become today.
That instinct flared at him the moment he saw Michael at the manor, intelligence shone in those young dark eyes the child felt different from any he ever met not that he saw many the nuances constituting childhood he found were too much even for his above average patience. But he'd seen his other grandchildren the twins at least once or twice and the rare toddler Michael stood out he had whatever those children lacked whatever it was that made his blood boil in anticipation of what he would do next the none existent heights that would ever limit him. He trusted himself his most innate instinct and there was only one thing left to do whatever his children may say Michael was the future of the dynasty, the next Bailon to whom the torch would be passed on to, his own daughters were good they would sustain it Michael however will bring it to the next phase whatever that may be. He decided to name Alyssa his successor and Michael vicariously through her the same day.
"He just needs guidance" he muttered swiveling the black leather office chair he sat on facing the large portrait of the first patriarch Adam Bailon "I have found your next heir," staring directly into the life-like painting that persisted for more than a century one of the family's most treasured items, Michael carried so much of him: the dark intelligent eyes similarly handsome shaped face if Simon believed in reincarnation it would be the patriarch reborn
A loud ringing tone disrupted his thoughts slightly anoyyed he turned towards the hardwood mahogany desk picking up the phone, on its screen Lancaster plastered he swiped right answering it "Hows the situation?" he spoke in his usual baritone Avion told him of Alyssa's insistance to bring Michael to the hospital "What should I do sir?" the discipline ground in him from his army days reverberating in Avion's voice it was one of the things Simon liked about him he respected authority almost zealously "Do what she says but do not leave their side no matter what. How is the boy." he commanded rather than asked which made Avoin doubt really whether he cared "He is fine sir" he answered "And the assailants?"
"Dead"
"Ok later give me the entire report"
"Oh and Avoin..."
"Yes sir"
"Bring them all to the manor afterward"
It was high time his family got together for dinner.