Brandon leaned back in his chair, his eyes sweeping across the room.
The executives shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, tension crackling in the air like static electricity.
"I've gathered the executives of BMG today for one sole purpose," Brandon said, his voice calm but laced with steel, "and it's to make sure we're all on the same page."
Derrick's chubby face contorted into a frown, his jowls quivering with indignation.
"Hmph!" he snorted, his beady eyes narrowing.
"And which page is that exactly?"
Brandon's gaze snapped to Derrick, his eyes cold and unyielding.
"Mine!"
The word hung in the air, sharp and definitive.
A collective intake of breath rippled through the room.
Julian raised a hand, a practiced smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes.
"I know you might lack experience in the corporate world," he began, his tone dripping with condescension, "but as CEO, I'd like to remind you that we're a democracy here in BMG."
Before Brandon could respond, a sarcastic chuckle burst from Jessie's direction.
She quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes dancing with amusement.
"Sorry," she mumbled, not sounding sorry at all.
Julian's face fell, the smile sliding off like melting wax.
His eyes darted between Jessie and Brandon, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his features for the first time.
Brandon leaned forward, his presence seeming to fill the room.
"Democracy?" he repeated, his voice dangerously soft.
Brandon turned to Julian, his gaze piercing and unwavering.
"And how has this... democracy of yours worked out for the company?"
Julian paused, his polished facade cracking under Brandon's scrutiny.
Before Julian could formulate a response, Brandon interjected, his voice sharp and cutting.
"Oh right, it's given us record-high attrition, plummeting morale, and a company teetering on the brink. Care to take a bow, Mr. CEO?"
Brandon's voice rose, his eyes blazing as he glared at Julian.
"And is there anything else you'd like to remind me of ?"
The room fell into a tense silence, broken only by the sound of nervous breathing.
"Who's the CFO?"
Brandon demanded suddenly, his gaze sweeping the room.
No one moved.
*THUD!*
Brandon slammed the table.
"DO WE NOT HAVE A CFO?!"
A suited man in the corner raised his slightly shaking hand, his face pale and drawn.
Brandon's attention snapped to him.
"Do you have anything you'd like to remind this new inexperienced owner of yours?"
The CFO was visibly trembling now, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He pulled out a handkerchief, dabbing at his face with shaky movements.
"N-no... sir..."
He stuttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Brandon's eyes narrowed.
"Oh really? Does the figure $7,820,500 REMIND you of anything?"
The CFO's eyes widened in horror, his face draining of what little color remained.
He slumped in his chair, looking as if he might faint at any moment.
Julian's composure shattered completely, his mouth hanging open in shock.
He stared at Brandon, then at the CFO, his eyes darting between them like a cornered animal searching for escape.
Derrick's face turned an alarming shade of red, his jowls quivering with rage.
* THUD! *
The obese executive slammed his meaty fist on the table, causing pens and papers to jump.
"Enough of all this!"
Derrick bellowed, spittle flying from his lips.
"You think just because you own shares in this company, that you can walk in like Bobby Badass?"
Brandon raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the outburst.
Derrick continued, his voice rising to a near-shriek.
"We've been here since before you were even born! If you don't show some respect, I'll walk—and MY entire A&R team will walk with me!"
He leaned forward, his bulbous nose pointing down at Brandon's face.
"What will your shares be worth of a Music Group with not a single A&R staff in it?"
Brandon remained silent, his gaze steady and unflinching.
Suddenly, Fred shot up from his seat, his chair scraping loudly against the floor.
His skinny frame trembled slightly as he tried to puff out his chest.
"Y-YEA..."
Fred stammered, his voice cracking.
He cleared his throat and tried again.
"You w-won't have a Creative Director too! Let's see how long this company lasts without us."
Brandon noticed Fred's hands shaking as he gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white.
Despite Fred's attempt at bravado, his wide eyes and quivering lip betrayed his fear.
The room fell into a tense silence, all eyes fixed on Brandon, waiting for his response to the threats.
Brandon scoffed, his lips curling into a derisive smirk.
"Leave? You think you're going to just… leave?"
Julian sighed, standing up and buttoning his blazer with practiced ease.
"As I said, you're... wet behind the ears. Don't lose millions of dollars on the second day taking over the company. What would daddy think of you then?"
Derrick, sensing an opening, added fuel to the flame.
"The company won't survive without us! And there's nothing you can do to us if you don't want BMG to collapse."
Brandon remained calm and collected, a small smile playing on his lips.
"I think you've misunderstood."
He turned and nodded to Gordon, who had been standing stoically behind him throughout the confrontation. Gordon pulled out his phone, his fingers moving swiftly across the screen.
Suddenly, the tense silence of the room was broken by a chorus of buzzing.
ZZZz~
zZZZ~
ZzzZ~
zzzZ~
The sound of phones on silent mode vibrating cut through the air, causing the executives to exchange confused glances.
Brandon turned to Julian and smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement.
"Go on..." he said, his voice dripping with confidence.
Julian's brow furrowed, concern etching itself across his once-smooth features. Brandon's calmness unnerved him,
'What in the world does this little brat have up his sleeve?'
With a subtle movement, Julian reached into his inner blazer pocket and pulled out his phone.
As Julian opened his company email, his facial expression underwent a rapid transformation.
'FUCK….'
The smug smile that had adorned his lips just moments ago melted away. The corners of his mouth tightened, worry creeping into his expression.
Then his face paled, the blood draining from his cheeks.
His lips parted slightly, and his breathing quickened.
The once-confident CEO now looked like a man on the edge of panic.