The Killer's Whisper Book I in the form of a PDF ebook can now be purchased for (Rupiah Indonesia) IDR 35.000,- payment can be made via Paypal. For more information, please contact via WhatsApp which is listed in oishielmo's bio profile.
I was hesitant to apply for a contract for this novel, because my previous novel The Secret of Forbidden Affair was rejected by the webnovel company for the reason: the writing pace is too draggy. The opening is not eye-catching enough, the plot is not engaging enough and difficult to follow. Iwrite, and I also need money to eat like the writers here.
Sorry my English isn't good enough and my novel is far from perfect. But I will keep trying to be better.
— —
The winter gloom burns, painting shadows on the tops of skyscrapers. Along with the glowing clouds, the sun slowly slips from its throne.
The cold temperature of the room was instantly dissipated by the steam of tea in a cup freshly poured from the teapot. After sipping, he sat sluggishly, leaning his body against the back of a chair in his father's company office.
A man dressed in a gray office janitor's uniform stood at the door saying, "Mr. Zwick, there is someone here to see you."
"Tell him to come in," Walther replied.
Shortly after, a middle-aged man entered, looking at Walther with an expression that held a thousand words. He did not show the slightest surprise at the arrival of the middle-aged man who was now standing in front of him. In fact, the young man had been waiting for him all along.
"I thought you wouldn't want to come to this place anymore, Mr. Sergey" Walther began his first sentence.
Sergey immediately replied, "I was i thought so too, but something important brought me here again. "Shoving his hands into his pants pockets, Sergey surveyed the wood lined walls of the office, and some of the architecture, not much changed since the middle-aged man had last set foot there.
This room used to be the room where he worked.
A few years ago, the middle-aged man was part of Zwick & SON. Inc and served as general manager.Sergey met Aaron Zwick, Walther's father, when they first entered college. At a young age, he was brilliant with his ideas and new ideas. This made it easy for him to be offered jobs from some of the biggest
big companies, but he turned them down, as compared
a corporate position, Sergey Baluev preferred to be a scientist. But therein lies Aaron's opportunity to find someone as talented as him. Aaron offered him to work for his company as a scientist. In a short period of time, he became invaluable to the company. And Sergey learned more about managing the company from behind the scenes.
During this period, he was given more responsibility. He always attended board meetings even though he was not a member. As time goes by the course of life must change, and that's exactly what happened to Sergey Baluev. One day, he was faced with two choices, leave the woman he loved or leave the company Zwick & SON. Inc and let go of everything he once had.
Aaron and Sergey, love the same woman. And this woman's name is Grace Cooksey. Eventually the man chose the latter path, leaving Zwick & SON. Inc to stay with the woman he loved. However, it was the path that was the beginning of him losing everything, including the woman he loved.
Sergey smiled at the young man in front of him. "A young man who is not even twenty years old has already earned the position of manager. I'm impressed with you, but it's no wonder you got this position so easily.
Walther was flattered, but also annoyed that Sergey was indirectly saying that he got his position because he was the sole rightful heir of Zwick & SON. Inc.
Walther smiled blandly. "I'm actually not that ambitious for this position."
Sergey looked at the young man, getting straight to the point. "Of all the people in the world, why Noel?"
Walther was still smiling blandly. His head shook but his mouth replied, "I just fell in love with him."
Sergey chuckled rudely at this answer and said, "Stay away from Noel, I don't want him in your life." Sergey's voice was full of emphasis and sadness all at once. Had his son's love not been this young man in front of him, Sergey would not have opposed his son's relationship.
Walther looked at Sergey as he said calmly, or rather tried to remain calm. "Has it ever crossed your mind that I really love Noel with all my heart?"
"No," Sergey retorted sharply, "no matter how much you love my son, how sincerely you care for him. One day, you'll be sure to hurt him. Just like Aaron eventually did to Grace."
At the mention of his parents' names, Walther clenched his fingers. "Just because you used to know my parents well, especially my father, doesn't mean you're free to equate me with my father, we're not the same."
"What evidence is there that you're different from your father?" Sergey challenged Walther.
"I'd give up the Zwick name for Noel," Walther replied earnestly, but his confession was only met with sarcastic laughter.
Sergey narrowed his eyes. "Even if you abandon your family for my son, Aaron, who knows about it, won't stand for it. He would have taken immediate action, Noel's life would have been at stake."
Walther didn't answer, the young man knew all too well the consequences if his father found out he loved the son of his former best friend who was now his enemy.
"If you still come near my son, I will take him far away from this country. Keep that in mind!" After uttering his threat, Sergey Baluev walked away, leaving Walther glued to his room with mixed feelings. His jaw hardened, he growled in frustration and punched the desk, making a loud 'brak' sound.
His heart was now filled with feelings of sadness, anger, resentment and frustration all rolled into one. How could he not, before he tried to win the heart of his lover's father, he had already been rejected because of a complicated incident between their parents in the past that had nothing to do with him and Noel.
*
That morning, on the way to one of the factories owned by Zwick & SON. Inc, Walther sat in the limousine right next to his father who was telling a story. He hoped that this visit would help him forget his heartache over his girlfriend's father's disapproval of his love story, and that his father didn't know about it.
Walther didn't even want to tell his father. After all, the problem would only get more complicated.
"Your grandfather built this company as a family business. But it was just a small company then, now it's changed a lot. We control one of the largest drug companies in the world. When you inherit the chair of President Director of Zwick & SON. Inc. in my place, I hope you're ready, Walther, because it's a tremendous responsibility," Aaron explained.
Walther knew that, but did not interrupt and let his father speak further.
"Zwick & SON. Inc, we don't just make medicines. We also produce chemicals and bio electronic equipment. We also have an animal sensory division."
"Starting today, I will personally teach you. I don't take no for an answer."
"You know, I'm always ready, Dad." Walther tried to please the middle-aged man.
Aaron smiled slightly, now the middle-aged man felt relieved. He realized how much he was counting on his son for his company in the future.
The car stopped at an area estimated to be tens of acres with about twenty-five buildings standing on it. After getting out with Walther following by his side, Aaron continued, "The first step is to take you around, knowing the physical structure of the company is a basic step."
The father and son, along with their assistants and several bodyguards, visited the production plant, research department, toxicology laboratory, and storage plant. During the visit, they saw the molecular biology department, and the liquid substance center, where ten giant stainless steel tanks with glass rims hung from the ceiling, containing liquids ready for bottling. they witnessed the tablet pressing room, where powders were formed into tablets, cut to size and printed with the Zwick & SON. Inc, packaged, labeled, without a single hand touching them.
Most of the medicines were prescription-only, and the rest could be sold over-the-counter.
Following his father into another room, Walther stared at dozens of people who were mostly men in white uniforms with masks and full protective suits. It was a place for scientists. Chemical analysts, biochemists, organic chemists, parasitologists and pathologists. Walther asked himself, which of the different types of scientists did Noel's father specialize in?
"There are many scientists working here," Aaron said. "Most of them have doctorates."
Sergey Baluev was certainly one of those with such a degree.
While lost in thought, Walther followed Aaron's onward journey right to where a building, and only this building, was guarded by several armed security men. As soon as Aaron Zwick raised his hand in a gesture, he and his son were let in. The guards used two keys to open the steel door, inside which was a long windowless hallway.
Along the walls were shelves filled with various bottles and tubes.
"In this room, there are some results of failed research materials. Some of them have been researched for almost ten years. Then they were eliminated. A study can cost tens of millions of dollars. And if we're lucky, one of the experts can come up with an invention that makes the materials from the failed inventions useful." Aaron stepped over to a shelf and picked up a tube. "This is one of the failed invention samples, and it has become a useful material."
"What's the use?" Walther asked. His father's crisp laughter followed immediately. The middle-aged man pointed out a label on the vial of 'poison'. Aaron continued, "One drop of this liquid can kill fifty rats in five minutes." He picked up another bottle at random. "This is different from the last one, that one is poison, while this one is the antidote. But it only works on king cobra bites."
Walther continued to listen until they finally stopped at the last warehouse. As soon as the door opened, Walther found a dimly lit room filled with hundreds of cages full of animals. He saw cages containing rabbits, white rats, monkeys, and squirrels. This room was not visited for long because of the unbearable smell. This is just one factory of Zwick & SON. Inc, not to mention several Zwick & SON. Inc. factories in other countries.
Learning about all of this made Walther's head spin, how to market a new medicine had taken several years. And of the many ingredients tested, only one to five products were found in the end. Not to mention controlling the employees. It was a huge responsibility. On the upside, the research had saved many lives.
Well, at least no one has taken advantage of the failed product to take someone's life.
A tired look appeared on Walther's handsome face. He had just entered his room after a full day of learning more about the company. Without taking off all his clothes that were attached to his body in the form of a suit, tie, shirt and shoes. Walther threw himself onto the bed. Tiredness was crushing all his bones, plus the longing for Noel's presence that he hadn't seen his lover's handsome face in a week, made Walther feel as if he was suffocating.
After returning from Noel's place, Walther no longer came to his apartment. The young man went straight back to his father's mansion to avoid reminiscing with his with his lover in that place.
"Noel, I miss you. Did you miss me too?" murmured Walther looking blankly at the ceiling of his room.
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