The spacious meeting room, adorned with polished mahogany tables and leather chairs, hums with a palpable tension as young board members exchange anxious glances. The air, once suffused with the muted rustle of papers and hushed conversations, now holds an eerie stillness.
As the imposing CEO, Nix, strides into the room, a collective shiver seems to ripple through the assembly. Wide-eyed and huddled, the young executives find their voices hushed to mere whispers. Nix presence commanded attention, his every step echoing authority that resonates with the weight of impending decisions.
Oddly, the room temperature undergoed a mysterious transformation, defying the logic of the untouched air conditioner. The atmosphere becomes laden with an unspoken chill, causing a visible release of breath from the gathered individuals. It's as if an unseen force has decided to manifest the fear simmering beneath the surface.
The board members, once animated in their discussions, now appear frozen in their seats, words caught in their throats. As Nix's penetrating gaze sweeps across the room, a silent reminder of the power vested in their position. The polished veneer of confidence adopted by the young executives begins to crack, revealing vulnerability beneath.
Each creak of the floorboards beneath his confident stride intensifies the collective anxiety. The room, which was a battleground for internal struggles and unspoken fears, became a stage for the devil and its puppet.
"Is there anyone in this room above fourth nine?" Nix spoke up in a cold voice with a choking dark aura that could suffocate anyone and everyone quickly looked down, averting eye contact with him.
"I made sure to fulfill all the requirements the board members of a company are supposed to meet and even gave you all a chance to show me what you all got so why am I in this room for the second time in a year?" He looked around the room to find them bowing their head
"We haven't even gotten to the middle of the year, and I've graced the room with my presence twice; it seems you all forgot the contract you signed, right? If you want to slack behind and cause me losses, why did you decide to join my company despite being rich heirs?" He took his seat and picked up the documents in front of him. He had already gone through the documents before the meeting, but scanning through them once again made him chuckle, sending fear to the hearts of the present board members as they crossed their fingers, hoping that the occurrences of the last meeting wouldn't repeat themselves.
"Since you all can't solve this problem I'll tell you all a story.
There was once a man who sold balloons and whenever he was out of business he would release a helium-filled balloon into the air and when children saw this balloon they would cry to their parents demanding one and the man's sale's would go up again, he continued like this for some time and one day he felt someone tugging his jacket and turned to find a little boy who asked,' if you release a black balloon would it also fly?' moved by the boy's concern, with empathy the man replied 'son it's not the balloon but what's in the balloon'.
So here comes my question, what happens if the man runs out of helium and is unable to get one from anywhere? Would he be able to attract children and make his sales go up again" he questioned his prying eyes roaming around the room to see the reaction his board members had to the story he told them just to find only one person raising his hand
"Yes"
"If the man is unable to get any helium gas, he wouldn't be able to blow up his balloons so I doubt he'll have a business, so he will have to find something else to do," the man said and a smirk emerged on the side of his face
"With that, I believe this meeting is over, and I'll be waiting for a response from you all in the next twenty-four hours." he stood to his feet, exiting the room just for the board members to sigh in relief.
They turned to Ken, who was rubbing both his palms together, trying to keep himself warm in the midst of everything unfolding before him; he noticed that everyone's eyes were on him and slowly detached his hands from each other placing them by his side
"The room temperature is low, I think we need to turn off the air-conditioner," he said picking up his documents
"No, it's not the air conditioner, it's your boss. How do you manage to stick with him for all these years without dying from anxiety?" One of them questioned and a chuckle escaped him
"That's because I've gotten used to him and he knows my value, he'll be able to find new and competent board members in a click of his finger but he'll never be able to find a PA like me even in a hundred years to come, so you see, I'm in a safe dry land while you all are in a storming sea that can capsize your boat any moment" he said with a wild smile as he took his leave, leaving the young board members in confusion as they awaited their demines.
...
In the opulent solitude of a restaurant, Xavier exudes an air of affluence as he lounges comfortably at a meticulously set table. Dressed in impeccably tailored garments from a prestigious luxury brand, his attire whispers of refinement and sophistication. The fabric of his suit, a symphony of rich textures and muted hues, drapes flawlessly over his athletic frame, accentuating his youthful yet commanding presence.
At the heart of his ensemble is a crisply ironed, snow-white shirt, its fine cotton fibers reflecting the ambient light. A slender silk tie, intricately patterned with understated elegance, is meticulously fastened in a perfect Windsor knot. The suit itself, crafted from the finest wool, exudes a subtle sheen, a testament to its impeccable quality. The jacket, perfectly fitted, hugged his shoulders, and the trousers cascade seamlessly to a precise break over polished leather shoes.
His choice of accessories reveals a discerning eye for detail. A sleek wristwatch, its metallic gleam catching the ambient glow, graced one wrist. Its dial, adorned with minimalist markers, spoke volumes about his taste for understated luxury that could be seen from miles away. A discreet lapel pin, perhaps an emblem of a prestigious affiliation, added a touch of individuality to his ensemble.
Seated with an air of casual grace, he projects an aura of quiet confidence, fingers lightly tapping against the fine linen tablecloth. The empty restaurant amplifies the hushed tones of clinking cutlery and the distant murmur of unseen staff. The soft glow of ambient lighting casts a warm hue, enhancing the interplay of shadows on his chiseled features.
Xavier's gaze, cool and collected, drifts thoughtfully across the expansive, vacant space. His solitude in this luxurious setting suggests a penchant for privacy or, perhaps, an appreciation for the finer things savored in seclusion. As he patiently awaited his target.
He heard the clicking of heels against the floor, and a small smile emerged on his face, which he quickly hid away, masking it with a straight face.
"Mr Daniel?" He looked up from his plate to find a lady in a blue fitted gown reaching her above the kneels and ironed flat hair showing him a smile
"Excuse me?"
"I'm Jenny, our parents set us up on a blind date," she said, taking a seat beside him.
Xavier took a look at the lady seated across from him and couldn't help but admit she was indeed good-looking but the fact that she lacked brains was obvious.
"No wonder brother never gets involved with these kinds of women there are always beauties without brain" he said to him self.
Who doesn't do research before meeting their dates?
"I'm sorry, Miss Jenny, but you have the wrong person; I'm not Daniel but Xavier, Xavier Dean." he dropped his cutleries, wiping his mouth with the napkin beside him.
"Xavier Dean? But I was supposed to meet up with my date here"
"That I doubt because I rented out the entire place; I wanted privacy, but.."
"I'm so sorry, I wasn't aware of that" She stood to her feet making Xavier chuckle
"It's okay, and since you're already here, how about you join me for dinner?
I'd love to say it's destiny we met because you wanted to meet your blind date but ended up meeting me" he winked and a flush appeared on her cheeks.
"Well if you insist I wouldn't mind" She smiled taking back the seat she previously vacated
"If only you were slightly aware of the plans my brother has for you then you would be on your heels lady," Xavier chuckled to himself still maintaining the smile he had on his face as he filled the glass in front of the lady seated beside him
"Miss Jenny, if you don't mind me,you seem to be an interesting person, how about we get to know ourselves?" Calculatively making his next move he dropped a question.