ORION.
As Orion stepped into his company's building, a sense of unease settled in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, and his father's involvement seemed inevitable. The prickly sensation at the back of his neck intensified, and Orion's scowl deepened.
His secretary, Miss Boris, greeted him with a nervous salutation, her eyes darting anxiously to his face. "Where is he?" Orion demanded, his voice low and menacing, each word enunciated through gritted teeth. Miss Boris flinched, her eyes widening in alarm.
"Chairman Stone is currently having a meeting, Sir," she stammered, her voice trembling. Orion's patience was wearing thin, his anger simmering just below the surface. "Where the hell is he?" he boomed, his voice echoing through the hallway.
Miss Boris let out a squeaky sound, her eyes wide with fright, as she pointed down the hall. "The conference room, Sir." Orion didn't wait for further explanation; he strode towards the conference room, his long legs eating up the distance.
As he burst into the room, he was met with the sight of his father, Chairman Stone, beaming at a young man with an infuriatingly smug expression. The younger man's bright blue eyes sparkled with amusement, his gaze locking onto Orion's with an unnerving intensity.
Orion's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in anger. Who was this arrogant young man, and what was he doing in his conference room? His father's introduction only added fuel to the fire.
"Mr. Bishop, meet my son, Orion."
Orion forced a smile, but it came out more like a snarl. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, his eyes never leaving the younger man's face. The air was thick with tension, and Orion could feel his anger boiling over. What was his father up to now?
A slow, captivating smile spread across the younger man's face, illuminating his bright blue eyes as he made eye contact with Orion. For a fleeting moment, Orion thought he had a beautiful smile, but he quickly suppressed the thought, fixing his poker face before extending his hand in a firm handshake.
"Orion, this is Mr. Bishop, CEO of Bishop Enterprise and our current consultant at Stone Pharmaceuticals," his father announced, his voice dripping with enthusiasm.
Orion ignored the fact that this meeting was supposed to be his and that he should have been the one making the introductions. Instead, he presented his right arm in a professional handshake, saying a quick "Hello" and "It's a pleasure to meet you" to the younger man.
But as their hands touched, a spark-like sensation shot through Orion's body, leaving him wide-eyed and startled. He glanced at his father, searching for confirmation, but the older man seemed oblivious to the exchange. Just as Orion was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he caught the younger man smirking at him knowingly. Orion's scowl deepened, and the younger man's smirk grew wider as if daring him to react.
Orion cleared his throat nervously, looking away from the piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through him. The younger man's voice cut through the tension, "I trust you will relay the message to your son, Chairman Stone?" As he stood up, his elegant dark blue suit and Italian shoes seemed to shimmer in the light, drawing Orion's gaze like a magnet.
Orion's father replied with an enthusiasm that bordered on sycophancy, "Yes, of course, Mr. Bishop, with immediate effect, I assure you." Orion watched with growing disgust as his father fawned over the younger man, his anger simmering just below the surface.
The younger man's parting words were laced with insincerity, "Very well, I must apologize for coming in unannounced again." But it was his wink at Orion that left him breathless and fuming. The nerve! Orion thought, his eyes narrowing as he watched the younger man walk away with a satisfied grin.
As the door shut behind him, Orion turned to his father, his voice low and even. "Why wasn't I notified of this sudden change in the arrangement, Father?" His father sighed, as if expecting the question, "There was no change in the arrangement, Orion."
Orion's confusion deepened. "Then what was he doing here just now?" His father's response only added to the mystery.
"Mr. Bishop wanted to have a word with me, and that's exactly what he did. Why are you asking me all these questions, Orion?" The genuine confusion in his father's voice only served to frustrate Orion further. What was going on, and why was his father acting like he was the clueless one?
Orion's mind was a whirlwind of confusion and frustration. Had he misread the situation entirely, or was this another one of his father's clever tricks to throw him off balance? It was a familiar pattern, one that always ended with his father blaming him for the consequences.
"He's not here about Stone Pharmaceuticals?" Orion asked, his voice laced with skepticism. His father's response was a curious mixture of amusement and hard dance.
"Isn't that your area of expertise, Orion?" he said, his tone dripping with condescension. Before Orion could respond, his father was already walking out of the conference room, leaving him seething with anger.
Orion's fists clenched as he fantasized about confronting the arrogant young man. How dare he show up at Stone Pharmaceuticals without so much as a notification, especially after declining a formal meeting with Orion just two days ago? What could his father possibly want from Mr. Bishop outside of the company's interests?
As he watched his father's shadow disappear from view, Orion slumped into his chair, his hand pressed to his temple as he massaged it gently. The tension was building, and he could feel a headache brewing.
Stone Pharmaceuticals was a behemoth in the industry, ranked 25th on the Fortune 500 list with a staggering revenue of $61.78 billion. And yet, despite all his accomplishments as CEO, his father still treated him like a child, refusing to give him the autonomy he deserved.
Orion's eyes narrowed as he made a mental note to confront his father about the mysterious message Mr.Bishop had wanted to convey. He picked up the phone, his voice firm and commanding.
"Miss Boris? Yes, bring all the folders containing Mr. Bishop's information to my office immediately, please." With a sigh, Orion settled into his chair, his eyes fixed on the door as he waited for the information to arrive.
Orion's day had started on a sour note, and he had a nagging feeling that more surprises were lurking around the corner. His intuition proved correct, as no sooner had he hung up the phone than his secretary, Miss Boris, walked into his office with a large folder and a steaming cup of coffee.
He accepted the coffee with a grateful nod, taking a sip as Miss Boris began to lay out the files on his desk. "Here, you'll find everything you need to know about Bishop Enterprises, covering the past three decades or so," she explained, her fingers deftly sorting through the documents.
Orion listened intently as she walked him through each file, pointing out key pieces of information. As soon as she left, he homed in on the file labeled "Personal Information," a sly smile spreading across his face. Two can play this game, indeed.
With his reading glasses perched on the end of his nose, Orion settled into his chair, ready to uncover the secrets hidden within the file. But nothing could have prepared him for the bombshell that awaited him.
As he delved into the file, Orion's eyes widened in stunned silence. Hanrich Bishop Sebastian Jr., the enigmatic CEO of Bishop Enterprises, was born on February 14, 1994, to an Irish professor who had died shortly after giving birth. The file revealed that Hanrich's estranged father, a Canadian tycoon twice his mother's age, had taken custody of him.
Orion's mind reeled as he processed the information. The fact that the file didn't mention anything about Hanrich's parents being married suggested that he might have been born out of wedlock. The more Orion learned about Hanrich Bishop, the more intriguing he became.
The file painted a vivid picture of Hanrich Bishop's life, from his early days as a cherubic child to his current status as a business prodigy. His physical appearance was described in glowing terms - hair as white as snow, lips as red as cherry blossoms, and skin as soft as milk. It was no wonder that he had grown into a man who knew his worth and wasn't afraid to flaunt it.
Orion's mind flashed back to their earlier encounter when Hanrich's bright blue eyes had seemed to bore into his very soul. The way he had smirked and winked at Orion had left him feeling flustered, and he couldn't help but wonder if he had been too quick to dismiss the younger man's charms.
As he continued to read, Orion discovered that Hanrich had been a child prodigy, excelling in every area of his life, from school plays to science exhibitions and musical instruments. Despite his father's wealth, Hanrich had worked hard to earn a full-ride scholarship to Harvard, where he studied business management and graduated at the tender age of nineteen.
The file also revealed Hanrich's impressive track record in the business world, where he had worked closely with his father at Bishop Enterprises before taking over as CEO and consultant two years ago. His romantic life was also scrutinized, with the file detailing his numerous conquests, both male and female.
Orion's eyes narrowed as he read through the file, searching for any chink in Hanrich's armor. But so far, he had found nothing that could be used against him, except perhaps his reputation as a ladies' man and a genius. Orion's lip curled in distaste - he had always disliked people who seemed to think they were superior to others, simply because of their wealth, status, or looks.
And yet, as he closed the file, Orion couldn't shake the feeling that he had only scratched the surface of Hanrich Bishop's true nature. There was something about the younger man that didn't quite add up, something that Orion was determined to uncover.
Orion's ruggedly handsome features were a far cry from the angelic beauty of the younger man, but he was by no means unattractive. Standing at six feet tall, his short blonde hair was styled in a professional, mussed look that seemed to darken to a rich brown in dim light. His perfectly pointed nose accentuated the sharp cut of his jaw and firm mouth, giving him a strong, gentlemanly appearance.
Despite his good looks, Orion had never been one to attract excessive female attention, and he preferred it that way. He had no patience for games or pretenses, and he valued honesty and sincerity above all else.
One thing that really got under Orion's skin was hypocrisy. He seemed to people who were quick to point out others' flaws while ignoring their own. His father was a prime example of this, always criticizing Orion for not doing things his way, while conveniently forgetting his own shortcomings.
Orion's mind wandered back to the younger man, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance. He hated the way Hanrich had looked at him like he could see right through him. He hated the fact that his looks had bothered him, and he hated the fact that he was still thinking about it.
Most of all, he hated the condescending tone his father used whenever he spoke to him. It was like a knife to the gut, a constant reminder that he was never good enough.
Orion had spent his entire life trying to please his father, but no matter how hard he tried, it was never enough. And now, there was Mr. Bishop, the perfect son. Orion couldn't help but wonder if his father would be proud to have Hanrich as a son instead of him.
He shook off the thought, focusing on the phone call. "Did you get it?" he asked his voice firm and commanding.
"Yes, Mr. Stone," the voice on the other end replied. "You might want to write this down. It wasn't easy getting hold of this information."
Orion's eyes narrowed as he grabbed a piece of paper and began to write. He knew exactly what the man meant - this information was sensitive, and it had taken a lot of digging to uncover.
Orion strode out of his office, his suit jacket slung over his shoulder, as he gazed longingly at the pile of papers on his desk. Those would have to wait; he had a mission to accomplish.
As he reached the third floor, his secretary, Miss Boris, looked up from her desk, a hint of concern etched on her face. "I had no idea you were stepping out, sir. Is everything okay?" Orion flashed her a brief, reassuring smile.
"Everything's fine, Miss Boris. I'm just stepping out for a while." He expected her to press for more information, but instead, she nodded understandingly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Orion felt a pang of guilt for not being more forthcoming, but he couldn't bring himself to reveal his true intentions. "It's um... it's a bit personal," he stammered, feeling like a teenager sneaking out of the house.
To his surprise, Miss Boris nodded sympathetically, making an "O" sound with her lips. "Take good care of yourself, Mr. Stone. I'll handle the calls." Orion smiled gratefully, feeling a sense of relief wash over him as he walked around her desk and headed toward the elevator.
As he rode the elevator down to the lobby, Orion's doubts began to creep in. Was he really going to go through with this? He thought about turning back, but his pride and curiosity propelled him forward.
When the elevator doors opened, Orion's driver was waiting for him, a questioning look on his face. "Where to, sir?" Orion hesitated for a moment before handing him the piece of paper with the address.
As they arrived at the destination, Orion's confusion deepened. The building looked nothing like what he had expected. Just as he was about to tell his driver to turn around, the man's deep voice announced, "We're here, sir."
Orion groaned inwardly, feeling a sense of trepidation wash over him. He stepped out of the car, his eyes scanning the area until he spotted a logo that matched the one on the paper. With a deep breath, he gestured for his driver to lead the way.
As they approached the entrance, a hulking figure emerged from the shadows, his face a map of scars and tattoos. Orion's heart skipped a beat as the man began to talk to his driver in a low, gravelly voice. But to his surprise, the man nodded and stepped aside, allowing them to pass after his driver handed him a few dollar bills.
Must be the bouncer, Orion thought, his eyes fixed on the man's retreating as he followed his driver into the unknown.
As Orion stepped inside, he was struck by the sheer scale of the establishment. Unlike the unassuming exterior, the interior was a vast, sprawling space that seemed to pulse with energy. The air was thick with the smells of food, drink, and something else, something almost primal.
Orion's eyes widened as he took in the dizzying array of sights and sounds. A group of half-naked cowboys danced on a pole at one end of the room, their bodies glistening with sweat. Nearby, a troupe of women in Hawaiian swimsuits served food and drinks with flirtatious smiles. Behind the bar, a team of fully clothed bartenders worked with precision, shaking cocktails and pouring shots with ease.
Orion's mind reeled as he tried to categorize this strange, hybrid establishment. Was it a restaurant, a bar, or a strip club? At this point, he wouldn't have been surprised if it was all three rolled into one.
Just as he was starting to feel overwhelmed, a woman with a warm smile and a sparkling dress approached him. "Would you like food, company, or just drinks?" she asked, her voice husky and inviting.
Orion stared at her, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. He couldn't seem to form a response, his brain still struggling to process the sensory overload around him.
The woman's smile never wavered, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. "You could have all three of course, but it's always good to start somewhere, especially when you're not sure which you'd rather have," she purred, her voice dripping with seduction.
Just as Orion was starting to feel like a deer in headlights, his driver intervened, his deep voice a welcome respite from the chaos. "He would like just a table for now, please, thank you."
The woman's smile never faltered as she nodded and led them to a vacant table, tucked away in a quieter corner of the room. Orion nodded his gratitude as she walked away, feeling a sense of relief washed over him.