Chapter 8 8

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 took his 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 alone commanded attention, his every step echoing authority that resonates with the weight of impending decisions.

Oddly, the room temperature undergoes 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 any one in this room above fourth nine?" Nix suddenly spoke up. His voice dripping with cold venom accompanied with a choking dark aura that could suffocate anyone.

Everyone quickly looked down, averting eye contact with him not wanting to bear the consequences of the actions of everyone.

Nix began going round the room in a circular motion touching the shoulders of everyone and he could feel them jerk in response to his touch.

"I made sure to fulfill all the requirements the board members of a company are supposed to meet and even gave you all a open room to show me the special skill you all boasted of the day we spoke. So why am I in this room for the second time in a year?" He looked around the room to find their head still bowed.

"Young scions, we haven't even gotten to the middle of the year and I've graced this 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 then did you decide to join my company despite being rich heirs?" He goes back to his seat and pick up the files in front of him.

Although he had already gone through the file before the meeting he felt the need to scan through it once more and something about the file made him chuckle, sending fear to the heart of the present board members as they crossed their fingers hoping that the occurrences of the last meeting doesn't repeat itself.

"Since you all can not solve this problem I'll tell you all a story.

There was once a man who sold balloons and when every he was out of business he would release a helium filled balloon into the air and when children see this balloon they would cry to their parents demanding for 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 with 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 "..I hope this will be the last time my meeting room is turned I to a class room" he scoffed before exiting the room and every board members suddenly let of a breath of relief.

They turned to Ken who was busy rubbing his palm together in an attempt to create hear but suddenly noticed that everyone's eyes were on him and slowly detached his hands from one another placing them by his side

"The room temperature is low..i think we need to turn of 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. Also he is not just my boss he is our Boss" he said with a wild smirk before taking his leave, leaving the young board members in confusion as they awaited their fates.

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.

His hair made into a classic polished pompadour,while his feet coved with a black Oxford in leather.

His choice of accessories reveals a discerning eye for detail. A sleek wristwatch, its metallic gleam catching the ambient glow, graces one wrist. Its dial, adorned with minimalist markers, speaks 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, adds 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 awaits his target he heard the clicking of heels against the floor,a small smile emerged on his face which he quickly hid away masking it with a straight face as he picked up his glass.

"Mr Daniel?" He looked up from his plate to find a lady in blue fitted gown reaching her above the kneels and a ironed flat hair showing him a smile

"Excuse me?" He raised an eyebrow and he could see her awkwardly taking a step backward.

"Hmm..I am Jenny..our parents set us up on a blind date," she said still standing as she awkwardly plays with the hemming of her gown.

Xavier took a look at the lady standing across him and couldn't help deny the fact that he found her cute and good looking but the fact that she kind of lacked brains was obvious.

Like who doesn't do research before meeting their dates? He wondered

"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" she looked away as her voice died down. Xavier observed her and find trace's of tears at the side of her eyes and his curiosity got the better of him

"Miss jenny please have a seat it would not be nice to keep a lady standing.." she nodded taking the chair he was pointing to "About your date that I doubt because I rented out the entire place because I wanted privacy but.."

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't aware of that" she quickly apologized about to stand to her feet but is stopped by Xavier

"It is 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 showed her a simple but yet attractive smile

"Well if you insist I wouldn't mind" she finally smiled at him and he thoughtfully leaned back on his chair with both his hands crossed across his chest

"Miss Jenny.." she looks up from the glass of water she was having "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?" He began to flirt but is drastically cut off by her response

"The last person who said that to me just broke my heart "

"Woah!" Xavier raised both his hands In an act of surrendering "I was just trying to compliment you" he spoke in his defense and she gave a small nod as she watch the waiter step up her plate "I don't mean to intrude on your privacy but ...You double date cause.."

"It's not what you think. Actually I was dating someone I already have someone I want to marry but my father insists again it, he even went ahead and offered..." She broke into tears "he offered my fiance money and that baster placed the value of money over me and left" she looked up trying to stop her tears. "Actually..I'm sorry for ruining your quite time and boring you with my story.."

"No it's okay. We all need a shoulder to cry on at a point in life"he pass his handkerchief to her which she accepted without giving a second though wiping off the tears that threatened to spill

"Thank you Mr Xavier"

"You are always welcome"

Everyone in life does deserve a shoulder but my shoulder isn't the one you need at such a time. If only you were slightly aware of the plans my brother has for you then you would have gone somewhere else to cry about this issue.

Xavier sighed still maintaining the smile he had on his face as he filled the glass in front of Jenny

"Miss Jenny, this might not seem pleasant giving to your current situation but if you don't mind can we get to know one another?" He calculatively threw his fishing hook into the sea.