BEEP BEEP
BEEP BEEP
…
BEEP BEEP
BEEP BEEP.
…
Yehezkel tapped quickly, the top of his alarm clock and shut the sound before it could keep going. His body weighed down heavily into the soft mattress and cloud like softness of his duvet and bedsheets, drowning him into displeasure as he constantly reminded himself of the meeting he had to attend.
"URGH" he groaned into the shallow depths of his silk ribbed pillow, truly, he wished he could get some more hours of sleep.
Irrespective, he stood to his feet.
At the mare thought of his sister's future being at stake, his responsibility as an older brother and the status as the next heir to a portion of the family wealth, he knew better than to lay back and fall asleep.
'Oh Athena' he thought as he headed into his bathroom.
Even back in the country club when she had walked aside to pick up a call, he couldn't tell how to feel. What to feel.
His heart sunk and yet, his head stayed empty.
In the midst of the quiet, water droplets ran cold against his pale skin, an uncomforting yet necessary routine to wake his sluggish demeanor of the moment.
… 'Love'.
The concept, love began to scare Yehezkel.
For a smart woman such as his sister to find herself along the side of a married and elderly man, he couldn't quite tell what more, this love of an emotion, could do. The extent at which it could take a person.
Athena was old enough to ask herself hard questions, old enough to tell good from bad, had a variety of options, many men who fell to her feet and worshipped the path she threaded and yet, she chose the man who gave her the least attention.
Yehezkel drew an anxious conclusion and began to see more meaning in spending time alone, with family and friends. To Duke, he was eternally grateful.
For as long as he had remembered, he understood that man to be an advocate of his own words.
He spoke his mind when necessary, meant every word and so, the mere fact that he promised to stay by Yehezkel's side, unmarried, till they had both aged, warmed his heart.
A small sigh escaped his lips while he shut his eyes, lathering soap against his skin.
Yehezkel understood Duke's quiet desire for him to open up more often but he couldn't -Not because he had no will or ability to do so but because he felt greatly indebted to him and couldn't possibly burden him further.
Each one among his friends knew of the Harrisons family situation. Melancholic.
In a short span of minutes, he walked out of his thoughts and his shower, heading towards his dressing room.
'It was time'.
Walking out into the dark lit morning, Yehezkel headed into the back seat of his official car.
"Morning Sir" Lyon greeted
"Morning"
Quickly, the car drove, across highways, main roads before cutting into a small street with closed shops except a small, dimly lit bakery.
"This is the place?"
Lyon glanced into his tablet,
"Yes Sir"
Yehezkel walked out, adjusted his coat and checked his watch. 5:26.
Heading into the shop, he witnessed an empty shop with only a young boy slouched, behind the counter and genuinely, Yehezkel couldn't tell if this was procedure or some sort of joke.
'Too soon to judge.'
"Excuse me" he headed over to the counter and watched the young boy turn to him, "I have a meeting with Bertha Altergott in this exact location, where can I find her?"
The boy handed him a thin black card, "Upstairs"
Yehezkel nodded and took a short glance around before sighting a stairway at a somewhat hidden corner and heading over.
The stairs led to a long corridor with only one door at a far end and with the card, he walked in to behold the woman in question along side many black suited men.
Her red hair blended into a neat French updo, elbow gloves sat underneath the curled-up sleeves of her wide shouldered, dark blue suit. It was clear to Yehezkel that this woman was older, more mature, experienced and was likely the least bit interested in pleasantries.
"You came early", "-And alone" her matte red lips formed a small smile, "How bold"
Amidst flourishing businesses were a few dealings done behind closed doors.
This wasn't new in the business world.
These close doors were known to either hold the future or the downfall of a man and his business, even at the cost of a life.
Yehezkel took the seat across her, on the other side of the table
"I see no elegance in causing a scene"
They flashed a warm smile at each other before Bertha took a sip from her cup of tea,
"That ego can get you killed"
On the surface, Bertha Altergott of the triplet sisters, Gisela and Freya was the least known with barely any socialite gossip to her name but, along the business world, that same name got people into places designed for a few.
A long second went by before an older man walked over towards their table, "What would you like to have?"
"…", "What do you have?"
"Ah" the old man fumbled as he took out a small booklet, "Forgive me, it seemed to have skipped my mind to hand you the menu"
Yehezkel took and opened the booklet before catching sight of a familiar snack among the rest of foreign names.
"Dark chocolate macarons with Earl grey tea, thank you"
Bertha watched the young man as he sat and spoke so comfortably like he wasn't supposed to be cautious and careful of who he was dealing with and the situation he was in.
'Was the young man just naïve from the beginning, untrained of the possibilities of endless consequences to an unfavorable deal in business and the dangers of the corners he thrusted his feet into."
She sipped some more on her tea.
'Or could it be, that he was aware and plainly chose to care so little for his life at the cost of a latter, hidden and a supposed agenda?'
Yehezkel sat back, crossed a leg over the other and interlaced his fingers, "Does my comfort marvel or irritate you?"
Bertha busted into a small laugh, "Oh young man" a soft, loud whisper left her lips and soon, his serving was brought to the table and she relaxed.
It was time for business.
"Why am I here Mr. Fionn?"
Yehezkel watched her, with a pause in his breath.
"You are here" he then began "To ensure a successful alliance with great benefits to both parties involved" he took a glance at his watch, "With only 10 minutes of your time"
She nodded.
"And", "What do those benefits entail?"
Ah, straight to the point Yehezkel thought, but of course, she was indeed a business woman through and through with no need for redundant sentiments.
"A favorable non-executive seat among the distinguished board of the Fionn's settlements" he paused, "Your business is astonishing and yet one flaw" watching her steadily, he raised his index, "Constrained market exposure"
"- And so" Bertha added, "You believe a seat among your board will elevate the status of the company"
"Exactly so"
Bertha called for a tea refill before turning back to the young man.
"My market reach extends on regional bases", "It is clear that my organization is only but a faction of the Altergott holdings which is to say that there are other more suitable companies due for a seat on your board"
Yehezkel nodded slowly.
"As the current head to the Fionn financial holdings, it came to my notice that a member of my board is under a probability of future defamation" pause, "It is my Fiduciary duty to act on this prediction and yet, I cannot walk alone" he sat forward, "I am in need of a sharp, calculative business person with a guise of a partnership and who else fits except the remarkable yet lesser known among the Altergott sisters"
The old man walked over to them with a tray and placed a beautiful yet petite Chinaware teapot beside before refilling the teacup closer to Bertha and walking away.
A brief moment of loud silence.
"So, I'm a pawn in your game" she took up her teacup, blew on the lid before taking a sip.
"The queen in my game" he corrected.
"You yourself have yet to salve the somewhat unsettling issue over your name on the media, much less another among your board, why should I entangle myself in your puddle?"
"True" Yehezkel began, taking a sip of his cold tea, "I have yet to settle it except" with a pause, he placed aside his cup, "I am the cause of it", "It is in fact a summarized set of undefined issues and baseless rumors created by employees and freelance journalists, paid unofficially to begin a storm to stain my name"
He watched her.
"However", "With one word, it can be gone like the wind and declared useless in a matter of minutes but I need this diversion for my dealings". He added, "With your help, many things can be accomplished along these backwaters while your business maximizes under the Fionn's"
Bertha glanced over to her wrist watch.
"Expect an answer by next week" she said with short lived wrinkled brows.
Quickly she rose to her feet.
Yehezkel stood to his feet slowly, extending a hand, "Thank you for your time"
She shook him firmly, "You used up much more than 10 minutes" she smiled, adjusting her coat lastly before walking away.
"Good day"