Order 73 ~DNF~

𝟚𝟡

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𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂 𝒫𝒪𝒱

I finally got away from Laura, claiming I had a few more people to meet up with. She was intelligent; she wouldn't be here otherwise. But she's also arrogant, and definitely thinks she's the shit. Investment banking, her speciality, wasn't even that cool anyway.

I avoid the men who've been eyeing me since she dragged me near their vicinity to dance. Leia said to get over myself and talk to people because I was good at it, but she didn't exactly specify to whom. All I've got to do is wait until they come to me.

Who I do need to find right now, is Barlowe, who she said would be lurking around for a little while. I need to get him to lay off for a few weeks, at least until I can figure something out. A frown pulls at my lips when I look around, not spotting him anywhere.

I peer up at the staircases, watching movement up on the balcony. Might as well take a look. I flag down a waiter and grab a flute of champagne, downing it in one go, before strolling up the stairs.

The men look up for their wicker seats, mixed expressions on all their faces. Three of them smile, tipping their glasses in hello. The rest shift in their seats looking slightly intimidated, their faces spelling out their wondering what I'm up to. Barlowe sits front and center, with a huge smirk.

"Gentlemen." I greet, taking a seat in their circle. I feel like I'm in between the popular football team in high school, except less attractive and a lot more intelligent.

"Fancy seeing you here kid." Barlowe says, stretching his arms out behind his chair. "I've really screwed you haven't I?"

"Ah, you wish." I chuckle, picking a wine bottle off the table and pouring myself a glass. They watch me nurse it in my hand, taking a sip with a sigh. "Unfortunately it's me you're talking about. You know I'll find my way out of this some way or another. For all you know, I have. The question is, how unhappy are you going to make me right now."

He raises his eyebrow, leaning back. The other men are pin drop silent.

"Because when my company doubles your size in a year or two, I won't show an ounce of restraint." I stand up, tipping the glass up to sip the last of the bitter liquid before setting it on the table with a sharp clink. "I can't call myself a man if I can't hold a grudge, now can I?" I almost puke. That's probably the most old white man sentence I've ever said.

"No sir." One of them laughs, ignoring Barlowe's silencing look. "Young man's got some balls in his back pocket."

"Our companies are friends, kid. A little feud between you and I won't change that." He replies, cold and unyielding.

"But unlike you, I've got a good relationship with my people. They'll agree with whatever I suggest, because they know I'm advocating for the benefit of everyone. I always told you that treating people like shit is gonna bite you in the ass one day." I fix him with an equally cold stare. "Drop the acquisition threat. Or I swear to you, I'll bring down your whole damn legacy."

The funniest thing about it is that he knows I can too. Years of unwanted relations have brought up dirty plays and foul business they've buried. And he never made me sign an NDA, because he thought he'd never have reason to. One post on Twitter, and their bad reputation hits the gutter. The only reason he wants my company is to redeem himself.

"Alright kid. I'll drop it." He shrugs nonchalantly. "But the merger has already passed your Board members. They only agreed to the acquisition because they didn't want to deal with your company anymore. You can't do anything about that."