Not edited!
Howard was surprised to see Arthur in his office premises.
It was unusual for Arthur Bakers to show up unexpectedly at someone's working place.
"Arthur my man!" He received him whole heartfelt.
"Howard." Arthur hugged him.
"Take a seat." Howard pointed towards the chair that was in front of his big desk.
"As you can see I am somehow busy but I believe I can spare some little time for you." Howard loosened his black tie.
"Thank you Howard but I plan to make this quick."
Howard wondered what brought him there. It must've been something important and serious since with the looks of his face he was not even smiling.
"Go on. Am all ears." Howard rubbed his temples already stressing out on what Arthur had to say.
"I wanted to inform you that I am not pushing forward with the plans of setting up a business with your family." Arthur was confident.
Howard tried to find some joke on hi s statement but this man never made jokes.
Why would he say that when the previous night they agreed that the deal was on.
He was just as arrogant as his son who was hurting his daughter by the way.
"Why sudden change? I thought the deal was on." Howard rubbed his chin clearly confused about his sudden decision.
"Well you thought wrong my friend." Arthur unbuttoned his black suit.
"And may I know why you are backing out from the deal? I told you we can support ourselves. If you want we can rearrange the program again
I say we give away 70% while you take 30%."
"Howard Howard. Arthur touched his forehead his eyes gazed on the floor.
Howard probably wasn't getting his point. All he was trying to do was protect his son.
After what Dwight told him the other day...he felt the urge and the need to protect and do things right for him.
At least once act as a father to him.
"Its not about what you can offer. I know you can give away lot more than the 70% you can do 100% if you want I believe that. I believe in you. I don't want you to think that I am underestimating your financial capabilities because I am not. But it just dawned to me that we cannot be business partners. Not when our kids are involved in it."
Now Howard finally understood his decision. He was a father too and he understood his intentions.
He took in a deep breath then rose from his seat and gave Arthur his back facing towards the window.
"So is this about Hazel and Dwight?
"Yes. I hope you understand me."
"Yeah. Yeah I understand. I mean you're right. Not when our kids are involved. Besides what do they know about business aye?" Howard tittered.
"Exactly." Arthur rose from his seat as well. "Atleast you get my point here." He concluded.
Howard turned back to face him.
Surely Arthur was a clever man. Always putting his family first and he admired that about him.
"I hope you don't take it that personal Howard."
"Aaah its nothing. Trust me,we're good." Howard shrugged throwing his hand in the air.
"Am glad." Arthur smiled then left his office.
________________
"I hope your reasons for calling me here are sensible." Sandy took her seat inside her husband's office.
After the encounter with Arthur, Howard gave her wife a call just to let her know what Arthur was up to.
He couldn't let it slide or else he'd forget what happened that day.
"Believe me honey..if it weren't important I wouldn't have called you instantly." Howard said as he swung on his chair.
"What is it?" Sandy took her brown MiuMiu leather jacket and hanged it on her chair.
"Guess who paid me a visit today." Howard leant on his desk.
"Hmm who? Barack Obama?" Sandy scoffed.
"For that I wish." He then got up from his seat and went to another nearby desk that had a bottle of wine and poured it on two glasses.
"Howard just say the damn name already." Sandy was getting pissed off.
She knew that her husband had nothing important to say.
"The one and only Arthur Bakers." He smirked handing her wife a glass.
"No way!" Sandy gasped.
"Yup." Howard returned to his seat.
"What was he doing here?" Sandy was shocked too since Arthur was not the type of man to pay people visits especially in their premises.
"Here comes the big news darling." He had a sip.
"Tell me already!" Sandy was impatient.
Arthur's visit was not the one to miss plus it had to be very important for him to show up at her husband's office.
"Relax. I'll tell you."
"Then make it quick." Sandy drank the whole wine immediately for she was about to lose it while Howard just sat there watching how intense she was becoming about this Arthur's visit.
"Arthur unexpectedly showed up at my office today this morning. He spoke to me about our business."
"Then?"
"He doesn't wanna do business with us anymore."
"What!" Those words shattered Sandy completely. Why would he refuse to do business with them when he had agreed the first time.
"Relax Sandy"
"Don't tell me to relax. I mean what made him change his mind?" She was infuriated.
"He said he can't push through with Hazel's and Dwight's advert company due to the state our kids are in."
"What state?"
"You know...they broke up and whenever we gather up for a meeting they end up fighting. So he decided to back down."
He saw his wife's face frown with disappointment. He wished he had never called her to tell her this news.
He saw that it was already destroying her.
"But Howard... Just because our kids fight all the time it shouldn't be an excuse to quit the plans we have made for them. What did you tell him? I mean you did beg for him not to withdraw from the deal right?" She was desperate.
Howard was speechless not knowing what to tell her whether he should lie about it or not.
He now regretted his decision of calling her there.
"I tried." He rose from his seat and walked towards the window.
"What do you mean tried? Howard it's our daughter's future that's at stake here. I mean,for now we don't know what her passion is for sure that's why we are doing this for her. Just like what we did for Stefanie. We sent her to Paris because she loves fashion and that's her passion right? And maybe Hazel's passion is to become like one of us someday." Sandy tried to talk some senses to her husband.
He should've begged Arthur not to withdraw from the deal. What's gonna happen to Hazel now?
"But Sandy,let Hazel decide her future for herself. She can become whomever she pleases. It doesn't necessarily have to be an actress or a business tycoon or a movie director like me." Arthur turned back to face her.
"No Howard. I won't let that happen." She stood up. "You're only saying that because you are not her mother." She was really mad.
"And what does that supposed to mean?" He took closer steps towards her. The conversation was heading somewhere else.
"I'm her father. Don't you think I don't want what's best for her?"
"That's not my point." Sandy flinched.
"I know you care and love Hazel so much. But my heart is aching right now with the news you just told me."
"It's okay." Howard went towards her and hugged her."we'll find another business partner. It doesn't have to be Arthur. "
"But Arthur is the only trustworthy business man to close deals with here in LA. The rest are just a bunch of scams."
"It's okay. We can do without him." Howard pulled out of the hug."we can simply call the company Hazel's place. Without his son. Which reminds me he's hurting our daughter's feelings by the way."
"That's the point Howard. I feel like Hazel is so unlucky in everything that she does. Even before she was born. You always know how much I've always wanted one child. But then I had infertility problems that's when we decided to adopt Stefanie who stole our hearts. Remember when we used to give our all to Stefanie, that's when I found out that I had conceived Hazel. I couldn't stop loving Stefanie just because Hazel was on the way. I love both my daughters. I really do. Equally. But I feel like Hazel is always left out. She feels unloved. Which is why we have to do this for her. We have to convince Arthur to push through with the company partnership. That way,we can teach that douchebag son of his whom he is dealing with. That way Hazel can get her revenge in Dwight."
"So what's your plan?" He liked his wife's idea even after all the reminiscing she had done a few seconds ago.
"I'm going to show those Bakers who Sandra Ash Banks is. No one messes with me more so with my Hazel."
Whoo! Long chapter right?
I know you guys must be shocked thinking who the hell Stefanie is but yeah. She is Hazel's older sister!
And I know Hazel has never mentioned her before well that's just because she's a jealous freak of her super hot older sister.
What a revelation.
Anyway here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed this one and hope you'll get to enjoy the next one.