"Co on, Adam. I’ve even seduced a man for you, and you cannot even give a chance to explain?" Max said as he strode into Adam’s office without so much as a knock because he knew that if he paused even a second at the door, Adam would probably bolt it in his face. Better to push straight through.
Of course, he would not have dared not knock in the past for seeing sothing ’umpleasant’ but with lanie already back to work now, he knew he was safe. He was wrong to assu that. So. VEry. Wrong.
Because the mont he stepped in, regret hit him like a slap. The office wasn’t empty. Sitting on the other side of Adam was Stordge’s board of directors.
A flicker of embarrassnt crossed his face, though he quickly masked it as he turned to look at Adam questioningly.
But Adam simply gazed at him indifferently, making his hackles rise. His eyes swept the table and he caught the faint, guilty looks so of the n exchanged. That was enough to make his chest tighten with suspicion.
He plastered the sa easy going smile on his face that irritated these old coots and said jovially,"I didn’t realize Adam had guests. Did we have a eting of the board of directors scheduled for today that I missed out on?."
Hurriedly, one of the older n, his hands twitching on the edge of his chair, stood up and stamred, "O–of course not, of course not. There is no eting. We only dropped by to inquire after Mr. Collin’s health... after the recent fire scare."
Max’s lips curved into a cold smile. "Everyone decided to drop by at once, did they? How wonderfully considerate. Then I’ll leave you all to it. Adam, do tell them... all about your health."
With that pointed remark, he spun on his heel and walked out, his stride calm but his face seething beneath the mask.
Those vultures. They didn’t waste a mont, did they? The second they slled weakness, they gathered, circling in their polished shoes and expensive suits, waiting for a chance to pounce.
As he returned to his own office, Max’s expression hardened. He cast a sharp look at his assistant and snapped, "I want to know who leaked news about the tension between Adam and ."
And without waiting for a reply, Max pushed inside and slamd his door shut. The sound was dull and unsatisfying. That stupid carpet and door! One couldn’t even bang it shut.
Irritated, he kicked the wood, but even then it gave no satisfying bang, only a muted thud that left him angrier than before.
Did they really take him for a fool? All these years he had stood at Adam’s side, and they thought he hadn’t learned a trick or two?
He’d played the loyal companion, yes, but he had never been blind nor weak.
If those hyenas thought they could overthrow him as CEO, they were about to learn just how costly their mistake would be.
Bloody parasites. They clung to him when there was profit to be made, fawning over him when they thought Adam was a nobody.
And now, with Adam’s identity revealed, they fancied themselves righteous enough to discard his as if he were a used pawn. They really did think they could manipulate Adam better, didn’t they?
A bunch of dogs. Snapping at scraps and desperate for favor.
With a huff, he walked to his chair and glared at his door as if he could have Xray vision and stared at Adam.
If he truly intended to fall in with their sches just to get on his bad side and take revenge, then Max had gravely overestimated him. Adam was a dog too.
Taking out a cigarette, he lit it and puffed slowly. The heat of his anger cooled just enough to allow sothing heavier to creep in.
Adam was furious. He had seen it in his eyes, in the set of his mouth. And Adam was not the sort of man to forgive easily.
Max knew that better than anyone. He had always known it. That was the real danger, the one that gnawed at him in quiet monts.
It was why, over the years, he had done his best to do as many favours for his best friend, so that when the ti ca, Adam would at least be willing to listen to him.
But it seed, Adam was still unwilling. And now, he had a bigger problem. Adam was the largest share holder in Stordge and he was the second largest Together, they made majority which worked perfectly for them to suppress most of the leeches who had been trying get into the board.
However, if Adam shifted his support then, it would be easy to make things difficult for him. His eyes narrowed at that. It was ti to create put the back up plan in action.
With a huff, he made a phone call and then, without wasting ti on pleasantries, directly asked, "I have a deal for you. Would you be interested?"
The other person seed to pause for a mont before answering, "Sure. But why so sudden?"
"Because the board is moving faster than I expected and Adam is being a knucklehead. I need this back up faster. Are you in or not?"
"And you are sure this will not affect anything else? It sounds dangerous. I didn’t think you would use sothing like this against Adam."
"I didn’t think so too. Now, are you in or out?" Max snapped at the veiled reprimand.
"Fine. Where do you want to et?"
Max’s lips curled into a thin smile at the words. Perfect. "Not here. Too many ears listening. Tomorrow evening. The café on Dorsett Street. Let’s et there. And you can na your price."
"Oh I will, Max. I will na my price. But the question is, will you be willing to pay the price? What a mystery. Alright then, I’ll see you tomorrow. Be on ti, okay?"
Max agreed and then disconnected the call. He needed to protect himself... And if that ant doing a few things that might not be totally ethical... well, he’d never claid to be perfect.
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