anwhile...
"You know about this, and you didn’t even tell ?" Dean scoffed at Finn, who was seated on the couch from the armchair. "Finn Davis, what’s the point of having you here if you just keep doing whatever you want?"
Finn smiled kindly as he shrugged. "I’m sorry."
"Tell , Finn. Have you changed sides now?" Dean narrowed his eyes. "Have you betrayed ?"
"Betrayal is subjective," Finn returned. "Though it’s not like that. It’s not Zoren Pierson who approached and told his plan. He doesn’t trust that much."
Dean narrowed his eyes when Finn added, "It’s Penelope Bennet."
"Penny?" Dean tilted his head. "She asked you to play along? And why would she do that?"
"If you didn’t know yet, Nina and I got back together." Finn raised his hand, showing his simple engagent ring. "She took back when I begged her for one last chance."
"Hah. You begged Nina Reed?" Dean almost laughed. "You?"
Finn smiled and shrugged, not surprised by such a reaction. "I’d go lower for her, Dean."
A mont of silence passed as the two of them stared at each other, with Dean studying Finn. He had noticed it before but hadn’t dwelled on it. However, now that they were here, he realized it wasn’t just his imagination.
Sothing had changed in Finn.
"I guess a life-and-death situation does change people," Dean remarked. "So people, except Zoren Pierson."
Dean then cleared his throat. "So, it’s Penny who approached you because she knows you and Nina are back together? Do you really think that makes sense, Finn? Penelope wouldn’t just approach you because you’re Nina Reed’s fiancé."
"I wanted to live, Dean," Finn answered with a short smile. "I wanted to live for at least ten or twenty more years with my woman. Just twenty years with her is good enough for . Being in the Pierson Corporation threatens that; it shortens that already short ti."
His smile faded, replaced with resolve. "Vote Atlas Bennet as the company’s president, Dean. Not having him here is going to be the biggest mistake you’ll ever make. Trust . With Jonathan Pierson lingering around, even without a position in the company or family now, you might wake up one day and wonder how in the world he got up there."
"Zoren Pierson is no immortal, Dean," he continued solemnly. "No matter how capable Zoren Pierson is, he is no God. He can deflect or dodge attacks, but when everyone is throwing arrows at him from all directions, he’ll eventually get hit once or twice—or maybe even more."
"Do you think I care whether he gets hit once or twice?" Dean scoffed. "I’d be one of the people attacking him, if anything."
"Would you really? What if one of the arrows flying in his direction kills him?" Finn asked, his eyelids drooping as his expression darkened. For a brief mont, he was reminded of Dean and Zoren’s relationship in the past.
In the past, Zoren’s relationship with Dean had never improved. If anything, it had only worsened with each passing day. However, even with that, Dean would still take a bullet for Zoren. Not because he cared... or maybe he did. But the main reason was that he didn’t want Zoren to die.
Dean’s admiration of Zoren was just as deep as his "hatred" for the man. It was why, if there was anyone who got hurt the most by Zoren’s decisions in the past, it would be Dean.
"Atlas Bennet would be his shield, perhaps even his sword," Finn continued quietly. "With Jonathan Pierson around, having Atlas to keep him at bay is not only essential for the family and the company, but also for Zoren Pierson. I’m voting for Atlas."
"Hah." Dean scoffed, running his tongue across his inner cheek. "You don’t need to say you’re voting for him; it’s already obvious."
"You too would do that."
"And why would I do that? Just because of that little speech you made?"
"No, because we’re friends," Finn blinked. "I ditched Max as my best friend to be your friend. So, you should vote him for ."
"..."
"I won’t be your friend anymore if you don’t."
"You think that’s a threat?"
"You don’t have friends, Dean. I’m your only friend." Finn shrugged. "If you don’t do this to make happy, it’s friendship over."
Dean leaned back and scoffed in ridicule. "You need to go back to the hospital and get yourself checked. Sothing’s wrong with your head."
Finn didn’t respond, placing a hand on the armrest and pushing himself up. "I told you I’m voting, so you better do it for ," he added before turning his back on Dean to leave.
As Finn walked away slowly, Dean shook his head. He kept his eyes on Finn’s retreating back before blurting out:
"Are you being serious?"
Finn looked back at him. "Why do you think I’m here when your office is a few levels below the eting room and I could’ve just stayed in one of the offices on that floor?" He pointed at Dean and shook his finger. "Atlas Bennet."
Having said that, Finn resud walking and left the office without another word. Dean, on the other hand, kept his eyes on the shut door before shaking his head again.
"Why would he think threatening with this silly friendship is going to work?"
* * *
An hour later...
Dean was seated at the roundtable, spinning his pen between his fingers, his eyes on the paper before him. There were only two options: yes or no. If this were an exam, he wouldn’t even take a minute to finish the question.
But right now, like everybody else, they were all taking their ti to weigh their options. Lifting his eyes, he sneaked a glance in Finn’s direction, frowning as Finn bead at him.
’I don’t care about this friendship or anything about Zoren Pierson,’ he told himself, voting for Atlas in irritation. ’I’m voting for him because I don’t like that arrogant Jonathan, and I want to see William Pierson get a heart attack today.’
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