Chapter 35

"Good day Mr. Clinton," a young man of about twenty four years, greeted. He was bigger than Clinton and taller than him in statue. This suit and tie he wore, made him look more formal and corperate, than any other business man. 

Clinton was not accustomed to looking up at anyone but this young man, demanded it. The young man was not as fine as Clinton but his dressing code, looked more fancy and richer than that of Clinton.

"I have not seen you before," Clinton said, walking behind him.

"I am new here and I have been assigned to help Mr. Daniel with his project. To be frank, we needed a third person and that person is you. We have once worked on a project before and I can remember vaguely that the project ended up as a success because of you. Seeing that this project wasn't yielding much fruits, just as we had expected, I suggested we had another partner and the only partner that I could think of is you. This project will surely make a lot of money and a huge success, if I can keep you as a partner," Clinton explained to him.

"Ok. So what is the project all about and does Mr. Clinton know who the third partner is?" Clinton asked, looking up at the young man.

"Save your questions Mr. Clint, I shall explain everything to you, once we reach the project's room.

"I am sorry to ask but what is your name and what is the name of this big company of yours?" He asked trimly.

"I am Jack Sinn of Philippe Wright and the name of my company is..."

"W. P. C. The Wright's Production Company," Clinton interrupted him immediately.

"You answer is indeed very corrected," Jack said to him, smiling.

"Wow," Clinton said stopping. "You have really changed," he said while his eyes raked Jack's body. "It's been a long time mehn. You have become so different, I am also sure that it took Daniel some hours to recognize you."

"It took him two days," Jack corrected him.

Clinton gave a racious laugh. "You are messing with my brain right? So how did this project stuff come about? Who brought it up? And who came to each other for partnership?"

"Mehn, you ask a lot. I agree that I have changed but believe me Clint, you have changed more than I have. You are no more the quiet, friend I knew. Tell me these truth, what is the secret behind this change?"

Clinton continued. "You know what we dream of happening in the next twenty years to come may not be what will happen in the next twenty years."

"What do you mean by that?" Jack asked, walking beside him.

"Men, my life for the past years have not been what I expected. A life of bachelorhood, silence, peace and fun but my life turned out to be something else but I do not regret it either."

"Why the emotional drama? Seems like you have decided to follow the footstep of your best friend," Jack said.

"Hmm, are you married?" Clint asked, sliding the topic away.

"No. I am engaged," Jack answered.

"And you are happy about it, right?" Clinton asked, with frustration beckoning on his face.

Jack gave a Stern nod. "Of course I am happily engaged. I love my fiancee and she loves me too," he made it clear.

",What do you call a marriage that is not based on love? I would call that a suicide pact," he laughed. "But possibly, during the process of eventuality, the marriage may bear love and fir that, I would call such marriage a miracle. What's the essence of this questions?"

"Actually it's nothing much. I just pity some guys who marry, pretends to have feelings for his woman but in actuality, he really loves that woman but his ego won't let him accept this fact. Such a man is indeed unlucky."

"Believe me, this type of things do not happen any longer, we are in twenty first century and even if something like this happens, the man can not really be blamed. He chose to sacrifice his love and peace of mind," Jack spoke, as he walked to another corridor.

Clinton followed behind him, silent as ever.

"I was surprised when Mr Daniel brought a partnership request to me. I expected you to be his partner, knowing how close the both of you have been from time memorial. I was indeed very surprised to have found out that you weren't chosen to be his partner. I thought that you must have rejected the offer because of your business and again when I found out that you never received a partnership request, I decided to bring it to you, seeing how important this project is to each of us.

"Excuse me sirs, please follow me. Mr. Daniel is not in the project room, he is in his private office," Daniel's personal assistant said to them.

"Okay thanks," Clinton said.

They followed her and she left them to Mr. Smith's private office.

"Why is he here? He does not usually stay here, only when he needs to think," Clinton said under his breath, as he watched Jack open the door.

They both entered inside.

They could only see the back of Daniel because both him and his seat was faced backwards.

"Daniel," Jack called out, breaking the silent atmosphere.

Daniel jumped to his feet.

"Oh sorry. Please have a seat."

Suddenly, his eyes turned to Clinton, who was feeling very uncomfortable.

"Have a seat too," he offered him, in a cold but calm voice.

Clinton sat down, after Jack had also sat down.

"Is he the third partner?" Daniel asked rudely.

"Are you surprised about it? Why did you not offer your best friend here, a partnership deal?  Well that does not matter, all that matters is that I did not the same mistake as you did. Seeing how tough this project appeared to be, I decided to bring Clinton as the third partner. When it comes to him, projects like this are just like children play. You and I are just learners. As for Clinton, he is the real deal."

"Have you informed him about the project?"

"Come on. He is your best friend, why don't you explain it to him yourself."

"Please Jack, do not be a nuisance. I am having a slight headache, so please do not argue with me and tell mr. Clinton what the project is all about."

Jack nodded. "I will. Have you gone to the lab?"

"For what nah?" They asked anxiously.

"You said you had a slight headache, you have to check yourself. We never can tell. You might be pregnant.'

Dan and Clint both laughed.

"I am not kidding, okay?" Jack said.

Meanwhile, Whitney was at home, waiting for Clinton to call her. They had agreed to call me back, again, once everything looked fire. She could not tell whether he had forgotten or not, and the thought of him not calling, tense her up.

Her phone rang dismissively. It was Clinton. Her lips curled up into a lovely smile.

"Finally," she said to herself, as she answered the call.

"Hello Clint. I have been waiting for your call," she said, sounding nervous.

"Really? You do not need to worry. Everything is alright. I forgot to call and I am sorry."

"Of course I am not worried Clinton?" She said to him in a firm tone, over the phone. "So what is happening?"

"Jack is showing me the project. Daniel has a headache. I got this feeling that you have a hand in this, right?"

"Yeah. Do not worry, the headache will just be for a while. A delivery man will come to deliver some files to you. You have the files that I gave to you. Be smart, exchange the files and give it to Daniel to sign__ once he signs on them, the shares of his company will become ours," Whitney explained to him well.

"Just like that? There was a disapproving look on his face.

"Yes Clint. Just as I have explained."

"Alright then. Dear I have to hang up. I do not need any one to suspect any fowl play. Bye."

"Bye," she said to him. Then she waited for him to hang up.

Eric was in his office with his father. 

"Listen Eric. I do not want that project to yield effect, so I need you to do anything in your power to make sure they faill that project," his father said to him. Yet again, this man was using his son as a bait to getting his hands on more money.

"But father you know that there is nothing that be done now. I can not do anything to the project," he let out.

"What do you mean by that?" His father growled in anger, his eyes bold and red. "Are you trying to tell me that this project is going to go on smoothly? You had better not test my patience. You are going to have to find a way to wreck that project of theirs and that is final."

"Dad you do not understand me. They gave strictly put guardians around their project and only those that are working on that project, have the right to near it," Eric said.

"What difference does it make if they succeed with this project? It is not as though, this project is our priority."

"Just keep your mouth shut, if you do not have anything important to say. Always saying unimportant things," his father screamed in anger.

"Do you know what the project is all about?" His father asked.

"No," Eric answered in a very disappointing tone.

"Sometimes I regret why I never checked your DNA, who knows, there might be a probability that the blood running through your veins are not mine," his dad said, in a singularly, unpleasant tone.

"You are just good for nothing."

"Enough dad, I will not sit back and watch you insult me."

"Then you had better act fast," his father rushed on him.

"I will not do anything," Eric shouted, leaping to his feet.

"___ you do not understand me," his dad said, standing too. "If Daniel succeeds with this project, it is likely for them to get the tender and more money. And you are very much aware that our company is also in need of that tender. Do not act cowardly, you have to stop the project from being successful. Even if this is the only meaningful thing you can ever do with your handwork."

"Sorry dad. I do not want to impose as a threat to Daniel. You do not understand what it means for a project to be guided. It means that they have suspected e enemies near the project and imagine Daniel finding out that I am after his project. He will hate me more and on his father's behalf, might strip mebof my income in his company."

x x 

"Now you are being so selfish," his dad said walking towards him.

Eric paced around the room too, thinking of the choice of words he could use to make his father understand him better.

"Of course dad, I am being selfish. You should be happy for me, besides you are the one who taught me all this. Remember that you are the same person that told me that I should always think of myself before I can think of others," he said, smiling widely. Anyone who saw him at this moment, would be forced to believe that all he was doing was wholeheartedly, but the truth was that he was suffering himself deep down.

"That is what I am doing," he said smiling.

"You are my son and therefore you have right to against my order," his dad's said, holding onto his wrist.

Eric freed his wrist from his father's grip. "You must be forgetting the fact that I am the only one who can help you now and any I'll treatment you melt out to me can cause your downfall. Listen dad, I will tell you the truth today. I have secretly been helping the Smith's company prepare for the tender and I have been doing so because I am certain that I will receive a huge sum of four hundred million dollars from whatever amount they make from this project. So you tell me if this money isn't big enough to let go off. I could use any other means to bring them down but as for this project, it's a no," he said, walking past his dad.

"Besides, ever since I started working for you and that company of yours, I have never any amount not more than a hundred million dollars. You are after the growth of your business, as for me, I am only concerned about my income. I wonder why you are bothering yourself about that tender, when you are very much aware that your company will never win it. Whether you accept this fact or not, the truth still remains that your company will be at the least, to ever win the tender. I am sorry to say this to your face but listen carefully, I will not ruin that project and if you really want to see that devilish side you left in me, try coming after the Smith's company's project. I won't mind fighting you, I will not care to know that you are indeed my father. When it concerns money, I can do anything, disowning you, inclusive. Why are you silent all of a sudden?" He asked, looking at his father with a mocking, facial expression.

His father still kept mute, seemed like he was making calculations in his head.

"Hmm. I am sorry dad, if my words have really shocked you but I needed to inform you about how much this project means to me. I would not have had peace within myself, if I had left you in the dark. I am glad I said all this to you, now I feel relieved. It's always better late than never. I will take my leave now, if you will excuse me," he said and left his dad's office.

As soon as he left, his father found his tongue. "What gave this little thing the right to have spoken to me in such a rude manner? I will definitely make him pay severely for this insult. You care about the money right? And you can do anything for it. As for me, I care about my business and respect, I am equally ready to destroy you in order to save those two things. It would be totally better for me, to remain fatherless or even better to adopt a child than to have such a worthless, insensible and useless son like you," Eric's father cursed beneath his breath in anger.

He kicked his table in anger, his son had really made him so angry.