27. Is that a challenge?

Krystal stood in shock as she stared a the closed door. She looked at Matt and he gave her a sympathetic look.

"Is he really serious?" She asked.

"Trust me he never kids or jokes, best case scenario just do as he says." Matt said.

Krystal groaned pulling at her hair she always knew it her mouth would put her in trouble one day and now it did. 'What was she going to do now? She had her rent overdue. She couldn't force her sister and herself to live on the streets.

"What if I beg?" She suggested.

"Really? You're going to beg? I thought you pride was bigger than that?" He said.

"Don't do that, now is not the time." She said firmly.

"I'm just saying what the hell were you even thinking? Who did you think he was going to be?" Matt said honestly.

"I don't know!" She whined. "He disrespected me and regarded to me as a thing. How could I let that slide?" She said.

"Well it appears that what you have let slide is your job." Matt said with a small laugh.

"Why are you laughing? How is this funny?" She asked.

"It's not, it's pitiful. And don't even act like a victim you brought this one yourself. You could not just let your pride go, well I'm sorry honey incase you haven't noticed this is the real world. And in the real world people like us have no use for pride. It too bad you had to learn the hard way." Matt shrugged.

"Why are you being so mean?" Krystal asked softly wiping the bottom of her nose, stifling in a sob.

"I'm not being mean dear, I'm being honest." He said.

"Well I don't care what you say, I'm going to stay here and fight for my job." She said.

Matt laughed "yeah, good luck."

**************************************************

"So brother, how do you like the company?" Jason asked sitting down in front of Jonathan's desk.

"It's fine thank you." Jonathan responded stiffly. Turning to face his brother who was sitting in his chair.

"You're office is so nice, the old man really made preparations for your coming." Jason grinned at him.

Jonathan clearly annoyed unbuttoned his jacket, his brother was clearly baiting him and while he wanted to keep his cool and remain calm. He couldn't back down now, he was not a weak person and while he might not enjoy politics and power struggle amongst family he couldn't ignore the fact that Jason was clearly disrespecting him.

'For crying out loud his legs are on my desk!' Jonathan thought angrily.

"Oh but ofcourse brother, I am his son after all." He said sitting in the visitors seat facing Jason.

Jason's brows went up slightly and he smiled. "Of course, you are his son. Although I won't really say you've been his son for... remind me how old are you?"

"Does it matter." Jonathan said through clenched teeth.

Jason nodded "You're right it doesn't matter, you've only met your father for what? Two weeks? He has to make up for lost time. Don't you agree? That's why he has gone all out like the show off he is and made you COO." He took his feet off the table and placed his elbows on them instead, resting his head on his intertwined fingers.

Jonathan sighed and looked straight at his brother. "Well I guess I should consider myself lucky then, he only knew me for two weeks and he has made me COO, but you've had to work and toil for twenty eight years to get to where you are." He said with a small smirk.

"Woah..." Jason laughed leaning back into his brother seat. "Come on, I didn't have to work for it, it has always been mine you see."

"Oh is that why I'm here?" Jonathan asked.

Jason bit his lip, Jonathan was really starting to get on his nerves but he had dealt with much worse. As usual this was a battle of nerves, the first one to show real emotions loses, and he has never lost in this type of fight.

"Oh dear brother don't be deluded, you're only here as a means to an end. I'm sure you don't know what that is, see I'll explain it." He leaned forward again. "You see father doesn't have any means to control me, at least not anymore, so he has brought you here. You are simply the means to him getting back control. "

Jonathan opened his mouth to say something but Jason held his finger to stop him.

"But... but he has deluded both you and himself because if he has no control anymore and he thinks you are a threat? Then both of you a sorely mistaken." He smiled.

"So I'm a threat? Wow I didn't realise that, thank you for telling me that, I only thought I was here to work in my fathers company. But it an entire ball game if I'm competition." Jonathan said back with as much venom as his brother.

Jason laughed, and he laughed hard.

"Oh dear aren't you cute. Competition?" He scoffed. "Don't pull my leg, all you are is illegitimate. Incase you hadn't noticed," he looked up at the ceiling, pointing at his office. "Your place is below me, better learn it and stay there, or you'll have nothing at all."

"Is that a challenge?" Jonathan asked.

"No not all, I only challenge people that an ability to hold a candle to me. And you brother are nothing." He spat.

Before Jonathan could respond the door swung open.

"Sir it from your penthouse." He said curtly.

"What is the matter?" Jason asked.

Matt walked into the office and handed Jason the phone. Jason placed it by his ear and listened.

"Sir, sir! You have to come back home, Miss Jessie is out of control." Abigail said.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"She says we have to let her go, or she'll kill herself. She took a knife from the cupboard and said she was going to go kill some woman. When Chase tried to stop her she put on her wrist and threatened to slit it if we don't let her go." Abigail panicked. "She's not listening to any of us, I don't think she joking."

"Listen, try to distract her until I come. Tell her I'll let her go when I come home. Oh and Abigail? Don't dare let her get hurt." He said firmly disconnecting the call.

He handed the phone back to Matt and practically ran out of the office, leaving a very angry Jonathan and his crying secretary.