The Misunderstanding (Chapter one)

Chapter 1.
The phone rang; disrupting the tense silence of the executive office. The man sitting behind the desk was younger than expected, but still his glare was a force to be reckoned with. The man on the receiving end of that glare was given a short moment of reprieve as that phone ringed. The boss, never letting the scowl leave his face reached to his right and picked up the phone.
“Yes.” He said curtly, like one with no care a hint of arrogance in his tone, hidden under the thick layer of command. He owned this company and many others like it. People obeyed his orders, and it was him they feared never the other way around. He had a high sense of his own power and almost smiled – a rarity- with satisfaction as he heard the voice on the other end of the line take a small breath, which sounded like a squeak of fear. His assumption correct, as always.

“Err... Good morning Sir, we have just received word that it was not Donnagan who stole the money. We have the Mr Bradley and money in our custardy now.” His mouth twitched in frustration. This was why he disliked working with the police, always making juvenile mistakes that wasted his time. Of course he had suspected Kenton for some time however in the interest of public image he had to remain in the dark and do what he had to in silence. He thanked the officer briefly and put down the phone. Donnagan began again to tremble in his chair, and could see from his face that the boss’s mood had further soured.

“It would seem that you are in luck Donnagan. The police have caught the real criminal. But let this be a lesson to you and everyone else. Now get out.” Donnagan practically ran from the room, and only when the door was closed did he breathe again.
Jackson Richard let out a deep sigh and could feel the beginnings of a migraine. He turned his chair to face the window and looked out over New York. The sun just setting in the distance gave many of the glass buildings an orange glow. Had he been of the sentimental sort he might have found the view beautiful, but he was not and he therefore did not. He had no time for such admiration, with the setting of the sun came the loop in the constant cycle that meant yet another night of reading reports readying him for the next day. The endless work seemed a crushing pressure on him, threatening to bury him, suffocate, invade him and he loved it. The victory in toppling other rivals in the business world was his passion. He enjoyed transfixing the media, enthralling them enough to bend them to his will. He found pleasure utilizing his charm to ensnare the hearts of women who would one day prove a useful asset in him achieving his goal. People in general were mere tools at his disposal in his quest for dominance.
He turned to pick up the newspaper which he often featured in to read the main topic today.

“Beast of the business world, wins claw and tooth battle.”
Jackson Richard and Paul Murmur have been at each other’s throats for the past six months as each tried to secure the ownership of the floundering company previously held by Sir Walter Barnes. However even with the setbacks of internal issues suffered by Richards these past weeks he has come out victorious in this head to head battle of supremacy and walks away with the coveted title of top business man of his time.

He stopped reading, pleased with the report, and even more pleased with the result. The Barnes Finances and company were now finally in his position. The company also included all the banks run by Barnes, and the printing press. His stock market charter would be through the roof, now that he had the backing of the Barnes Company though he thought, for such a fight the company better not prove to be a liability in the future. He knew the company was in a state of disrepair but he also knew that the Barnes had a favourable reputation which would prove very useful.

The telephone buzzed a message from his secretary. He moved his forefinger to the button and pressed.
“Katherine?” he asked into the speaker phone.
“Mr Richard Mr Paul Rosco is here to see you.”
“Yes, send him in. And Katherine bring me a strong black coffee.”
He took his finger off the button just as the door swung open. Paul stood framed in the doorway for a second before casually strolling into the room and taking a seat on one of the leather sofas to the left of the office. He was tall with sandy blond hair and hazel eyes his nose was slightly crocked from a break that had happened when he was twelve. The idiot ran into a door as I was opening it. In fact that is how they became friends. Now he was sole heir to his father’s computer production business and fiancé of Jackson’s middle sister.
Jackson got up from his chair behind his desk to take a seat in the single armchair next to the sofa.

“Hello Paul” he said in greeting. A wide grin spread across Paul’s face. He knew Jackson too well to be fooled by the business front, even if Jackson didn’t know of the front himself.
“You know when I arrived here a few minutes ago there was a man hyperventilating in your reception just outside your door.” Jackson’s expression of mild awareness didn’t waver.
So he’d had a bad day Paul thought to himself no wonder the poor man outside has looked like he had just had a meeting with Satan.
“You know you really need to lighten up on your employees.” Paul said, feeling very sorry for the poor man who had been in the room before him.
“I pay them well and have expectations for such a generous amount in return. The slightest slip in standards suggests the beginning of unsatisfactory moral. And I cannot afford to have the workers too comfortable in their stations to let the standard of their work slip. My methods keep them on their toes and alert for any inflections of my expectations, and that allows them to perform exceptionally to their highest potential. I give them the opportunities to test their working ability therefore I expect their excellence in return for my kindness.” Jackson said all this with not a flitter of emotion to cross his face. Like he was reading the answer off a speech card rather that say what is in his heart.
“Don’t you ever think you push them too hard?” Paul asked guessing the answer. Jackson’s eyes tightened. As much as he liked and respected his friend, he had no right to say anything against his business and his management thereof.
“I push them enough to achieve excellence. If they find the work too much they can seek employment elsewhere.” Paul laughed.
“You really are the beast of the Business world Jackson what do you do when you are not terrorising your workers? You know relax?” Jackson raised his eyebrow.
“I have an $8 billion business empire to run. Relax I have no time for the luxury.” Paul’s mouth dropped.
“My friend you need some time off. Find a hobby other than scowling. You will get premature frown lines.” Jackson didn’t ever crack a smile at his joke. Paul felling that his cause was almost entirely lost gave his last hope.
“I have a proposition for you. How would you like to come out with me tonight? Just to lit off some steam and have some fun. I will arrange everything.” Jackson thought about it for so long that Paul almost took is silence as a no, when suddenly he surprised him by agreeing.
“I will go with you tonight on one condition. That whatever entertainment you arrange for tonight is sworn to secrecy and will not cause trouble to my public image.” Paul grinned.
“Yes sir. Meet me at the Madison Hotel at 10:00, give my name at reception.” Paul got up to leave and Jackson rose too to see him out. At the door he shook his hand and they parted.
“See you tonight Jackson.” Paul said as the door of the elevator shut and began to carry him down towards the lobby.

Jackson sighed and turned to see Katherine standing at his side with a hot cup of coffee from Benjamin’s café, his preferred café for their strong coffee and excellent service. He took the cup from her and thanked her. Turning he told her to clear all his meetings for the week end, and for business to be resumed as of Monday. Knowing Paul he’d need until Monday to recover from whatever he had planned.