Andreas looked at Vlora. The answer implied something. It meant that Jonas not only wanted to meet him, but also Vlora.
The elevator stopped. Andreas and Vlora got out and were led to the preparation room not far from the meeting room.
An employee greeted Andreas and Vlora. He looked at the guard and nodded once. Andreas, watching, could only shake his head. It was like a symbolic handover, from the guard to the employee.
“Where is Jonas?” Andreas asked, not wanting to waste any time. He looked at his watch and the meeting would start in twenty minutes. “I don’t have much time for his games.”
The clerk smiled. “Mr. Jonas is inside. Let me show you, sir.”
The door opened. Andreas and Vlora entered and immediately noticed Jonas’ presence.
“Mr. Andreas and Mrs. Vlora are here, sir.”
Jonas looked at Andreas and said, “You may go.”
“Alright, sir.”
A moment after the clerk left, Andreas invited Vlora to sit at Jonas’s desk. Only then did he realize that Jonas wasn’t alone. Alex was there, and they seemed to be having a serious conversation.
“You can only say that to me, Jon. In reality, you’re more childish than I am. Just like a child.”
Jonas put down his laptop and ignored Alex standing next to him. He grunted in a mocking tone.
“I learned from the expert. Aren’t you like that too? Childish and just like a child.”
“Well, yes, but don’t forget. I have the right to attend this meeting. I may not have a position here, but I still have my shares. Without needing your invitation, I already have the right to be here.”
Jonas remained silent and held his breath. What Andreas had said was indeed true.
“So, I hope you’re not thinking of causing the first disturbance in this meeting because of my absence. After all, I’m already here.”
Jonas’ face hardened. Alex noticed the change in his boss’s emotions and tried to anticipate it.
“Sir, I-”
Jonas raised his right hand. Alex’s words hung in the air and he could do nothing but retreat.
“You insist on being here because you still hope to find a way to oust me, huh?”
Andreas shrugged casually. “Who knows? Anyway, it feels reasonable for me to try to take something that is rightfully mine.”
Andreas took a breath. Straightening his back, he leaned forward slightly to face Jonas.
“Don’t you feel like all you’ve been able to do all this time is take what belongs to others?”
Teeth clenched. Jonas’ hand clenched slowly.
“You clearly know that Progun is not rightfully yours. Isn’t that true? Then why are you so determined to possess it? Why not be thankful that you have Sanders Structures Inc.? You don’t need to worry about Lucas. He no longer owns FD Realty. Besides, I’ll be happy to ask him not to interfere with all the projects you have in mind. How about that? I’ll help you because we’re… family.”
“W-what did you say?”
Andreas grinned. Jonas’ stuttering voice made him feel addicted, wanting to continue provoking.
“Ah! If you think that’s not enough, you can take back ElysianTwill Mills. Shouldn’t you be responsible for the losses there? You’ve held it for over a decade, and you’ve only increased its losses.”
The series of Jonas’ past failures successfully made his face sink in shame. His fist clenched even tighter, and the straight look he gave Andreas implied various emotions.
But Andreas wasn’t satisfied yet. Alex, as Jonas’ personal assistant, also caught the familiar gestures of Andreas. He wondered what Andreas would say next.
Vlora felt the same curiosity. Conversation after conversation made her hold her breath. She turned and looked at Andreas, waiting to see where the conversation would lead.
“You should realize that, Jon. Anything you grab is sure to bring you bad luck. So before your misfortune befalls Progun, how about we discuss everything nicely? Because if I take it over, I promise you, you won’t get anything. I’ll take everything, including Sanders Structures Inc. and ElysianTwill Mills. You’ll really be squeezed out and have nothing left.
Jonas’ clenched fist slammed down on the table. He stood up, and Alex immediately restrained him at the right moment, a second before the fist turned into a punch that hit Andreas’ nose.
“You bastard, Reas.”
Andreas laughed. He leaned back again, and his delighted expression was clearly not an act at all, completely genuine.
“Do you want to hit me?” Andreas chuckled even more. He pointed to his right cheek. “Here? Well, go ahead.”
Jonas growled. He tried to free himself, but Alex did his best to bring him back to consciousness.
“Sir, don’t be impulsive.”
Sweat splashed on Jonas’ forehead. Emotions burned and his breath roared. For a moment, the desire to hit Andreas felt so strong. Only when Alex whispered something to him did he manage to suppress his emotions.
Andreas smiled sideways and watched as Jonas tried to control himself. He waited and Jonas took a long breath.
“You’re always trying to provoke me, Reas. Always,” Jonas said in a heavy voice. “That makes me realize that you’re trying to distract me. What does that mean? Are you afraid that I’ll really take everything away from you?”
Andreas’ smile stopped, but not for long. “Just assume that. I am deliberately provoking you. Why? Because it’s fun.”
“In that case, I hope you really enjoy it while you can. Because it won’t last long.”
Tension rose. Andreas and Jonas stared at each other in the escalating turmoil. No one spoke for a moment, as if they were measuring each other’s strength.
“I’ll allow you to join the meeting later, but…”
Jonas stood up. He straightened his slightly rumpled suit and adjusted the position of his wristwatch.
“… I have to be careful that you don’t do anything to disrupt my presentation later.”
Andreas sighed. “Your life is messed up enough without me adding to it, Jon.”
Jonas dramatically closed his eyes. He raised his fist, but nothing happened. He managed to control himself and that made Andreas smile with amusement.
“I’ll have security check your wife first.”
Andreas’ amused smile faded and was replaced by a shocked groan. His eyes widened and he had to make sure of Jonas’ intention.
“What did you say?”
Jonas didn’t repeat his words. Instead, he continued, “While Alex checks you out here.”
“You’re completely out of line, Jon.”
Andreas stood up and Jonas didn’t care. He walked away and approached Vlora.
“Come with me.”
Andreas grabbed Jonas’ shoulder. “She’s my wife, Jon. Don’t treat her like a criminal.”
“Exactly because she’s your wife,” Jonas replied, moving his shoulder and letting go of Andreas’ hand. “She has as much chance of being a troublemaker this afternoon as you do.”
Andreas gasped at Jonas’ words. Unacceptable? Of course, it was. This wasn’t just about Jonas’ suspicions; it was about his pride as a husband.
“Reas.”
Unexpectedly, Vlora took Andreas’ hand. She looked calm as usual.
“It’s not a problem. I think it’s just a small check. Nothing more than a formality,” Vlora said and turned to Jonas. “Isn’t that right?”
Jonas narrowed his eyes. Vlora’s composure bothered him, but he nodded.
“Right. Just a small check.”
The departure of Vlora and Jonas left Alex and Andreas alone. It was just the two of them, and Alex immediately got to work.
“Sorry, sir. I think I need to check your bag.”
Andreas slammed his work bag down on the table as he sat back down. His right leg lifted and landed on his left; he leaned back.
“If you find a single problem in my work bag, I’ll leave this building myself.”
Alex ignored Andreas’ words. He checked carefully, and that made Andreas grumble again.
“What does Jonas think when he checks my bag? Does he think I’m carrying a bomb or something?”
Alex organized Andreas’ work bag and handed it back. “Sorry, sir. Can you stand for a moment?”
It seemed as if Andreas’ eyes would pop out of his head for a moment. He stood up with his hands on his hips.
“Who does you think I am, Alex?”
“I just want to speed things up, sir. So please cooperate.”
Andreas sighed and held out both hands. He let Alex search his body and again there were complaints.
“Do I have to get undressed after this? Maybe I should go naked so you can be sure I’m not carrying anything.”
“No need, sir,” Alex said and pulled away. “Everything is done, and I’ll call Mr. Jonas right away. Please wait.”
Andreas paid no attention to Alex’s departure. The only thing that mattered to him now was Vlora.
“I hope Jonas still has a brain. If he does something to Vlora, I won’t keep quiet.”
Trying to stay calm, Andreas took several deep breaths. He tried to distract himself by looking around. Then his gaze fell on a neglected object on the table. Jonas’ laptop.
*
The general meeting began. Jonas took the stage, stood at the podium, and prepared to present the past year’s accomplishments, followed by future plans.
Silence and control. Everything seemed fine until a faint commotion was heard from the technical area.
The monitors showed a chaos that made Jonas pale. He looked panicked and the commotion cornered him.
The situation had spun out of control. Jonas was trapped, and when he looked at the meeting participants, it was Andreas who stunned him.
Andreas clenched his jaw. He glared at Jonas and growled.
“You’re trying to frame me, you bastard!”
*