Chapter 9 - Business deals

"Yeah..... No...... Yeah, I got that.....Can you repeat the last part" Giovanni O’Connell spoke into his phone whilst he scribbled on a piece of paper. He was currently in what used to be Mr Arthur O’Connell’s hideout. His library.
But the young man had now turned into an office.
Giovanni O’Connell paused for a while as he listened to the person speak on the other end. The look he had on his face indicated that something the person on the receiving had said didn’t sit right with him because he was impatient to speak.
He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. Then continued listening.
Finally, he was able to speak up. “No, it’s really not imperative that she comes over to Craigsburg” he argued then pause for a while and listened to the person on the other end.
“Yes. I am aware that she is also a major partner in the company, but there is no one suitable for this than me” he defended, then listened to the other person argue.
“Listen, the town is Craigsburg isn’t what you think. They wouldn’t just allow any investor, which is why I argued to come here. Now, if you don’t trust that I can handle the task I have at hand, then you should have chosen me as interim president” Giovanni’s tone was firm enough to make the person on the other end speechless.
“You have one month. Not more. One month and I need to see advancement in this project” the voice on the other end spoke.
“Make it two” Giovanni argued.
“One” and with that, the person on the receiving end hung up the line.
Giovanni O’Connell sighed as he placed his phone on the table. He rubbed the spot between his eyes to release the nerves that had started to form and groaned in relief. Then, he sat back in the large office desk and stretched out his arm.
Giovanni O’Connell worked for Durrell Real Estate Company (D-REC). A company that specializes generally in the buying, management and sale of properties for a fee. After six years of working for Durrell Real Estate Company as General Manager, the young man laid down his proposal to run for president.
Of course, the shareholders and advisory board of the company wouldn’t just hand the post to him on a silver platter. They doubted his abilities to act as president of the company so they gave him the task to acquire a property they’d been trying to get a hold of for years, but they couldn’t because the mayor wouldn’t give the ok signal.
Coincidently, that town turned out to be Craigsburg and the town mayor happened to be a very good friend of his father. Giovanni O’Connell didn’t let the board know that, he decided to grasp that opportunity and use it to his advantage.
But since coming to Craigsburg, the big boss wouldn’t give him any breathing space. He understood they were desperate and urgently needed feedback so they have something for the investors, but he needed them to be patient. Big deals like this aren’t easy to get. It needs time and convincing.
And they haven’t given him any.
Barely a week in Craigsburg, they were already demanding results and wanted to send over another partner to help fasten the process.
A partner he wanted to avoid at all cost.
The door being pushed open tore Giovanni out of deep thoughts. He looked up to see Nanny Denis standing in the doorway and wearing a smile on her face.
“Shouldn’t you take a break?” the older woman questioned as she closed the door to the office behind her. She pulled out a chair and got comfortable.
“Hey, Nanna” Giovanni O’Connell greeted with a tired smile on his face.
“You look tired,” she remarked.
“That’s because I am” he stated.
Denis Eloise gave a pitiful look to the young man. She stretched out her arm to him and gently gave it a comforting squeeze, earning a grateful smile from him.
“Everything okay with organizing the banquet?” Giovanni O’Connell inquired after a while of silence. The older woman let go of her hold on his hand across the table before speaking.
“Yeah. Topaz is still out, but I’m convinced she will return with great feedback” she announced, taking some of the weight off Giovanni’s shoulders.
Giovanni O’Connell was throwing a banquet at the Watford Mansion to celebrate his return back to Craigsburg, and hopefully seize the opportunity to have a one-on-one with the mayor and lay down his business proposal. Of course, he sought the help of the women in his life and so far, they were doing an amazing job.
“Thank you, Nanna,” the young man said with a smile on his face.
“Any time”
Later that evening, Giovanni O’Connell had showered, got dressed up and made his way down to the only popular spot in Craigsburg. Teq’s pub. He hoped that Wren would finally give him a listening ear so he could explain himself.
Not that he had anything worthwhile to say.
As expected of a Thursday night, the pub was stacked. The usual smell of cigarettes, sweat and alcohol filled the air and a song from the band ‘blues’ played in the background and it could faintly be heard over the loud banter and laughter that filled the pub.
As Giovanni O’Connell walked, he heard them murmur amongst themselves, inflating his already high ego. He loved being the topic of discussion. Something about people staring at him as he walked past them, whispering whatnots amongst themselves, did something to him.
Especially if those people were those who couldn’t stand his family.
By the time Giovanni made it to the counter, Gwen had already set out a bottle of beer for him as she had already spotted him the moment he walked in.
“How do you do it? Pulling all attention of the crowd to yourself. I haven’t succeeded as a woman and I am hot as fuck” Gwen questioned.
Giovanni O’Connell gave her a smirk, bringing the bottle of beer to his lips. He gulped down a reasonable quantity before replying.
“No, but you caught my sister’s attention. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you two eye fucking each other” he commented and it was almost impossible for Gwen to hide the blush that appeared on her cheeks.
Gwen ignored his snarly remark and turned. Just then, Luke pulled a chair from the bar and got comfortable, ordering a glass of beer, but not without staring at the man seated next to him in a threatening way.
Giovanni ignored him.
Gwen placed Luke’s order before him and turned her attention back to Giovanni.
“Tell me. Has Wren been around here?” Giovanni took a sip of his drink and Gwen shook her head in response to his question.
Suddenly, Luke abruptly got off the chair he sat on and kicked it, then slammed his fist on the counter before walking away, making the entire pub stare at him in wonder.
“Hey, Lukey” Mason called out as he met Luke hallway but the young man ignored him and stormed outside the pub.
With a frown on his face, Mason made his way to the bar.
“What has gotten into him?” he asked.
“Fuck me if I know” replied Giovanni nonchalantly as he took another sip.
“Don’t give him any ideas” Gwen replied with an attitude before walking away, while Mason stood flabbergasted on the spot, as his cheeks slowly became a crimson shade of pink.
His feelings for Giovanni had just doubled.


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