Capítulo 2: The Dick in the Room
Melissa could never not be this way, awkward, whenever Bruce neared her and she could smell the ancient Greek God, Eros on his body with his bewitching accent, and her face was slightly below his stubble facial hair. She was always either drowning in her erotic fantasies or was too lost in his entirety to find her way back to reality.
"Ggggg…" Melissa cringed as she uttered meaningless words to herself after Bruce walked away from her and went right into the board room.
Melissa was disappointed in herself. She had slipped up again and she wondered if she was ever going to get used to him to a point where she wasn't bothered by his presence.
Bruce stepped into the room, closing the door behind him and all the people in here got on their feet from the chairs in which they sat.
The room had a median age of 49 with most of them being in their early fifties and two of them being in their late forties.
Bruce had gotten used to this ovation they always lavished him with and also the smiles of admiration on their faces and he never protested any of it. He looked to the chair to his right hand side which was empty and once again, Edward was late to a meeting.
Edward, who was in his early thirties was not new to this setting but had always been a late comer and showing no quintessential business prowess whatsoever. After all, he never really belonged here. It was only after his father's death and the transfer of shares to him that he could he in this room with them all. To Bruce, he was a mere statistic who only had value when a vote was needed.
"Good morning, Directors. Let's get to it." Bruce said in an audacious tone and yet one could not deny that he was charismatic too.
They all returned to their sitting positions and fixed their eyes on him as he brought out his MacBook and opened to the schedule of the day's meeting.
"We haven't finalised if we'll be proceeding with the Ibiza hotel launch this month or the end of the next quarter…" Bruce was interrupted by the sound of the door behind him as Edward walked in calmly and unbothered about his lateness as he found his way to his chair and sat, removing his sunshades which were strictly out of fashion for this season which wasn't summer and he nodded his head to greet those present in the room while pulling out an unfinished Debauve & Gallais chocolate bar from his blazers' pocket which made a disturbing squeaky sound that Bruce was disgusted at.
All board members looked at Edward with faces of disgust, contempt and utter disappointment in his presence among them.
"So, when are we going to launch it?" Bruce continued as the board members fixed their eyes on him once more.
"I find it strategic to launch towards the end of the next quarter alongside the already refurbished Zai'm media outlet which we could collaborate with to even further our popularity among them in Spain."
Other board members except Edward and Bruce nodded their head in what looked like agreement to this Marketing's tactic.
"I don't find that strategic at all. What happens when the media outlet isn't received well? That's not a risk I'm willing to bank on." Edward said with relaxed shoulders and a pompous posture expressing every bit of pride.
"No one is asking you to bank on anything here, Edward. You seem to be forgetting your place. Director Philip is a marketing genius and not once has he disappointed or failed to deliver on his tactical suggestions. I, however, can't say the same for you."
"Mmpphh." Edward scoffed as his posture became defensive with his pride having been bruised as the other board members laughed lowly as him.
"Let's take that vote now." Bruce said as he glanced at his Patek Philippe wristwatch.
All hands except Edward's were raised in support of Director Phillip's idea. That was a 7 to 1 vote and of course, it meant that Philip's idea was what they were going with.
Edward looked at them all with contempt, arising from the shame that was brewing in him.
"Gentlemen, that'd be all for today. Thank you." Bruce said and the board members got up from their seats to leave the room.
While Edward was about to leave, Bruce called him back as he also got up from his chair, with only them both left in the room.
"Edward, this erratic behaviour of yours has to end. You can't be coming to a board meeting late. Didn't Business School teach you that? If they didn't, your father should have taught you better." Bruce said with all seriousness and it appeared to have hit a rib of Edward's who gave him a death glare as an immediate response.
"Don't you talk about my dad."
"Why not? He was a great man. He taught me a lot of what I know." Bruce replied sharply.
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Stoic7God
Stoic7God Don't we all love a tough masculine banter of egos?
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