SparkDigital; a leading giant in the E-Marketing worldwas exactly like it's name, sparkling. The building was located in the middle of the Business Center. A towering vermouth of steel and glass; a sleek, modern and architecually striking building. The prominent logo of the company's brand name : SparkDigital— Igniting Your Digital Presence, was written in bold lettering and vibrant colours. The entrance was secured by cameras and guards; who greeted Vicente and Avery politely as they walked into the building.
The interior was spacious and well-lit, it gleamed with it's bold and vibrant colours — which conveyed a sense of confidence and energy— and the marble floors that seemed polished to perfection, with designer furnishings that conveyed a sense of sophistication.
The company displayed it's transparency and openness with it's cutting edge technology and innovative design elements that showcased the company's products.
Men and women dressed in luxury suits and elegant formal wears walked past them with a sense of calm and focus as they busied themselves with their jobs. The ambiance buzzed with a sense of pride and excitement.
"Like what you see?" Vicente asked as they stepped into the elevator— it's transparent glass walls allowing them to take in the scene below.
"It's amazing and clean." It had always been Avery's dream to take his company to this level— a perfect blend of luxury, innovation and state of the arts technology.
Previously Avery had only been interested in the company because of the deal with the former soul, but now as every glass, every steel and every curve of the company filled his eyes, a sense of excitement awakened.
"It will be yours soon." Vicente had been surprised at Avery's wish to take over SparkDigital; Avery had previously had no interest for the business world, his skepticism had pushed him to test Avery— which he passed amazingly well— and though surprised he had been elated.
This was a company that Vicente had built from the scratch and invested his youth in, he had naturally been a bit unwilling to hand it over to the Ford's, but he had no successor. Avery's wish— which had been promoted by God knows what— had elated him.
With a soft ding, the elevator doors chimed open: eyes widened and brians turned the moment Vicente and his grandson stepped out of the elevator.
While the news had not been publicized, Vicente's deteriorating health had been an open secret, he had also been pulling back from the company, so many had come under the assumption that he was planning to retire. More than a few people were shocked to see Vicente back in the company— and not alone either— his grandson, Avery following sharply behind him.
Now back in his grounds, Vicente entered his element— swelling like a flame that had been fed air— gone was the broken old man who Avery consoled yesterday and in his place was a man sharp, deadly and focused on his mission.
Dressed in a navy blue suit that was cut to perfection and styled with elegance, grey hair swept back and eyes as sharp as an eagle, not even the golden walking stick that Vicente clutched could damper his aura.
Everyone bowed in greeting which he only replied with a curt nod, a contrast to Avery's warm smile. Underneath the bowing heads and forced smiles, a storm was brewing— those who had thought Vicente was not coming back and had began to grab a piece of the cake were panicking.
*********
It was safe to say that Callan had been informed of Vicente and Avery's entrance before they had even entered the elevators.
Vicente he could understand, but what on earth was Avery doing here? Callan would have loved to fly over, but he was unfortunately caught up in a meeting with the Finance Department.
When Callan arrived at the office it was to the sight of Vicente sitting in his chair— he and Avery sharing a bottle of his most expensive wine.
"Dad—"
"We are at the company Callan, I will be disappointed if I have to teach you how to address people with formality." Vicente cut Callan off sharply.
Callan swallowed, his face looked ugly as though he been forced to swallow a fly. "Of course Chairman Emerson, I forgot." He forced a smile.
"For your sake, I hope you don't forget next time." Vicente gestured for Callan to take a seat.
"I won't." Callan did not miss Avery's smirk that he tried to hide behind the glass of wine. "How is your health, I am sorry I haven't been able to visit, I hoped you received the herbal tea I sent?"
"I did." It was collecting dust somewhere in Vicente's study. "You don't need to worry about my health, I know many wanted to see me dead but fortunately I am a man who lives to disappoint his enemies." How could Callan miss the veiled words hidden.
"How has the company been doing? Hopefully you haven't run it to the ground yet?" Vicente's eyes were sharp and cold.
Callan laughed— ugly and forced— as he squirmed in his sit.
Avery could have laughed; this was the man who towered over him threatening yesterday, now reduced to a dog who could only squirm and agree with everything said— it was funny what power could do.
"Avery wil be joining the company, starting from tomorrow." Vicente's casually dropped words had an unheard explosion going off in Callan's head.
"With all due respect Chairman Emerson, Avery has no qualifications or experience to join the company." Vicente's eyebrows shot up at those words, the audacity.
"Are you trying to say my grandson isn't capable of working in my company?" Coldness dripped from Vicente's words.
"Avery isn't qualifed to work here, you insisting he gets the job is a blatant show of nepotism." Callan argued.
"But Ian works here?" Vicente glared at Callan.
"Ian merited his position, he started as an intern and worked his way into the position he sits in today." Callan's hackles raised at the mention of his son and he rushed to defend him.
"I am sorry to interrupt." Avery placed his glass on the table with a gentle click. " If we are really going to be talking about nepotism CEO Callan, it will take a day for us to finish going though the list of unqualified family members— both from your side and Isabella's— friends and children of your so called 'business partners' that you have pumped into this company." Vicente beamed with pride while Callan turned red from anger.
"Besides I have the educational qualifications and while my means of entering the company may be a bit... unethical," Avery smirked at Callan, "sometimes we have to bend a few rules to suit us, you should understand that CEO Callan right?" Something in Avery's smile frightened Calllan, as though he knew Callan's secrets.
Callan frowned, what could Avery possibly know? He was just depending on his grandfather's backing to throw a few big words.
"Alright then, I agree." Pushed into a hard corner by the grandfather and grandson, Callan forced himself to agree.
"You agree?" Vicente chuckled mockingly, "bold of you to think I was ever asking for your permission?" Callan's face turned a new shade of red— from anger? Embarrassment? Or perhaps a mix of both?
"I didn't come here to ask for your permission, I came to inform you of my decision." Vicente sharply rose from his seat, the more he stared at Callan's face, the more he was tempted to kill the man— he had trusted Calllan with his daughter only to be rewarded with her body hanging from the ceiling.
"Call a meeting of the share holders next Monday, I intend to transfer my shares to my grandson." Vicente gestured for Avery to stand as well.
"What are you saying?" Callan's discomfort bled into his tone.
"Are you deaf?" Vicente eyed him coldly, "I assume you heard me properly the first time."
Avery had never seen Callan like this, utterly defeated; he looked— stunned, in denial and tongue-tied all at the same time. His skin colour shifted from red, to white, to green and finally settled on a nauseating bluish ash— he looked on the verge of passing out and rightfully so.
"Don't wait for me at dinner, I will spend the night with my grandfather." With those words, Avery walked out of the office with Vicente.
Seconds after Vicente and Avery left his office, Callan was still reeling from shock. He and Isabella had anticipated Vicente taking Avery's shares to become a majority shareholder; they had even come up with a solution— marriage.
Yet the plot twist was shocking— it wasn't Vicente who would take Avery's shares and become a majority shareholder, it was Vicente who would give Avery his shares and make Avery a majority shareholder.
Callan would rather die than bow his head to the boy who had trembled cowardly below his belt all his life.
What did Avery know about running a company anyway? Let Vicente give Avery his shares, it would only make it easier to snatch.
Yet something nagged him, something seemed different about Avery; he radiated with a new found confidence— just like Laura before he sucked her life out— this new Avery terrified him.