Chapter 56: Unliked Person
In the days of old, when people were more honest about their lust for blood, and not squeamish about feeding it. Executions were held out in public, the gruesome deed treated as more of a sport. People laughed, cheered, placed bets and took sides.
Over time the blood sports had been replaced by tamer games that were not nearly as vicious. Sports with rules, regulations and entire books dedicated to what was considered proper conduct and what was not. Games like football, soccer, rugby, netball, tennis, badminton, and many more that Emily most likely would never know the names of. But the key things still remained the same.
There were bets placed and there were sides taken. And once you picked a side and placed a bet all that you could do after, was to sit back and take whatever came with the bet. Whether it was a win, or a loss.
Standing in the conference room, ushering people in. Emily had a hard time figuring out whether she was ushering them into what would be a tame civilized meeting, or something that would end up as a bloodbath, everyone selling each other out to save their own necks. Looking at them, they seemed to think that it would be a blood bath. It was actually kind of funny. She was there as a spectator, so she could just sit back and enjoy the show while they tried to organize themselves.
And even as she let them in at the door, Emily could already see the teams forming. Those who backed Derek’s uncle and his reckless policies were easy enough to spot. They had a haunted look about them. People not too sure if they should jump ship or stay in case their captain pulled a miracle and saved them somehow.
The there were those who liked Derek’s more grounded and careful leadership, but were too spineless to ever back him up when it counted. Those were the people who walked in with their heads low, their eyes not meeting Emily’s nor Derek’s. Their PAs doing most of the introductions for them.
The last group to enter were the ones that took no sides in the family dispute. They were on the side of profit. Nothing more and nothing less. They walked in with their heads held high, their eyes sharp, calculating, looking from one faction to the other. Their faces giving away nothing on their inner thoughts.
In Emily’s opinion, they were the people that Derek had to be more aware of, and looking over at her boss, she realized that she was not alone in thinking that. He was now sitting up straighter, his malicious glee more contained.
He had a room full neutrals, supporters and enemies. It would not do to add to the enemies group simply by coming off as too interested in the humiliation of others.
Emily was contemplating whether or not she should close the doors when the last attendants walked in.
One Sebastian Haven, finally having crawled out of the hole he had been hiding in.