A loud knock sounded on the big doors of George Agnew's office.
"Come in," a deep voice replied from inside.
David stepped in carefully, shutting the door behind him. As he looked around the sleek, polished room, he noticed George wasn't alone. Sitting across from the powerful businessman was an elegantly dressed woman. Her voice was soft but confident as she spoke.
George looked up and saw David.
"Take a seat on the couch, David. I'll be with you shortly," he said, motioning toward the leather seat near the window.
David nodded and sat, waiting patiently but curious. He watched as George leaned forward, listening attentively to the woman. They spoke in hushed tones for another minute, then she stood up, her face glowing with gratitude.
"Thank you again, George," she said with a bright smile. "For the donation, and as always, for your support."
George gave her a polite nod and a warm smile in return. "You're always welcome, Rebecca. Keep doing the good work."
As she turned to leave, George's voice softened. "Expect a call from me soon."
She paused, looking curious. "Oh?"
George leaned forward slightly, the smile still on his lips. "I'll be needing a little favor from you. Nothing too demanding, of course. Just… something only you can handle with the right amount of grace and tact."
Rebecca blinked, then smiled again, though this time with a trace of uncertainty. "Of course. I'll be ready, whatever it is."
"Good," George said. She nodded respectfully and left.
David stood and walked toward George's desk, unable to hide his disapproval. "Why do you keep doing all these unnecessary contributions? Giving out money like this? You don't even need to make half of these donations."
George chuckled lightly and leaned back in his chair. "David, David…" he said, shaking his head. "You really do have a lot to learn about this world."
He tapped a finger on his desk as he spoke.
"You want loyalty? You buy it. You want people humble, grateful, and always on your side? Then give them more. That way… they'll never forget who made them comfortable."
He paused, then leaned closer, with a darker tone now.
"How do you think we've come this far, David? You really think it's just luck or charm?"
David frowned but stayed quiet.
"No," George continued. "We get them, use them, and cut them off when they're no longer useful. That's the rule in business. Sentiment doesn't build empires, strategy does. If someone becomes dead weight, you drop them. If they rise too high, you remind them who helped them up."
David swallowed hard, a bit unsettled. "That sounds… ruthless."
George smiled, completely unfazed. "It's survival."
David sighed, still not fully agreeing, but knowing better than to argue too much with George.
"Well," he said, clearing his throat, "I actually came because of the mail you told me to send. I just received feedback."
George raised an eyebrow. "And?"
David looked serious now. "It says Mr. Ashford will call you directly, any moment from now."
For a moment, George just stared at him. Then slowly, his eyes widened.
"You mean... Sir Henry Ashford?"
David nodded once. "Yes. That's the message."
George leaned forward, excitement creeping into his voice. "Sir Henry doesn't make personal calls unless it's something big… something that needs delicate, immediate handling."
He stood up from his chair, walking to the large glass window behind him. He stared out at the city skyline, hands clasped behind his back, thinking.
"If he's calling… then this is no small matter," George said softly. "This means one thing, they're finally taking Raymond seriously."
A dangerous smile appeared on his lips.
He turned back to David, eyes burning with a quiet fire. "I believe this time, we won't just corner him. We'll finish him. Permanently."
"..."
Just a few minutes after David sat down, George Agnew's phone buzzed sharply on the glass desk. He paused and glanced at it. The screen only showed "Unknown Number."
He looked at David, who gave him a knowing look.
"This could be it," George muttered, picking up the phone slowly. He brought it to his ear and spoke in a calm, expectant voice.
"Agnew speaking."
A firm, quiet voice responded from the other end. "Agnew."
George straightened up instantly. "Is this… Mr. Ashford?"
There was a soft scoff from the other end. "You should know my voice by now."
"Apologies, sir," George replied quickly. "It's been quite some time."
"That's true," Henry Ashford said in his usual cold, commanding tone. "Never mind. I told you I'd call, didn't I?"
"Yes, sir. I received the message."
"Good." There was a pause, then a low breath. "Before we proceed, I need to ask, are you still the man I trusted? Or have you grown soft playing king in your own little empire?"
George's voice didn't waver. "I'm sharper than ever, sir. And still as loyal."
"Loyalty is cheap these days," Henry said flatly. "You'll prove it, again."
"Anything you need, I'll handle it."
"Now, this thing you mentioned… about Raymond Carter. Is it true? Has he started again? Is he actually training someone?"
George didn't hesitate. "Yes, sir. Everything is confirmed. Carter is active again, and from what we've gathered, he's mentoring a young man. We don't have full details about the boy yet, but we're digging. The signs are all there."
There was a long silence on the line. Then Henry's voice came, low and deliberate.
"What exactly do we have on Raymond?"
George's eyes narrowed slightly as he leaned back in his chair. "We have intel, sir. A solid one. On what he loves and values the most. His company, his pride and joy, it's not as stable as it looks from the outside."
"Go on," Henry said.
George continued. "An insider. Someone he trusts. All it takes is one push, and we can bring it all crumbling down."
Henry sounded pleased. "That's wonderful. But listen to me, George… I want this done carefully. Quietly. No mess. No names. No trails. We don't want anyone sniffing around or connecting dots."
"Understood, sir."
"I mean it," Henry added firmly. "Break him. Break everything he's built. Make sure this time, he stays down. No comebacks. No second chances."
George's wicked grin widened. "Consider it done, sir."
Henry's voice lowered one final time. "And the boy, whoever he is, make him disappear."
The line clicked. The call was over.
George stared at the phone for a few seconds longer, still smiling. Then he slowly placed it down on the desk, turned to David, and let out a long, satisfied breath.
"This," he said softly, "is beautiful."
David was silent, watching George's expression carefully.
"They've finally decided to crush him," George continued. "After all these years… Raymond's going to feel pain like never before. I do know that he's a very wise and intelligent man, but this… He won't see it coming."
He stood up and walked to the window, the city lights reflecting in his eyes.
"I've waited for this moment for a long time," he said, almost to himself. "And now it's here."
Then he turned back to David with a calm but dangerous voice.
"Everything is in place. No more delays. Tell him, it's time."