As the chatter filled the conference room, some of the individuals sat quietly, lost in their thoughts.
Just then, the door swung open, revealing Felix in his signature white suit, a long golden cane in hand, and a warm smile gracing his face.
He was flanked by Quill, Logan Maywraith (Quill's father), and Claire who followed closely behind. As they entered, all eyes turned toward the, especially Felix.
However, when Logan Maywraith stepped into view beside him, subtle shifts occurred among the crowd; some expressions morphed while others deepened with contemplation as plans began to form.
"Welcome everyone!" Felix beamed as he made his way to the head of the conference table.
He settled into the chair at the end with Logan and Quill by his side while Claire stood attentively besides him.
"I apologize for not greeting you myself; I was busy entertaining Family Head Logan," he said smoothly. "I hope you'll forgive my assistant for stepping in."
"Not at all, President Felix," replied a middle-aged man from earlier with an easy smile.
Felix nodded graciously at him. "Good."
"May I ask who you are?" Felix continued.
The man smiled back confidently. "My name is Draven Emberfell; I'm the sixth Elder of the Emberfell Noble Family."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir Draven," Felix responded calmly.
Draven raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise but quickly masked it with a smile as curiosity about Felix grew within him.
Turning to Logan Maywraith across from him, he remarked casually, "Logan, I didn't expect you to move so quickly."
Logan smirked proudly. "After all, I have a good son." His gaze shifted fondly to Quill beside him. Since he found out that Quill have partnered with Felix on the bicycle business had thrilled him beyond measure.
The Maywraith Noble Family was now breathing easier thanks to their association with Origin Technology, since they are now partners in manufacturering of bicycles that had taken off in popularity throughout the Royal Capital.
As whispers circulated around the room regarding Quill's apparent luck, some silently cursed their own misfortune, the atmosphere thickened with unspoken envy.
"But I didn't expect your Emberfell Noble Family to want in on this deal," Logan scoffed coldly. "Always looking for a piece of something good."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
"Why shouldn't we? If you're involved, we deserve our share of benefits too," Draven replied nonchalantly.
Logan merely snorted in response.
Just then, the slender man clad in luxurious red clothes from earlier rose to his feet. "President Felix, my name is Croix Bloodworth, from the esteemed Bloodworth Noble Family. My family would like to..."
"Shut the hell up, Croix! Nobody asked for your introduction. In fact, which fool from the Bloodworth family sent you here?" Logan Maywraith shot back, glaring daggers at Croix.
Croix's expression turned icy as he met Logan's gaze. "Logan, it doesn't matter who sent me; mind your own business. Besides, my family isn't intimidated by yours, just so you know."
"Are you really sure about that, President Felix? You can't possibly expect to devour this entire cake on your own," Croix shot back with a frosty glare.
"In fact," Felix grinned playfully, "I believe I can! Ever since I was little, I've always had a big appetite and preferred not sharing my food."
"Aren't you worried you'll burst if you keep eating alone? Especially when you're trying to tackle something so massive?" Croix challenged.
"Nope! My digestion is quite efficient, I process food quickly enough that bursting isn't an issue for me," Felix replied confidently.
The tension in the room escalated palpably as Croix fixed Felix with a chilling stare.
"President Felix, you do realize this isn't something you can control all on your own, right? It could easily backfire," Croix remarked, a hint of killing intent in his voice.
Felix responded confidently, "Oh, I can absolutely manage this. As for backfiring, that's simply out of the question."
Croix face was filled with coldness as he glared at Felix.
He turned to Logan and asked, "Logan, aren't you going to weigh in on this?"
Logan chuckled softly before replying, "Croix, as you know, I'm not the one in charge here, President Felix is. My words doesn't carry much weight in this matter."
"But you understand what will happen if he refuses to compromise, right? This situation is beyond his control; there are too many interests at stake," Croix insisted.
"Let me get this straight: you want to seize control of something Felix himself initiated? Come on, Croix, have some dignity!" Logan shot back.
"I'm not trying to take it from him; we just want a controlling stake. And let's be honest, I'm not the only one truly interested in this venture. We're simply making the first move here. Do you really believe your Maywraith Noble Family can stand against all the other noble families?" Croix's eyes glinted with coldness as he spoke.
Logan shook his head firmly. "Why do you think the top families didn't send representatives here? Don't be naïve! Even if your Bloodworth Noble Family takes charge, do you honestly think you'll enjoy it without consequences? Tell Knoxx to think things through before acting; otherwise, he might put the entire Bloodworth Noble Family at risk someday."
Turning toward Draven, Logan asked pointedly, "Are you also here looking for a controlling stake?"
Draven smiled and replied cautiously, "Yes and no. I'm just here to observe and understand President Felix's position."
"Well," Logan interjected smoothly, "he's made it clear there are no shares available for your group. That's why he compromised and gave you some leeway to earn significant profits."
Draven fell silent after that statement.
"President Felix," Croix said coldly while scrutinizing him closely. "Are you sure about your decision?"
"I'm confident in my choice," Felix replied steadily. "So tell me, are you going to accept the proposal or not?"
"You should know that we've investigated every detail about you," Croix warned with a sinister smile creeping across his face. "Be careful, your little family might find itself facing disaster soon. So if I was you I would think things over"
The smile faded from Felix's face as he locked eyes with Croix, an indifferent yet icy glare settling over him. "Are you threatening me?"
"Who knows?" Croix shrugged nonchalantly.
Felix cracked a chilling smile of his own and asked casually, "Do you know what my favorite hobby is?"