04: COMPANY
[PREVIEW OF THE PAST PART 3 (VOL 3)]
[ZHANG WANG XIU POV]
The Youshi building at Soho housed the LCDC office. Former CEO Long Li Wei uniquely designed the whole structure to look like a playable piece of lego shaped into an arrow pointing upward into the sky. Each floor was neatly divided into blocks of glass and concrete with employees walking around the halls and looking like trinkets made to be a part of the displayed architectural intricacy.
The CEO's office was specifically built at the apex of the building. A symbol of the CEO's role to steer a company in the right direction to reach its ambitions. Former CEO Long Li Wei planned the office meticulously aiming to bring the majestic elegance of an emperor sitting on a throne in the Forbidden City mixed with contemporary architecture.
The office walls were intricately embellished with dragon designs and unlike the traditional color of red or golden, the former CEO made them white symbolizing brilliance, safety, illuminance, and perfection. A three-stepped pedestal elevated the marble table of black and white that gave harmony to the room like a floating yin and yang under a crystal clear frame.
The red majestic carpet contrasted the white ceiling with a round clear fiberglass wall that provides a great view of the city. A three feet white frosted letter "L" with the letters CDC below it made up the company's logo, defining the goals of the company. Simplicity, elegance, and perfection.
The special part of the office was the movable roof where the blue sky can shine down at the room.
She stood staring at the logo of the company and tracing the letter L with her index finger. Her mind wandered with thoughts of the man that crashed her party, asking for an official meeting at her office.
A ring on the intercom disrupted her thoughts. Her secretary reminded her about the meeting with Elric Exelon at ten in the morning. She took a quick peek at her white-gold watch to see the time. It was only nine forty-five and she still has fifteen minutes to go over the files about the billionaire that her secretary sorted out.
She looked at her clear reflection at the glass wall and gazed at her red dress with short sleeves that covered only a fraction of her arms. Her business-type clothing was accentuated by crystal studs group into a triangular shape on her right shoulder, her high circular neckline conveyed her strict approach when it comes to business. She lifted her chin before turning around and marched out of her office.
Outside the CEO's office was a glass L-shaped table of her secretary with a touch screen monitor at the side and an intercom to easily call every department of the company. Her assistant, Chueng Li Qiang, stood up as he noticed the CEO walked out of her office. Strutting in the hallway to the direction of the elevator with full confidence to welcome the incoming guest.
"Li Qiang, have you checked if all the directors are already in the lobby?" Wang Xiu asked with a blank face while she took the elevator with her assistant. The woman was exhibiting her professionalism to hide any indication of excitement or dismay to the guest who hasn't conveyed his purpose to meet her.
"Yes, CEO Zhang. Their assistants have informed me that they are now waiting in the lobby, ready to welcome Mr. Exelon." The assistant replied with a quick smile staring at their glossy reflection from the elevator door.
"Good." Wang Xiu nodded and loosen up her shoulders as they wait for the elevator to reach the ground floor.
At the lobby, department heads, and their assistants prepared their best look to present themselves in front of the billionaire. Other executives wore their new and expensive suits and shoes to impress the man. While the others brought flowers and balloons to give as a welcoming present. As the minute goes by, the excitement heightened furthermore, and the buzzing in the lobby becomes louder.
The elevator from the top floor arrived at the lobby and produced the CEO whose forehead creased as she noticed the executives and employees cramming around the place to get a glimpse of the visitor.
She took a deep breath to regain composure establishing a vacant expression. The crowd of employees halted their babbling once they spotted her strutting with a blank stare. Her assistant, Li Qiang followed her from the back sneering at the noisy employees. She stopped and turned her face in front of a woman holding a bunch of silver-colored balloons with the words "WELCOME" written on them. With a scared face, the employee lowered her head and tightly gripped the string of balloons. Waiting for her to reprimand the childish decision to bring it for the special guest.
"The balloons are nice." Wang Xiu said with a quick smile.
The woman's face brightened up as the relief of being lectured was lifted out of her chest. The employee raised her chin and smiled at the CEO. The anxious mood of the crowd expecting her to exhibit her strictness lightened up. One by one the employees lined up without being ordered and brought their best behavior out, standing with great posture and prepared for the arrival of the special visitor.
At exactly ten in the morning, a black Tesla car parked in front of the building. Elric Exelon got out of his car and handed the keys to the security to park. He stepped inside the building alone without any bodyguard and casually wore a grey turtle-neck shirt under his black coat.
With great enthusiasm, the employees welcomed Elric Exelon into the building, taking pictures of the man from their mobile phones while she shook the man's hand and introduced the department heads of the company one by one. The billionaire expressed eagerness with every employee trying to take a selfie picture with him. He wasn't a snob like social media portrayed him to be. After the fast introduction, she invited Mr. Exelon to meet the shareholders of the company waiting for them in the conference room upstairs.
"Can we talk privately before meeting your board of directors?" Mr. Exelon requested as the elevator ascended to the top floor of the building.
"No." Wang Xiu replied with a nonchalant stare which made the assistant looked shocked as she declined the billionaire's petition.
Mr. Exelon chuckled at her stern answer. She illustrated her tough attitude towards the man's confident behavior. Standing side by side with each other, they waited for them to reach their destination without speaking with each other.
The conference room was located on the floor below the CEO's office. Mr. Exelon greeted everyone with the same enthusiasm he showed at the lobby. Smiling with wide lips almost chuckling and his eyes squinting with excitement, showing an aura of radiance. Joining them was the former CEO of LCDC, Long Liu Wei which Mr. Exelon gladly shook hands with.
After the end of the greeting, a short introduction from the company was presented to Mr. Exelon who watched intensely at the screen while the room was darkened for a better view of the short video.
She remained tight-lipped and gracious since the special visitor arrived at the building. She never overstepped on the conversations between the directors and the billionaire. Even the former CEO was delighted with her unusual accommodating nature. A rare moment in which she learned to smile and lean without reacting feral to the directors.
An hour of presentation ended with applause from the directors and Mr. Exelon. A conversation began when former CEO Long Liu Wei asked the billionaire about his purpose in visiting the company.
"I'm here to hire LCDC to construct a new tower for me, right here in the heart of the capital." Elric Exelon answered with straightforward enthusiasm towards employing the company for construction.
All the directors nod happily as the company would certainly earn millions from making the structure. It would also leave a marketable opportunity for them overseas. Only the two CEO staring at each other across the room recognized Mr. Exelon's true purpose in hiring LCDC. Their unchanging expression in front of the man expressed greater awareness than all of the directors.
After the deliberate conversation about the project that Mr. Exelon has announced, the directors invited the billionaire to have lunch at a famous seven-star hotel in the city. The businessman accepted wholeheartedly but before going out Mr. Exelon requested a private meeting with her which triggers the former CEO to flash a beaming smile of mischievousness on his lips and a wink.
π - π - π
"Nice office." Elric Exelon complimented the elegant room while scanning from the walls and to the floors.
From the carpeted floor to the minimalist wooden bookshelf hanging on the right side of the wall, and to the left where a three feet painting of a dragon commissioned by a famous painter for the family Long was displayed. The CEO's table was at the top center opposite the door. The black leather three-seater couches face each other while a single-sitter couch was placed between them aligned to the center table.
Elric Exelon stepped closer to touch the embossed white dragon on the left wall while staring at the traditional dragon painting on a thin canvas paper.
"Have a seat Mr. Exelon." Wang Xiu offered the seat opposite her table while she settled staring at the man. However, the billionaire has another plan and walked in the direction of the couch and reclined comfortably on the leather furniture.
"Call me Elric, Ms. Zhang." The billionaire said crossing his legs and leaning his back against the sofa. He gently caressed the leather couch with his left palm and gazed at the woman while ruffling his brows. "Fake leather?"
"Soft leather. Eco friendly." Wang Xiu answered with a blank expression. She remained sitting behind her marble table crossing her legs and posturing her back against the leather swivel chair.
Wang Xiu knew what the man wanted to play. To entice her to express anger so she could show her weakness.
A long silence passed between them, gazing at each other's eyes, and studying each other's clothes. The tiny bit of details could show what type of character they were. The flaw was the key and yet they both don't have any.
"I like to buy this company." Elric Exelon confessed illustrating a different smile he wore in front of everyone.
"It's not for sale." Wang Xiu replied sporting the same nonchalant expression at the billionaire.
"That's not what I heard." The businessman declared fidgeting his fingers as he stretches his arms at the couch.
Wang Xiu didn't answer. The man was right, before she became the CEO the company was almost left bankrupt not only because of the economy but all of the effects of the management. Her cousin Long Li Jun as CEO couldn't handle his two careers at once and she has to step in again to save the company.
She stood up from her chair and walked slowly to confront the billionaire.
"The Long Construction Development Corporation is not for sale, Mr. Exelon. I hope you have a good day." Wang Xiu answered with a smile on her face and stretched her arms to shake hands with the billionaire.
Elric Exelon reached for her hand and pinched it gently before standing up to leave the CEO's office.
When the billionaire closed the door, she clenched her hand and hits the couch hard from where Elric Exelon sat.