A Dangerous Offer

Adam's heart pounded as he stood before the man. The room was quiet except for the soft hum of fluorescent lights overhead.

The man—his eyes filled with confusion and a trace of amusement—stared at Adam as if trying to figure out if the young man was playing a cruel joke. 

"An offer? What could you possibly offer me?" the man asked, his tone edged with disbelief. His voice carried an air of casual dismissal, as if he assumed that Adam's bold claim was nothing more than an idle prank.

Adam did not flinch. Before the man could take another step away, Adam acted quickly. With surprising speed, he grabbed the man's wrist firmly, cutting off any chance of retreat. 

"Wait," Adam said in a firm, steady voice that left no room for hesitation.

The man stopped and turned back, an eyebrow raised in mild surprise.

"What?" he asked, his tone softening slightly as he focused on the intensity in Adam's eyes. Adam's gaze locked onto his, and with quiet determination, he repeated, 

"You just said you could build a company even better than this one."

For a moment, time seemed to pause. The man hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he studied Adam from head to toe.

Slowly, he nodded, as if accepting that there might be some truth to Adam's words.

"Yeah, so what?" he replied, his voice now a mix of curiosity and cautious skepticism.

Adam's lips curved into a small, confident smile as he maintained his grip. "I'll give you everything you need to make that happen," he said, his tone unwavering despite the tension in the air.

For a heartbeat, the man froze—his expression unreadable as he searched Adam's face for any hint of insincerity. Then, with a slow exhalation, he said, 

"Kid, you don't look like someone with that kind of money."

The words struck Adam like a cold gust of wind. He could sense the man's doubt—the skepticism in his voice was clear. Adam knew that if he was to win this man over, he needed to prove that he wasn't merely throwing out empty promises. Taking a careful step closer, Adam spoke again, this time with unshakable confidence, 

"I may not look rich, but I have more money than you can imagine. I don't just want you to build a company—I want you to be my first CEO."

The man's eyes widened in disbelief as he processed the proposal. It was the first time Adam saw even a flicker of genuine curiosity in his expression. Slowly, the man relaxed his grip, pulling his hand away from Adam's wrist. With a serious gaze and a tone that now carried both challenge and invitation, he asked, 

"Are you actually serious?"

Adam nodded firmly, his eyes not wavering for even a second. The determination in his voice and the steadiness in his gaze made his intent clear. After a long, measured pause, the man sighed, running a hand through his hair as if trying to rearrange his scattered thoughts. Finally, he said, 

"Fine. Then tell me—where's your office?"

For a brief second, Adam froze. He hadn't planned that far ahead. His mind raced as he realized he had to answer quickly, for he could not show any sign of weakness now. Clearing his throat, he forced a confident smile onto his face and replied, 

"Follow me."

As they walked side by side along a quiet corridor, the steady echo of their footsteps filled the space. Adam broke the silence by glancing at the man and saying, 

"My name's Adam."

The man smirked, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I almost forgot to introduce myself. Name's Kim," he said, extending his hand. Adam met the gesture without hesitation, and as their hands shook, Adam added politely, 

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Kim."

For a few moments, they walked in silence, the air between them charged with unspoken questions. Kim's mind raced. He had always been a practical businessman, someone who believed in hard facts and real answers. After a moment, he stopped and turned to face Adam directly, his eyes searching for truth as he asked, 

"What's the name of your company? How many employees do you have? And what's your business model?"

Adam instantly realized that Kim was not making small talk. This was no idle conversation—Kim was a true businessman, demanding real answers before he would take any proposal seriously. Adam could sense that despite his bold claims, Kim still wasn't entirely convinced.

Kim's tone betrayed a lingering anger towards his former company—a company that had failed him in many ways. It was that anger, that desperate need for change, that had led Kim to entertain this conversation in the first place. Adam stopped walking, turning to face Kim directly, and said with quiet determination,

"I know what you're thinking. You believe I'm just messing around. But I'm dead serious. And if you don't believe me, I can prove it."

With that, Adam reached into his bag and pulled out two thick bundles of cash. He held them out in front of Kim for all to see—stacks of crisp hundred-dollar bills that looked as real as any money could be. 

"This is just an initial amount—something I always keep on hand," Adam explained in a casual tone, as if discussing a minor detail.

Kim's eyes widened even further as he stared first at the money and then at Adam. He leaned in closer, his tone low and edged with suspicion as he asked, 

"Where did you even get this?"

Adam smirked, a quiet confidence in his eyes as he replied, 

"My business model is simple—I own an immense crude oil reserve. That's why I came here—to sell it to this company."

At these words, Kim's expression shifted immediately. His face registered both shock and deep suspicion as he processed the revelation. 

"Wait… you have a crude oil reserve?" Kim asked, his tone serious and measured.

Adam nodded firmly. 

"That's right."

Kim's face darkened as he absorbed the implications. 

"Then why the hell did you go to that company?" he demanded, his voice rising slightly with frustration.

Adam frowned, puzzled by the question. 

"What do you mean?" he replied, his confusion genuine.

Kim let out a frustrated sigh, running his hand through his hair as if trying to clear his thoughts. His voice dropped to a low, serious tone as he said, 

"Kid, you made a huge mistake."

Adam felt a chill run down his spine at Kim's blunt words. He asked hesitantly, 

"What do you mean, a mistake?"

Kim exhaled sharply, placing a hand on his forehead in a gesture of exasperation. His voice then turned grim as he began to explain, 

"The business world is like a jungle. Nothing here is 'fair.' And you just walked straight into a lion's den and told them you're holding a delicious meal."

The metaphor stung. Adam's stomach twisted as he realized what Kim was implying. It wasn't enough to have a good idea or even a promising business model; in this world, connections, power, and hidden agendas ruled the day.

Kim stepped closer, his presence imposing as he placed a firm hand on Adam's shoulder. His eyes were intense as he continued, 

"Where exactly did you find this crude oil? Do you actually own the land? Do you have legal documentation proving it's yours? And did you tell that company where your reserves are located?"

Adam's heart pounded, and for a moment, he froze under the weight of Kim's probing questions. 

"No… they threw me out before I could even say anything." Adam admitted, his voice low with anxiety.

Kim let out a relieved breath, as if the answer had at least confirmed one small detail. 

"Good. That means they didn't take you seriously."

Adam blinked, trying to steady his racing thoughts. He asked quietly, 

"And if they had?"

Kim's expression turned grim, his eyes darkening with the weight of his warning.

"Then you'd be in prison right now. And your crude oil? It would be gone. They'd take it, and you'd never see a single cent from it."

Adam felt his heart pound harder as the reality of Kim's words sank in. His voice trembled as he protested, 

"But… I haven't done anything illegal."

Kim shook his head slowly, his tone filled with a bitter truth. 

"That doesn't matter. In the corporate world, power and influence matter more than legality. To them, you're just some rich kid playing business, trying to prove yourself to your father."

The words stung deeply. Adam clenched his fists, feeling a mix of anger and regret. 

"I was too naive…" he thought bitterly.

For the first time, Adam truly understood just how dangerous and ruthless the business world could be. In this jungle of power and deceit, even the best ideas could be crushed if one did not know how to navigate the hidden rules.

And if he wanted to survive, he would have to be smarter, tougher, and more cautious.

Kim's piercing gaze held the harsh reality of the corporate world—a reality where money, connections, and influence ruled over fairness and truth.

Adam felt a deep chill as he absorbed the lesson: even if he had a promising plan, the obstacles ahead were far greater than he had ever imagined.

The office fell silent as Kim's words hung heavily in the air. Adam's mind raced with thoughts of how he could turn this dangerous game to his advantage.

He knew that to survive, he would have to adapt quickly and learn the intricate rules of this ruthless environment. The stakes were high, and every decision could mean the difference between success and failure.

As the conversation ended, Adam stood there with a heavy heart, aware that the path ahead was fraught with challenges. The harsh truth about business was now laid bare before him.

He had learned that in this world, ideas were not enough—they had to be backed by power, influence, and careful strategy.

For a long moment, Adam stared at Kim, the weight of his own ambition and naivety pressing down on him.

He realized that if he wanted to build his empire, he would need to overcome not only external obstacles but also the limitations of his own experience. The dangerous offer he had made was just the beginning, and now he faced the daunting task of proving himself in a world that was as unforgiving as it was opportunistic.