1. Fancy place.

We arrive at the main conference room of the hotel at around 11:45 AM, a good fifteen minutes before the start of the Introduction session. We sat on the row of seats that had been relegated to our company. and take the introduction brochures that are tucked into the back of the seats in front of us.

“Wow, this is fancy,” Coraline murmurs next to me, taking in the cool exterior of the conference room that looks as if it could be part of some French chateau than a hotel. The ivory white and gold are the theme. here as well, but it is a lot cooler than the outside. The conference room can at least sit a thousand people at once. It seems like the forum hosts had gone all out.

Soon, the conference hall brims with corporate personnel from all across the continent, and the organizers of the forum take the stage to relay their welcome speech, followed by a brief summary of the history of the Annual North American Business Forum. They introduce all the people of importance, as well as do a small introductory session for their own company.

I have to admit, it is kind of boring. After the initial excitement of the event wears off, it’s just like any other corporate event. Some people take the stage and start to drone on about modern business and such. Those in the seats start to mutter amongst themselves. Coraline and I try to give them all of our attention because this is our first time, and we don’t have the luxury of being ignorant. Coraline even takes notes on her iPad about the people we see taking the stage.

“Who knows,” she tells me, “We might have to work with these people one day. Better be prepared.”

“What kind of notes are you taking?” I ask, peaking at the iPad. But Coraline snatches it away with a smirk.

“Just observations,” she remarks, “you don’t have to worry about it, boss.”

I narrow my eyes at her but decide to drop it.

The introduction panel ends, and everyone is herded to the reception hall in order to be fed.

And that is where the real music begins.

our seats, Gerald states that we

here,” he says, “you

it.” I

needed. The first person Gerald steers me to is a middle- aged man who looks like he stepped out of a GQ magazine, with his perfectly tailored designer suit and his salt and pepper hair. Reminds me of my father a bit, the way he carries himself. He also happens to be the CEO of Rapture Enterprises, an electronic manufacturer specializing in earphones, speakers, and sound systems. His company’s system has been a rising necessity in the

studios there have taken to our sound systems,

along and prod him here and there. Coraline tells me later that she thought the man. likes to hear his own voice. But I learn a lot of things from

our conversation, Gerald bears and tells

pretty

he claps me on the back, “you’re a natural at

I duck my

everything is cool and dandy. But then the judgment

forty exclaims, staring at me as if I’d grown another head, “you’re Joseph Greyson’s

“Um, yeah?”

doesn’t have any kids last I checked, and I’ve known the man for years. You’ve gotta be pulling my

close by, but he happens to be conversing with a separate group

be as polite as possible, “the relationship between my father and I was a bit complicated for a time, which is why my existence was not made

a side-piece?” the man gives me a smarmy smile which makes my insides

and feel sudden anger. Yes, she was his mistress, but it

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