Rocker's Rivalry

Chapter 10

Night Fury Records was a fairly large company, but it didn't start this way all those years ago when the CEO, Grimmel 'the Grisly' Hunter, left college for the first time. He didn't have much to his name, what with only a small bank loan and a huge, overwhelming imaginative ambition to create the greatest entertainment company the world had ever seen. Originally, his plans had only started small, recruiting small-time bands and singers to play at bars, possibly even taking the role of support acts for much larger, more famous musicians. It was often a shot to Grimmel's pride to be looked down upon with his small company and almost empty pockets, until one day he met an outrageously good-looking young man who was looking for a chance to be on stage. This Hayden Haddock, as he called himself, was bound to be a star with his smooth charisma and dazzling appearance, making that prediction seem almost too good to bet on. Grimmel believed he had found his diamond in the rough, his chance at stardom and fortune.

It didn't take long for Hayden to become exactly that, a diamond. The fortunes Hayden was raking in with his talented voice and dazzling appearance, Grimmel was finally rolling around in that success he had always been searching for. Hayden had practically made this company what it was known as today and in a very short time space of 6 years. This building, which they now called their main head offices, was only a year or so old, its rooms sparkling new and furniture still emitting that beautiful polished wood and clean plastic smell. Everything still smelled new, and Grimmel loved it.

However, recent events had done damage to his company, with a few stockholders backing out of deals and withdrawing support. It wasn't as though Grimmel was losing money hand over fist, but he wasn't earning as much as he would've liked. Luckily, Grimmel still had faith and support in many of his other acts, and their fame and careers were still going strong. Unfortunately, his diamond had become tarnished in his ignorance and was losing his value to Grimmel.

The large, heavy wooden doors to the CEO's office burst open with tremendous force, the doors slamming against their limits with an enormous bang as their attacker stood on the threshold of the room. Their entrance sparked the Grimmel's attention and his head craned up slowly from his desk, turning to look up at his intruder with a bored expression, unimpressed by their rude entrance into his office before returning to the desk.

Grimmel's office was fairly large and was the type of office you would see a stereotypical Bond villain inhabiting. There was a floor-to-ceiling window situated behind Grimmel's desk, illuminating the room with natural light and almost dazzling his intruder's eyes as they stood at the threshold. Grimmel's desk took up a large portion of the room. Its walnut wood structure was decorated with various intricate designs and patterns, each telling a story through leaves and figures dancing across its grains. Hayden's entrance into Grimmel's office disturbed the air, yet did little to disturb Grimmel's concentration as he maintained his focus on his work; his head never lifting to meet Hayden's eye after acknowledging his appearance.

"What can I do for you, Mr Haddock? Upset about something, are we?" Grimmel asked as Hayden slowly made his way into the room, an aura of anger and frustration clouding him as he entered the office. "It's not like you to visit me on such an occasion. I believe you are currently taking a break." Grimmel chuckled under his breath, trying to dispel the anger swallowing up Hayden's figure as he stormed closer to the CEO's desk.

But this was futile.

"Was it your idea?" Hayden growled, his voice low in an attempt to stay calm and well-composed. However, the man behind the desk gave no indication that he was swayed by Hayden's words as he refused to lift his gaze up from his desk.

"What idea? Are you quite okay? You know, you should really be more specific when you are asking about certain things. It can create quite a lot of confusion." The CEO bitterly replied, his voice calm and stable as he continued with his work as though Hayden's figure wasn't looming over his desk with an intimidating aura that could topple buildings.