Club of Smoke and Mirrors

2. Sean

Jimmu: tick tock
Sean: Just who do you think you are? This is unlawful Jimmu and will harm my business. I'm taking further action, I won't be stepping foot near that club again and Cole Holding's will not associate with it.
Jimmu: tut tut, Mr Cole. You will surely upset Lan now, and others. She doesn't like her ideas, to be rejected. When will you learn?
Sean: Don't contact me again Jimmu, do it through the board or my legal team.

I lean back in my chair, wondering if I should contact the police. Surely these messages in themselves will be enough to say they're threatening me, it's been going on for months. The Wangs are the King and Queen of passive aggression. I usually exercise my authority in all my company holdings, but this has derailed me. I'm a fair man, I take on good, well bred businesses, we own hotel and Spa chains, gyms and a theme park, for crying out loud. How does a sex club fit in with any of that?

I decide that I'm going to speak with Tam tonight after all. She's got enough of her own shit to deal with but she'll more than likely know exactly what to do if I tell her the rest of it, It's her forte after all.

"Scarlett, can you get my car round the front in say, ten, please?"
"Of course Mr Cole, coming right up" she says cheerily.
I've had enough for the day. I can't remember the last time I left at 1600, so it'll make a nice change for me to cook, instead of my long suffering wife.

I clock off for the day and head down to the car, bang on ten minutes later. I frown when it's not my usual driver, but he appears nice enough.
"You've missed my turning my friend" I say, annoyed, but if he's new he may not have got to grips with Nevada yet.
"No, we're going exactly where we should be Mr Cole" he smiles.
A sudden nasty taste fills my mouth, when I realise what's happening here. 
"And where might that be?" I snap.
"To your club of course" he answers cheerily.
Those two maniacs again. I'm adding kidnapping to the long list of felonies that I'm reporting them for.  I don't say another word, what's the point, it's not like I can roll out of a moving car.

We head to the larger of the three clubs. The one where the Wangs like to frequent, and the one that now houses god knows what behind the doors. The other two are exactly as I wanted them do be, up market venues, for celebrities and high value people to enjoy some privacy in lavish surroundings.

I exit the car carrying my leather laptop bag, slamming the door to show the driver that yes, I am indeed pissed off. When I walk in to the foyer, it looks exactly as I expected, the same as the other two clubs, but I know what's through the double doors further down the corridor, and it makes my blood boil that they've turned my business in to this, right under my nose. I steel myself and walk through the door, the two scantily clad ladies on reception know better than to stop me.

The main club is surprisingly full for this time of day. From what Jimmu and Lan have told me it's busy from lunch time right through to the early hours. Just great, it would be, I grumble under my breath as I try and act as respectful as I can to the patrons. It's still my business at the end of the day, I still have a contract to fulfil to these people even if my hand was forced to branch out in to this.

I push through the large black staff only door, at the back of the main club. There's several corridors behind here, it's dark, the walls are painted black with blood red carpet and It's as cliche as you can get it back here. 

I don't knock on the door to the office. It's my fucking business and It pisses me off that I feel like it's theirs and I'm trespassing here. 

"Ahh Mr Cole, so glad you could make it" Jimmu says sarcastically.
"If that's how you plan on getting me here each time you can forget it" I growl.
"Did I not try to speak with you earlier? Did you not tell me to "get fucked" as you put it?" He says as Lan smirks in my direction.
"Look you two, I'm a busy man, you've got your way, you can run this business whilst I own it for the next twenty four months, I'll be happy for you to make me money but Cole Holdings will remain in silent ownership" I state matter of factly.
"That's not how this is going to work Sean" Lan says this time.
"My husband and I don't want our names fronting this as you suggest"
"Well find someone who does" I snap.
"We already have" she smiles.
"The reputable Mr Sean Cole" Jimmu adds.
"There's no better respected business owner than yourself, our clients will feel comfortable and know that their anonymity is not at stake with you here, championing it Mr Cole"
"Not happening Lan" I snap.
"That's where you're wrong" jimmu smiles.
"We'll be calling for another board meeting shortly, I think our board members will think it a great idea that our leader not only attends but mingles with the guests" she laughs.
"I'll object" I growl, knowing full well I can't. 
"Did you not object all our other requests too Sean?" They both look at me slyly.
"How much are you paying the others?" I snap.
"There's no way the board members would agree to any of this! You think I didn't do months worth of research on this place? I know of every single person that's employed here. And I know for certain not one single member of that board would be happy with this direction" I say gesturing around the gaudy office.
"The only people I know nothing about is you pair, funnily enough" I say giving them my own sarcasm.
"Careful Mr Cole" Jimmu growls back at me.
"You won't get away with this" I say staring directly in to his eyes. He doesn't intimidate me and neither does she, these two are chancers, praying of opportunities and hoping I'll concede to all their demands under the pressure and I've got enough of those to last me a lifetime right now.
"How's that pretty wife of yours?" Jimmu asks.
"Don't you fucking dare bring my wife in to this!" I shout toward him, clenching my hands in anger.
He raises his arms in a surrender gesture, smirking at me confidently as I imagine smashing his face in. 
"This passive aggressive game doesn't work on me" I say as I turn to leave.
"See you at the next board meeting Sean" Lan chuckles as I slam the door behind me.