CALLA

6: The Pretty Man

I was in the private executive elevator going down to the main ground floor lobby. When the elevator stopped at Floor 70, 2 men stepped into the cab. I was in the back corner while the men had their private discussion. Actually, it's more like one of those harassment scene where the pretty girl get molested by her superiors. Except in this scene, the person getting molested was a very pretty man. Dark wavy brown hair and hazel eyes, the man had clear smooth skin and looked like a model in his dark blue suit. 

The pretty man was much taller and had a better built than his harasser. If he wanted to, he could easily overpowered the short chubby man. Instead he chose to endure the harassment which let me know the harasser was someone with a higher standing in the company. What impressed me was that the pretty man looked calm and cool as he continued to go through the file in his hand, ignoring the fact that his ass was being fondled by the man beside him. Really, the scene was so cliche and sad.

Once the fat man got out of the elevator on Floor 30, I watched as the pretty man toss the binder against the elevator cab wall, no longer holding in his rage. I could clearly see his disgust, anger, and resentment at what had happened. Anyone in his shoes would be angry. 

"Do you want revenge?"

I held back my laughter as the man visibly jumped to the sound of my voice. The entire time they did not notice my presence.

"Y_ you" He was startled until his eyes sharpen into a glare.

No one likes it when another witness their humiliation. It was impressive though. He didn't flustered or appeared embarrassed. Instead, his head and chin was held up while his eyes were glaring.

"Do you want revenge?" I asked him again – ignoring the glares.

The pretty man ignored me completely with his back turned. No grown man would take a 16 year old girl's words seriously. I get that. Not saying another word, I watched as he walked out the elevator as soon as it opened. Giggling softly, I picked up the file he had left behind on the floor. With the file in hand, I opened it and skimmed through the document. It was a proposal for a new shopping center.

The two men worked in one of the development departments in Lind Corporation. I don't know much of grandfather's company, but I do know that the development departments are one of the toughest places to be. The Lind Corporation is James Lind's Real Estate Company that deals with development, management, and retailing. There are 24 development divisions – all highly competitive with another. And the reason for that is for the bonuses. The better the division you are in, the higher you are in the company. From what Vic told me, the development departments house some of the most brilliant minds in the world. Many of the executives came from high status family and graduated from the top schools.

"Alexander Locke" I read the file author name at the front cover of the proposal. "Junior Associate, Global Retail Department... umm..."

Casually flipping through the file again as I exited the elevator, I stopped mid track when something caught my eyes – a collage imaginary of the proposal. I stared at the familiar image until it hit me. I looked at the cover again and smiled as the name of the project matched my memory.

"The Galleria Project"

The Galleria is a development project that would make history in the City of New Haven. The City had been on the verge of bankruptcy when the new controversy project started. Some had been outrage by the development – many others did not believe the project would do any good to the highly in debt city. The people were afraid the project would put the city in more debt.

One month after its grand opening, the whole city saw the change. People visit the grand shopping mall daily and after much publicity, tourist from other part of the country came to visit. After 6 months, the City of New Haven had literally begged Lind Corp. for expansion project that would carry out for the next decade. The project had made a fortune for both the developer and the City. At the same time, many other cities had sought out Lind Corp. for similar development projects. The retail development had been so successful that Lind Corp. became the globally known as the Retail King Corporation.

But from what I remember, the person who created the project was Joseph White. There had been other companies seeking out Joseph White with big offers to have him work for them. Lind Corp. had paid the man handsomely in order to keep him, and eventually, one of the four VP position was offered to secure his position in the company. The Galleria Project change many people lives – mainly the creator himself.

I debated on what I should do with the file. The last 2 years, I've been doing well in with my investment venture. Because I already knew the results of each investment made, there wasn't much concern. But the Galleria Project is different. While I do know the end results of The Galleria project, I don't know the person who created it. The name written on the file was different than the name from my memory, but my intuition told me that the pretty man was the true architect. If that was the case, what had happened for him to lose his own proposed idea? 

"What to do...?" 

I grinned as I tapped the edge of the thin binder against my chin. Whether it's the right or wrong move, I could help but think that this is a one in a life time opportunity. I tapped the binder on my side leg before I walked back toward the elevator.