The Secret We Kept 2 (Sample)

Chapter Three

                                                                                     < Anthony >

"We get 60% percent of all profits or no deal." I argue staring down with Mr. Miller with a stern emotionless expression. I know I am intimidating him because he visibly gulps and you can see sweat drop down his forehead. He nervously looks around the table and then turns towards my father who is standing all the way in the back of the room amused by the situation.

"Mr. Royal..." Miller nervously starts and gulps again before continuing. "How about we spilt it down the middle? 50/50 sounds good to you?"

I mentally roll my eyes and stuff my hand in my pocket.

"How well has your stock been doing Miller or your sells?" I ask insinuating that I already know the answer, which I already did.

His business is slowly failing and he knows that. My father and I knew that. That's why we came to "merge" with them. Our plan is to merge with him and get majority of the shares and then eventually buy him out. It works every time. How do you think we became so successful? We go to failing businesses, take over, and then buy them out. I think Miller knows that and is hesitant about giving us majority of the shares. Usually when businesses know we want to merge with them they willingly accept the offer and do not know they are basically falling into a trap. Miller is smarter than I thought he is, so he is a little harder to convince which is good for business, but us Royal's always get what we want. Well not everything. I focus my attention back on Miller and wait for his answer.

"They are doing okay, but are slowly falling," he confesses shamefully. I nod my head and then rub my chin in a thinking manner.

"And how much longer do you think your company will last, without our help?" I walk around the table casually while waiting for him to answer. It takes him a minute but he eventually answers the question again shamefully.

"I say about three more years before it starts to really decline."

"How much longer before you start laying people off Mr. Miller?" I cease my walking and face him with my one hand in my pocket and my right hand still on my chin.

"A year and a half."

"So, at this point I don't think you have any room for any negotiations at this point. Now, you either agree to our terms or we walk and your business fails. Then we'll buy it and you will be out of a deal and be broke. You decide?"

I sit down back in my seat and wait for him to answer my question. He fidgets some more before glancing up at me and visibly gulping again. He then nods his heads in agreement.

"Fine, you can have 60% of the profits and 60% of the shares. But I do want it written on paper that you will not buy me out. I want it in writing."

Like I said before he is smarter than I thought he was. Now I know for sure he knows our game and what my father has been doing before I got into the business. I respect him for that and just for that I am going to agree to his little deal. He isn't as dumb as the other people were. I like that.

"Okay, I can agree to that. I will have my attorney draw up the paperwork for everything and once it is finished I will send it to you. You can have your attorney sign it and if you have any questions you contact me. Now, I want files on every employee you have here and if I do not like them or they have been slacking in their work I will cut them off. Understood?"

"Yes, I understand. I will have my assistant gather all the files and have them sent over to you immediately."

"Good, are we done here?" I ask standing up and buttoning up my suit jacket.