Hush-Hush

DEAL

We finally arrived to the place Sana reserved, it was an elegant restaurant in the mountains you could see the whole city from there, the views were truly amazing, it kind of felt familiar.

-Do you like it?
-Yes, the views are amazing from here.
-I hope you don't mind that I ordered for you.
-I guess we can't do anything about it now.
-I'm sure you'll like it... So, tell me Miss Park, what would you like to know about me?

I wanted to ask her everything, I was really curious about everything about her but I had to keep my questions professional, if I asked personal questions then she'll also feel like she can ask me about my personal life. Although for what happened before I'm afraid she knows more about me than I know about her.

-First, I want to know your conditions for the investment you did to my company. Why are they different from the other CEO's.
-Simply because as I told you back in the reunion, I'm not interested in your money, if your project fails I don't care about the money I lose... But instead I just want one thing.
-What? What kind of CEO wouldn't want back their investment?
-It might not sound smart but I want this thing more than I want any money.
-So what would this thing be?
-If your project fails. I want you to step down your position as CEO.

A very uncomfortable silence filled the room, even when the restaurant was full of people I couldn't hear anything but my heart racing at that moment, so this woman, Sana really came to my company to take it away from me. I wasn't wrong, she is indeed dangerous.

-What are you saying?! Do you know how much effort I've put to get where I am now?! Your investment is not enough for me to risk all my life work. I can find other investors so forget it!
-Sure, you can try but let me tell you something. Do you remember how all those "powerful" people acted back in your little reunion? Would you really risk it and decline all of their kind gestures to your company? Those people were the most influential people in the industry, where will you look for your new investors?

She was right, those people were the only ones who can properly back up my company and without their help then not only my project but the whole company would get stuck and the chances to go bankrupt would be high. I couldn't believe she tricked me like this.

-So what's your decision? Either you take it or I make some calls to say you gently rejected all of our kind help... But Miss Park, why are you making that face? I thought you were sure that your project would be a total success, so why are you so afraid and hesitant then?
-Is that your only condition?
-That's my one and only condition. Look at it this way, you're sure and certain your project is good and will succeed right? So if it does, you keep your position, your company grows, we all grow and we're all happy... If you fail, then you step down your position and I deal with all your mess, you wouldn't have to worry about anything plus you obviously wouldn't be jobless, just a position down, it's a win win situation!

She was saying all of this as if all the effort I put into my work wasn't worth anything, I hated this... I hated her. But I had to think about the company, at least for now.

-Ok, I accept. If my project fails then I'll step down my CEO position.

She smiled at me, that smile I was starting to hate like I've never hated anything before. But I was going to make sure that my project was a success and when the time comes I'll discover whatever Sana is hiding and I will expose her. I'm sure she's hiding something.

(The next day)

-You did what?!? Jihyo do you know what you did?! What will you do if this project fails I mean it's the first time we do something like this!
-I know Mina but she left me no choice, if I rejected her then she'll use whatever influence she has over the other companies and you know that risk was even bigger for us to take.
-Jihyo, did Sana told you something else? Like her reasons or.... Other things?
-No, that's all that she told me, what else could she possibly say? I fell in her trap.
-This is so weird. I don't like the path this is taking.
-What do you mean by that? Look whatever, let's just focus and do this right, we were sure we were going to succeed right? It's the same project, I'm still sure we're going to make it.

"I mean, I don't like the way Sana is handling this" Mina thought.

-I can't believe Jihyo was actually that clueless, she really fell that easily, I always thought she was smarter.
-I left her without choice, don't laugh Momo. We know that if I haven't thought all this through, Jihyo would've never fell for it.
-What about Mina and the others?
-If they know what's good for them, they won't be a problem.
-Sana you scare me when you talk like that, you really have changed a lot in all these years but you know, as your best friend, I'll always support you.
-Momo they made me do this, I begged them many times for a long time but they didn't listen so now I'll play by my rules.
-What if Jihyo's project actually succeeds? Have you thought about that?
-Either way I'll be in her life from now on, but don't worry, I'll make sure it doesn't succeed. I want Jihyo out of that company for good and I will do anything necessary.