CHAPTER 3

Jason's POV

The silence in the room was starting to get more unbearable. I checked my watch again for the second time and gently closed my eyes in frustration when I saw that it was almost eleven thirty already and Chase is now more than late. I usually handle all the meetings by myself but when he suddenly called me earlier today to inform me that he's coming back to work in time for today's meeting, I was curious about the reason why. Firstly, Chase always find meetings boring even though he's my business partner and plays an important role in our company he will always have an excuse to skip important meetings like this one. Second, I know Chase better than anyone else since he's also my best friend, and I also know how much he despise his older brother Matthew Evans who's also present in the room today as one of the shareholders. So if he's suddenly interested in coming in today, than Matthew must be the reason because he loathes how much Matthew contributes in the business.

If he doesn't show up after ten minutes, I'm afraid I might have to get started without him.

"Well, looks like he's going to be late today. Jason, shall we begin?" Matthew asked, finally breaking the silence in the air.

"Um, let's just wait for another five minutes. I'm sure Chase will be here."

He chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"Another five minutes? We have been waiting for thirty minutes already and I'm sure everyone in this room are growing impatient. We all know my little brother has interest in other things rather than showing up for meetings."

The board members all mumbled in agreement, suddenly living me in a tight spot to decide. Before I had the chance to speak again, the door opens and Chase walks in with a smug look on his face.

"Apologies ladies and gentlemen for being late. Traffic was horrible, which is the first thing I hate here in San Francisco."

He took his seat at the other end of the long glass rectangular table and quickly smirked at me when our eyes met.

"Okay let's begin." I nodded once and the lights in the room were dimmed and a PowerPoint presentation shows up.

The presentation went on for about 35 minutes till the lights went back on and it finally ends. I flipped through the pages in the file in front of me, my eyes focused on the plan and investment process highlighted in every page and my frown deepens after I finished reading.

"This is the new marina project isn't it?" Chase asked without looking up from the file.

"Indeed it is Mr. Evans." One of the men sitting next to him, answered.

"To some extent, I agree with the number for the investment, but I'm afraid that the outcome will not meet our expectations."

All eyes turned to me and Chase raised a questioning brow at me.

"You don't like the plan?" I shook my head once and point my finger down on the file in front of me.

"I don't like the method."

"The method is stable. We can't make any other changes because we need to start working on this project straight away." Matthew suddenly stated.

"I agree with Mr. Cartwright. We can check out all the methods and see which one is suitable enough and we can make other changes with the construction plan so we can avoid any problems in the future." Chase said. His eyes already pinned on Matthew with a hint of challenge in his expression.

"We can't delay this any longer." Matt continues to say.

"We're not delaying anything. We're just making sure that everything will go according to plan." Chase replied smoothly.

Anyone could tell that Matt was fuming with anger at Chase. Their relationship wasn't that perfect from the beginning and they tend to show that without realizing, during moments of disagreement like this. I on the hand, is very glad that Chase knows how to run the business his own way without letting his brother tell him what to do and what not to do.

It's a good thing I'm an only child.

*******

"So, did you manage to meet that New York client?" He nods his head and turns around and leaned on the glass railings behind him.

Straight after the meeting, Chase and I decided to hang around the rooftop and talk for a while before getting back to our work. I had a few things to talk about with him and that New York client he went to New York to meet a week ago is one of them.

"I did. Quite the sweet talker but no problem, that deal is closed." I smiled in satisfaction and clapped his shoulder.

"Nice. Now we can finally get started on that one."

"Yeah. But honestly, I still think it's not enough." I turned to the side and looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?" He turns back around and lean his arms on the railing while looking down at the busy streets down below.

"We need a bigger connection Jason. The profits are not gonna rise by themselves and if we need international clients, then first we need to work with someone who has them."

I processed everything he just said in my mind and glanced at him to the side.

"What are you suggesting we should do?" He sighs heavily and stared at his hands for a minute too long in silence.

"I say we finally make peace with the Falcon Group." My eyes narrowed when I heard the name ring in my ears, bringing memories of worst encounters with the people that work for that company, including the CEO himself.

"Not happening."

"Oh c'mon Jason, we need them on board for this plan to work." I quickly shook my head in disagreement.

"We can get our own clients without them, in our own ways."

"Look, Matt is already forming plans with my father behind my back. Plans as in, taking over the company and running things his own way and we both know we won't let that happen. I know I have major slip ups and he will be using that against me. C'mon Jason, the only way to prove him and my father wrong, is approaching the Falcon Group with a contract deal that they won't be able to refuse, and we can do this together by ourselves. So, what do you say?"

I remained silent for a while, thinking everything through once again and finally sighed in defeat.

"Okay, let's do it than. But if they reject the whole proposal, that will be my moment to tell you 'I told you so." He smiles and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry man, I have a plan." He replied with a smirk.

"What plan?" He glanced back at me and stood upright.

"I'm going to meet his youngest daughter this afternoon. It's a date, and if this whole thing goes well, then I'll ask her to marry me."

I burst out laughing. The joke was so ridiculous that I couldn't even imagine Chase getting married. Not saying this in a bad way, but, Chase is actually a womanizer. A women's dream man. I lost count the number of different women and girls leaving his apartment every morning, some crying and some storming out in anger after a good time with him. When I realized that he was actually serious, I stopped immediately and stared at him in shock.

"No way." He nods his head at me.

"Yes way. Her mother actually approves of the idea of me marrying her daughter." I looked at him in disbelief.

"You're seriously taking it this far just for a partnership contract with them?"

"Yes. I'm not letting Matt take over everything I've build for years. Everything we've created. Everything here belongs to us and I'm not gonna let Matt or anyone else take it from us. It's a little sacrifice, so no big deal."

I stared at him for a moment, trying my best to accept that he's actually going to do this for real. But out of all the companies he could pick, he decided to go with Falcon Group, the one I despise the most.

"You sure you're ready for this? I mean, marriage is no joke man." He looks away and stared off at a distance.

"Trust me, I'm ready. Besides, I'm husband material. Just wanted to make sure that she's wifey material too which is why I arranged a background check on her." My eyes widened in surprise.

"You did what?"

He took out his phone and looks at it. "The guy should have the results by now. I'm heading there to meet him. See you later."

I stared after him and chuckled to myself. Well if he says he's ready, than let him do what he wants. I just hope that his plan won't backfire on him.