Europe / Britain / London (Samwell Enterprise): February 24th, 1993.
Inside of a luxerious office at the very top floor of samwell enterprise you can see a very handsome old man sitting at the head of a very long table with a ugly look on his face as papers, newspapers and magazines were spread all across the table in front of him like a funeral for his dignity.
(Alfred's POV)
"I am going to ask this one more bloody time and I advise everyone in this room to answer carefully before I start removing tongues and positions, who leaked this article to the press." Asked alfred coldly while gripping the folded newspaper in his right hand so tightly that it started crumbling.
The room was absolutely silent. Around the huge table sat shareholders, board members and two legal advisors all with very serious looks on their faces and some with nervous ones.
A middle aged bald white man with a plain face adjusted his throat and said carefully "Chairman, with all due respect the issue is no longer just about who leaked it."
Alfred's eyes slowly turned towards the man and said with a dangerous look in his eyes "And what exactly do you mean by that, mr harrison."
Mr harrison swallowed and said while gesturing towards the newspaper in alfred's hand "The article itself is already doing damage, sir. The investors are nervous, the smaller shareholders are asking questions, and some of our overseas partners have requested distance from the company until the matter is settled."
Alfred unfolded the newspaper again and looked down at the headline with a twitch in his eye.
SAMWELL ENTERPRISE CHAIRMAN LINKED TO RACISM, BACKDOOR DEALS, MISTRESSES, AND ILLEGAL FOREIGN TRADE CONNECTIONS.
Below it was an old picture of him stepping out of a car with a younger blonde woman who was clearly not abigail and another blurry photo of him shaking hands with a foreign minister that was supposed to never see the light of day.
Alfred adjusted his throat with visible anger and said with a ugly smile "This is tabloid filth. Nothing more than gossip written by rats for the poor."
A mature brown skinned woman with a square shaped face and strict glasses on adjusted her glasses and said calmly "Unfortunately sir, gossip tends to become truth when enough people repeat it and your public image is currently bleeding."
The room was silent.
Alfred's jaw clenched and he asked with a snort "Bleeding."
"Yes sir. Three advertisers already withdrew from your charity gala, two board members from the Paris division refused to be seen with you publicly and the media is beginning to connect the article to older accusations about discriminatory hiring within the company." Said the woman calmly.
Alfred leaned back in his rolling chair and laughed softly underneath his breath while shaking his head and said with a low murmur "Amazing. After all these years this is what threatens a man. Not war. Not markets. Not government collapse. A newspaper."
A old heavy set shareholder with a turkey neck cleared his throat and said nervously "Chairman, if I may speak freely."
"No. But go on." Said alfred while folding his hands in front of himself.
The old shareholder inhaled and said "Some of us have been discussing the possibility that maybe you should step down temporarily until this matter blows over."
The room froze.
Alfred did not move. His face did not change. Only the slight tapping of his left finger on the table could be heard.
*Tak* Tak* *Tak* *Tak*
"Step…down." Said alfred softly.
The heavy set shareholder looked down and said "Only for appearances sir. It would calm the board and reassure the public."
Another man immediately chimed in to save himself and said "Y…yes chairman, merely as a strategic move, a temporary resignation from the spotlight while an acting chair handles public relations and corporate appea…"
"Who." Asked alfred calmly.
The man froze and asked "Sir."
Alfred leaned forward slowly, his old blue eyes sharp and murderous as he asked again "Who exactly in this room believes he is worthy of occupying my seat."
The room was absolutely silent.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
A bead of sweat trailed down one of the shareholder's face.
Alfred looked at each and every face around the table and said with a cold smile "You sit in seats I paid for. You drink water I paid for. You wipe your arses with wealth I created and now you dare bring me the idea of stepping down like I am some old dog to be put to sleep."
The heavy set shareholder cleared his throat and said with visible fear "Chairman, it is not about disrespect, it is about survival of the company."
Alfred suddenly slammed his fist onto the table.
*BAM*
"THIS COMPANY IS ME. There is no samwell enterprise without alfred samwell." Said alfred loudly with veins appearing on his forehead.
The room trembled in silence.
A younger shareholder with neatly combed brown hair adjusted his tie and said carefully "Sir, with all due respect, the article has already reached American press and one of the magazines hinted that this could affect negotiations with several entertainment and financial groups."
"Entertainment." Asked alfred slowly with squinted eyes.
"Yes sir. There are rumors that a certain female billionaire entertainer has quietly been pushing private circles and media personalities to question your reputation." Said the young shareholder while grabbing one of the other magazines and sliding it down the table carefully.
Alfred stared at the magazine for a moment and picked it up.
On the front cover was a glamorous picture of me in a black dress stepping out of a limo with the title:
CRYSTAL: MUSIC'S FIRST BLACK BILLIONAIRE AND THE WOMAN REDEFINING POWER.
Below it in a smaller side section was another title:
Old Money Men in Panic? London's Elite Reportedly Uneasy as New Industry Titans Shift Social Power.
Alfred's eye twitched violently.
"C…chairman." Asked one of the lawyers cautiously.
Alfred stared down at my face on the magazine for a moment too long and said softly underneath his breath "You little black devil."
The room was silent.
Alfred suddenly stood up from his chair and started laughing lowly while gripping the magazine in his hand. The laugh sounding deeply wrong and unstable.
"Hahaha…so this is what this is really about. This is not journalism. This is warfare." Said alfred with a low laugh as he turned and went over to the huge window overlooking london.
The board members looked at one another but remained silent.
Alfred looked down at the bustling city and said while stroking his beard "She wants me publicly embarrassed before she comes for me privately. Clever girl."
The strict woman with the glasses adjusted her throat and asked "Sir, do you know who is behind the smear campaign."
Alfred slowly looked back over his shoulder and said with a wide smile "Yes. I do."
The room went still.
"Then perhaps legal action…" Started one of the lawyers.
"No. Legal action is for men who still believe they are being wronged. I am not being wronged. I am being challenged." Said alfred calmly, immediately cutting him off.
The atmosphere grew even heavier.
Alfred turned back towards the table and slowly made his way back to his chair and said while throwing the magazine down onto the table "Prepare a public statement denying everything. I want three charity appearances arranged before the week ends. I want pictures with children, old women and disabled veterans. Make me look charitable, refined and untouchable."
The shareholders nodded rapidly.
"And as for stepping down…Anyone who mentions it again will find himself very suddenly unable to pay his mortgage." Said alfred while lowering himself back into his chair with a dangerous smile on his face.
The heavy set shareholder immediately nodded with a face full of panic.
"I trust I've made myself clear." Asked alfred while folding his hands.
"Yes chairman." Said the room in near perfect unison.
Alfred stared at them all for a moment and then said with a wave of his hand "Get out."
Chairs moved.
Papers were grabbed.
Footsteps hurried.
No one needed to be told twice.
TIMESKIP: A couple minutes later.
The office was now empty except for alfred and jonathan who had been standing silently by the door the whole time.
Jonathan adjusted his throat and asked calmly "Was it really her."
Alfred stared down at the magazine with my face on it and said with a smile that did not reach his eyes "Yes. It was her."
Jonathan was silent for a moment and then asked "What do you plan to do."
Alfred leaned back in his chair and folded his hands while saying softly "Nothing public. Not yet. Let her enjoy her grammy night. Let her smile for the cameras and pretend she has won."
Jonathan looked at him with a serious look and asked "And after that."
Alfred's lip curled up into something ugly.
"After that. I remind ms crystalline alina knowles that no matter how much money a black girl makes, there are some rooms she should have never walked into." Said alfred lowly while his old blue eyes darkened.
He picked up the magazine again and stared at my smiling face on the cover for a moment before slowly tearing the page right through the middle.
*RIIIP*
Alfred licked his lips and said with a low murmur "Smile while you can, little devil."
…
THE END…