Chapter 8: Meeting I

He knew. He knew by heart and by experience that whatever advice his cousin had to offer, it was bad. But he still has him the benefit of the doubt for the zillionth time. Here he was at the entrance of the meeting, debating whether to get into his car and drive off to his office to complete that file he was working on. Well, a few hours couldn't hurt. It could hurt if one were to be practical, but Ezekiel was no newbie. He was used to the cunning words, flatteries, and egoistical push that happens s this place every year. Where young, rich entrepreneurs meet each other under the guise of "sharing ideas, suggestions, and opportunities". Which, of course, was anything but. He straightened his tie and checked his wristwatch. He was getting out of here in an hour. He passed the lounge, and the soft sound of classic music filled the air, soft, flowery scents and spices. It was just like he remembered. "Ezekiel! You came," Xu Kai smiled warmly at him. He managed a stiff nod and smiled politely as he navigated through the tables, worming his way to the special booth for him. He was aware of the surprised stares and murmurs that filled the place in an instant, slight whispers and finger pointing. They were all shocked to see the infamous Ezekiel Wang in person. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you're all enjoying yourselves?" The speaker, Xu Kai who was also the one who organized this whole farce. LA, loud murmurs of agreement circulated through the crowd. If the presence of fewer than twenty people could be called a crowd. "We are very honored to announced the presence of Ezekiel Wang, the CEO of Wang corporation in our midst. A round of applause, please," He smiled and gestured for them to clap. Which they did with some cheers and hoots. The room was filled with extremely rich and powerful young individuals. Those who manage their family's generation of wealth, those who scraped and worked their way through to the top, and made their company achieve a certain standard with lots of hard work. Those are the ones that have Ezekiel's admiration. He wasn't aware of the turn in the conversation and was suddenly startled when he heard his name and a toast being made. He sighed and nodded his appreciation. A few of the cowered and shied away from his gaze, while the other few pluck up their courage and stare into his eyes. His mouth curled up in a discerning smirk, and he shook his head. They make him want to play their game, and hell, if they don't, all go home a bit away from crying. Soon, people are mingling and leaving their tables. Making small talk here and there. Since he wasn't a fan of small talk, those dull-witted conversations about weather and the latest industrial gossip weren't something that he was good at. He hated it, loathed it even. He sat down with ease and enjoyed a moment of quiet. He was thinking that his cousin's decision had something to it. Here he was, enjoying a glass of expensive champagne and peace. From the corner of his eyes, he could see a few people huddled together and each other pushing each other in his direction. Cowards. Finally, someone grew a pair and stood up, walking with squared shoulders and a proud tilt. The man, who appeared to be a newcomer, stopped at his table and tossed an arrogant smile over his shoulder. "Nice to finally meet you, Ezekiel. I've heard so much about you," he smiled, as he extended his hand for a shake. Ezekiel remained seated on the chair, staring down at the stretched hand in front of him. He stared at the hand and let his gaze trail off to the man's brown eyes. He could see the exact moment when his false pride crumpled and watched with muted glee as the guy's cheek turned pink. He retrieved his hand with an awkward laugh and made to turn away. No doubt mortified and embarrassed. "I hope you've heard all the bad things about me," he spoke softly, sternly. The room plunged into silence, and rising conversations fell quickly. Everyone concentrated on the drama, and they held their breath with anticipation. They all pretended to be deeply immersed in their glass of champagne, staring into the Crystal liquid like it contains all the answers to their problem. "What do you mean?" He retorted. The calm and collected exterior was rapidly falling away, and his face was contorted into an ugly scowl. He managed to catch himself in time and slipped on the mask of an utter gentleman. "You should get your ears checked, man. I assumed you're not deaf," Ezekiel replied calmly. He was enjoying this far too much. "I came back from America last month, so I haven't heard much about you. Other than the fact that you're the biggest catch here," he tried to smooth the conversation with a polite compliment. Ezekiel nodded and smiled. A chilling smile that sent a dramatic gasp passing through the whole room. Especially on the female side. A few of the resumes murmured, more loudly this time. "I told you! He's the devil begotten, son." A lady in a red flowy dress whispered. "Did you see that smile? I almost had an orgasm!" The second one in a burgundy suit and blonde hair cooed. She batted her eyelashes and fanned herself. The atmosphere turned a bit awkward, and Xu Kai tried to lift the mood by talking. "I know you guys must be famished. How about some refreshments?" He practically beamed at them. Ezekiel stifled a bored yawn. This place was rapidly becoming boring. It was clear that everyone was wearing a mask. They either wanted to impress or seem nice. Other people go out of their way to keep their masks in place, but Ezekiel already sees through all of them.