A Slow Dance To Bankruptcy

The air in Runes’ office was thick with a furious, suffocating silence. It was a silence that crackled with barely contained rage.

Runes’ face was a contorted mask of disbelief and fury as he stared at the two massive monitors on his desk. The green of the stock market charts had bled into a sickening, plunging red.

The numbers were mocking him, ticking down with a relentless, mechanical rhythm. His company was makimg losses by the fucking minute! How the hell did that happen?!

His father had built this company from the ground up, and gave their family a name that could be reckoned with. And now, it looks like they were making a slow dance towards bankruptcy.

He slammed his fist on the desk, the heavy thud echoed throughout the silent room.

“Impossible!” he roared, the sound bouncing off the polished walls. “How? How is this happening?”

He had called in Andy. Andy was his man, his trusted confidant, the brilliant analyst he relied on to see the future of the market. He had crossed paths with him two months ago and he had proved himself trustworthy as well.

Andy walked into the office, his expression calm and collected. He could tell his hoss was furious and whatever he intends to do, he hoped not to irritate him any further.

“Mr Runes, please,” Andy said, his voice a low, soothing murmur. “Calm down. We can sort this out.”

Runes laughed, a harsh sound devoid of any humor. “Calm down? Do you see these numbers, Andy? Do you see them? We’re bleeding money! We’re losing everything! This is not just a dip; this is a nose-dive! And you’re telling me to calm down?”

Andy walked over to the desk, his eyes on the monitors. He had seen the numbers. He knew they were bad. He also knew why. But he wasn’t going to tell Runes that. Not yet.

The fun was just beginning.

“The market is volatile,” Andy said, his voice a steady, unwavering line of calm. “There are a lot of external factors at play. The economy is shaky, and investors are pulling out of a lot of ventures. It’s a bad day for everyone, not just us.”

“Don’t lie to me!” Runes roared, his eyes blazing with fury. “This is targeted. This is personal! You and I both know this isn't just a bad day. I can smell it. This is a coordinated attack. Someone is trying to sabotage us!”

Andy feigned a look of concern. “It’s a possibility, but we don’t have any evidence. We need to focus on what we can control. We need to stop the bleeding and stabilise the company. We need to issue a statement. We need to reassure our investors that everything is fine.”

Runes looked at him, his furious eyes searching Andy’s calm ones. He was looking for an answer, a solution, a plan. He was losing money and he can't just sit back and let this continue!

“What’s the plan, Andy?” Runes asked, his voice a low, desperate plea. “Tell me what to do. Tell me how to fix this.”

Andy walked over to the large floor-to-ceiling windows, his back to Runes. He looked out at the city of Zean, a place that had made him the man he was, drafting in him the good and the bad.

“I have a plan,” he said, his voice convincing. “We’ll sell off some non-essential assets. We’ll cut some of our losses. We’ll pull the trigger on the venture capital we have lined up and show everyone that we’re still okay. And then… we’ll find out who’s behind this. And when we do, we’ll make them pay.”

Runes’s eyes gleamed with a predatory satisfaction. He liked that plan. He liked the idea of making someone pay for this.

This was not just the hardwork of his grandfather and his father but his as well. Hell rather walk thrpugh hot coals than let the sterling family name be brought to reproach!

His phone beeps, a message from Posy. He frowned as he read the text. Why is the wedding the only thing this woman thinks about? He ignored her text, turning to Andy.

“Do it,” Runes said. “Do whatever you have to do. Get this company back on track. I’m counting on you.”

Andy nodded, a small, subtle smile playing on his lips. “I won’t let you down, Runes. I promise.”

He turned to leave, his footsteps silent on the thick carpet. He walked out of the office, closing the door behind him.

He walked down the long, empty hallway, the silence a welcome relief after the furious, suffocating atmosphere of Runes’s office. He took out his phone, his thumb hovering over a name in his contacts.

Thea.

He pressed the call button, his heart pounding with a quiet, triumphant anticipation.

The phone rang twice before a familiar, calm voice answered. “Hello, Andy.”

“Ms Thea,” Andy said, his voice a low, excited whisper. “It’s me. Your plan… It worked. Perfectly.”

“Are you sure?” Thea's voice was sharp, and to the point. “Give me the details.”

“The shares are down sixty percent,” Andy said, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. “We’re hemorrhaging money. Runes is in a panic. He’s a complete and utter mess. I just left his office. He’s desperate.” he said.

He knew what he was doing was risky and he could lose his life if Runes finds out about this but he couldn't care less.

To most people, Thea cared too much but her big heart had saved Anday and his family when he lost his father to a factory fire at the Sterling company.

Rune's father did nothing to protect the families of the deceased. No apologises, no compensation as agreed, nothing. And one of the many families she had helped in secret was Andy. He would forever be grateful for that day when he crossed paths with her, crying and begging Runes who had ignored him but Thea came back.

This is the least he could do for the woman who saved his life.

Thea’s voice was a low, satisfied murmur. “Excellent. Keep me updated. And make sure you stay safe. Runes can be irrational and I don't want you to get hurt."

Andy smiles. “I will be fine, Ms Thea.I won’t let you down,” Andy said, his voice a low, confident growl.

He ended the call, his hand still holding the phone, a triumphant grin on his face.