Babel Novel
Chapter 35
35 Even the Tallest Mountain Can’t
Hide the Sun Forever
The JFC Group’s headquarters buzzed with the busy life of hard–working office employees. Many people coursed through the lobby on the first floor, eager to catch a glimpse of one person–Einar Ingvarsson, the famous businessman from Iceland who had already been crowned as Liam Bennett’s rival in terms of
looks.
The first official business meeting with Einar, to discuss JFC Group’s joint investment opportunities with his company, was one of the most significant events for JFC. It promised to bring substantial financial benefits to both the company and the country, expanding the fields in which Richard could further promote his business.
Everyone was nervous and jittery, but it was Amelie whose anxiety was almost reaching its peak.
It was the first time in several years that Amelie had the opportunity not only to be present during an important business meeting but also to take an active
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35 Even the Tallest Mountain Can’t Hide the Sun Forever
role in it. She carried the heavy responsibility of
ensuring that Einar Ingvarsson didn’t back out of their potential deal.
It wasn’t the complexity of the JFC offer that troubled Amelie the most, but rather Einar’s bizarre persona. He had been stiff enough during their brief phone conversations in the past, but now that she had finally met him in person, the level of intimidation he could impose on those around him was impressively
unbearable.
Truthfully, Amelie liked the investment idea that Einar was promoting. Even in business, he remained a philanthropist through and through.
‘A smart city idea…‘ Mrs. Ashford turned over the page of the report she was holding in her hands and
scanned the mockups of the city plan with her curious
eyes.
‘To be fair, this would go a lot better if Mr. Ingvarsson were to team up with the Diamond Group. They have already established their dominance over the smart housing segment; this is right up their alley, whereas JFC can only help him with the money and resources that we will still have to gather through our proxy.‘
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35 Even the Tallest Mountain Can’t Hide the Sun Forever
Thinking about the Diamond Group made Amelie picture Liam Bennett shaking hands with Einar. Somehow, the thought made her a little flustered.
‘Alright,‘ she tried to divert her attention back to the more pressing matter at hand, ‘I have briefed Richard and his associates about all my conversations with Mr. Ingvarsson, so everyone should be well–prepared.‘
She closed the report and set it on her desk, drawing a deep breath to steady her racing heart.
The meeting was about to start.
***
Despite her relentless nervousness, the meeting itself went much more smoothly than she had expected.
The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, and to her surprise, Einar encouraged her to address each issue first. At times, it felt like they were the only two people in the room, fully engrossed in their discussion.
Einar spoke to her freely and treated her as a
professional in every aspect, a stark contrast to how he had interacted with her in more casual
circumstances.
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35 Even the Tallest Mountain Can’t Hide the Sun Forever
this, I might ask to replace Mr. Clark with you.”
His statement made Amelie laugh. While she had received some business training during her university years, her lack of experience would never put her on par with someone like her husband. She had to be honest with both Einar and herself.
“I’m flattered, Mr. Ingvarsson, but trust me, Mr. Clark is far more experienced in these matters than I am. I simply had to do a lot of research because, as you might recall, you refused to talk to anyone but me.” “Jafnvel hæsta fjall getur ekki falið sólina að
eilífu.” [Even the tallest mountain can’t hide the sun forever.]
Amelie flinched and raised her eyebrows at him as the metaphoric meaning of his words crept deeper into her mind.
‘Why does he always say those things to me? What is he trying to convey?”
Standing under the man’s piercing blue gaze, Amelie felt her body numbing. She had already noticed it before his eyes alone could make the temperature in the room drop a few degrees. It was as if he
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35 Even the Tallest Mountain Can’t Hide the Sun Forever
possessed some sort of unfathomable power, and perhaps that was the key to his unquestionable
success.
“Well… Yes, you are right.”
Finally, she was able to offer him a meaningless reply which only made him curl his lips into yet another mysterious smile. Stepping closer to her, he leaned forward, his lips aligning with her ears, and whispered, “It’s a shame that you can’t lead this offer, Mrs.
Ashford.”
As his hot breath brushed over her ears, Amelie felt hot and nervous again. Stepping aside to create some distance between them, she cleared her throat
awkwardly and replied, “If… you will ever want to involve me in any of your future charity projects, I’ll be happy to take the lead.”
Einar grinned and moved his head sideways as he heard Richard exit the conference room, looking serious and somewhat grim. Mr. Ingvarsson placed a black cigarette between his lips, then nodded at Amelie, and left, saying absolutely nothing.
Richard watched Einar disappear in the hallway, then
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35 Even the Tallest Mountain Can’t Hide the Sun Forever
walked up to his wife, his face turning even darker as he locked his eyes with hers. Amelie got worried.
“Is something wrong?”
Richard paused, looming over the woman like a mountain, and asked in a deep, cold voice, “Is this how
you’re trying to get my attention? By flirting with other men?” @
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