The clock on the wall ticked steadily toward the hour, its rhythm slicing through the awkward silence that had taken root in the room. Mr. Pete glanced at his watch, then stood abruptly.
๐๐ง. ๐๐๐ฉ๐ : I have another meeting. We'll have to wrap this up.
The signal was clear, it was time to leave. Alan rose quickly, offering a polite nod. Way hesitated. The tension between him and Mr. Pete still hung in the air like the last note of a bad song. He thought that it would be rude to leave without clearing all of the tension himself.
With a slow breath, Way stepped forward and extended his hand, firm and deliberate.
๐๐๐ฎ : Thank you for your time, Mr. Pete.
Mr. Pete turned to him, eyes cool and expression unreadable. He didn't immediately take the hand. Instead, he stared at it as if it were a napkin someone had dropped on his lunch plate.
[ ๐๐๐ข'๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ : I knew it. This ass has no manners. Handsome, richโฆ and absolutely full of himself. What does any of that matter when he's acting like a total dic- ]
Just as Way began to pull his hand back, defeated and fuming on the inside, Mr. Pete suddenly clasped it, his grip was firm and deliberate.
But it wasn't warmth. It was steel.
Mr. Pete stared directly into Way's eyes with the coldness of a winter storm โ his lips, however, curled into a flawless, charming smile.
๐๐ง. ๐๐๐ฉ๐ : It's a pleasure to meet you, Way.
The smile on his face didn't match the cold look in his eyes, it was unsettling. Way blinked, the edges of his ears turning red as realization dawned โ this wasn't sincerity. This wasn't respect. This was performance.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Alan nod, and it all clicked. Alan had silently pleaded or perhaps pressured Mr. Pete into this display of politeness with no heart behind it.
Even though Way knew that it was an unintentional handshake, he could still feel a flush of red that creeped all over his face...But he soon realized that Mr. Pete already left his hand hanging in the air.
Way's cheeks flamed, the fire of humiliation and something else perhaps quickly crawling up his neck. Before he could say something, Mr.Pete reached into his coat pocket, pulled out a pristine white kerchief and without breaking eye contact began to wipe his palm with deliberate slowness.
๐๐๐ฎ : IโIt'sโฆ a pleasure to meet you too.
Mr. Pete smirked at Way's nervous fumble. The smirk then stretched into a crooked grin, one laced with smugness. He turned towards Alan, loud enough for both to hear,
๐๐ง. ๐๐๐ฉ๐ : Now I don't even care if this offends himโฆBut Alan, he seriously does not look talented.
And with that final dagger, he walked out of the room, leaving the echo of his designer shoes against the marble floorโฆ and two jaws dropped behind him.
Way stood frozen, mouth slightly open as he did not expect this level of sarcasm. Alan, blinked in disbelief and muttered under his breath,
๐ผ๐ก๐๐ฃ : What the hell was that?
๐๐๐ฎ : That... was war.
Way said quietly, but with a growing spark in his eyes. He was now determined to prove Mr. Pete wrong.