Calvin's Industry

Chapter 3: The Point of No Return.

Everyone in the room closed their eyes as if that would protect them from what was about to unfold. Everyone except Calvin. Nathan Harrington had destroyed men's lives for much smaller insults than this.

He hadn't just ended careers. Nathan had ruined families and made people disappear, all for showing him disrespect.

But before he could pronounce his judgment, Ronald got to his feet. The blood on his mouth was still there, but his fear was now replaced by anger.

"Who do you think you are?" Ronald yelled at Calvin, even though his voice cracked with pain.

"Show some respect! Apologize to my father immediately!"

But Nathan looked at his son with disgust.

"Sit down, boy," he commanded.

"This isn't your fight anymore."

Not wanting to take another hit, Ronald fell back into his chair. The shame of being dismissed like that seemed to hurt worse than his physical injuries, but Nathan didn't care.

Now he was looking at Calvin.

"I've met stubborn young men like you before. The kind of men who mistake patience for weakness. But some people are naturally born stupid, so I don't blame you."

Then Nathan looked at the beautiful young woman sitting beside Calvin. Abigail hadn't spoken a word since the meeting started, and now she felt like disappearing.

What he didn't know was that three months ago, his daughter Abigail had come to Calvin with financial documents copied from her father's office. Most of them were bank records showing money moved to offshore accounts linked to various crime groups.

The other documents were contracts with radio stations that looked more like bribes and payoffs to music critics and award show judges.

She had been building a case against her father for years. All she needed was the right time to act.

"I blame you, Abigail," Nathan said to his daughter.

"You chose to bring weakness into our family by marrying a man who knows no respect or discipline."

As he spoke, Abigail flinched. Though Nathan didn't raise his voice, it was clear that each hurtful word was having the intended effect on her sensitive mind.

"But I shouldn't be surprised. You've always been the biggest disappointment of this family, and your poor choice of a husband is proof of that."

The playful mood around Calvin had disappeared. As Nathan was still speaking, he stood up.

His gray eyes faced the older man as he slowly pulled out the candy from his mouth.

"Now listen carefully, old man," Calvin said calmly.

"I sat like a good little boy while you beat your son like a dog and mistreated your wife. But I won't sit here and watch you insult mine."

He slowly put the candy back into his mouth without looking away.

"All you've done so far is whine and throw tantrums because you can't handle the fact that your company is dying. You've given no solutions or plans to get out of this mess, and yet I'm the one who knows no respect and discipline?"

Calvin briefly looked at everyone in the room before continuing.

"Well, since nobody else in the room is brave enough to call you out, let me make something clear. You can abuse the rest of your family when I'm not around. They're yours. But you will not touch my wife. Abigail is under my protection now, not your control. I am her husband, and she is off limits to you."

The thirty seconds that passed felt like thirty years as Nathan slowly slid his hands into his pockets while the son-in-law sat down.

"Calvin Constantine," he said.

"You seem to have forgotten something important. This is my family, my building, and my empire. You, Calvin, exist in this world because I allow it."

Then Nathan slowly walked around the table. Each calculated step built even more fear in the room. When he reached Calvin's chair, Nathan leaned down until his mouth was inches away from the young man's ear.

"I built this company from nothing," he whispered in a tone loud enough for everyone with listening ears to hear.

"Brick by brick, deal by deal, body by body. I've made men rich and poor, famous and forgotten, alive and dead. What do you think I'm going to do to you for this act alone?"