Chapter 7: Night Life

Mr Weston waited for a reply from the young man. Blake's face remained emotionless which made Mr Weston wonder If his plan would truly work. ‘What the hell? Brian told me If I brought this deal to Blake he’d take it in a heartbeat,  my son may not know his friend as well as he thinks he does, Mr Weston thought.

Jackson was considering the deal, It was obvious was Mr Weston’s end goal was but should he care? Taking on the identity of Blake Starkwood he already had enough money than he ever thought he had and he wasn’t sure he even cared about the company. The engine of the man before him almost ran his previous company to the ground what’s to stop him from doing the same to Starkwood Motors, he may not have cared for the company but there were people here who needed the jobs for their survival and Jackson knowing this better than anyone wasn’t heartless enough to contribute in its downfall.

“I’ll think about it”, Jackson said. “Great give me a call if you decide to take the deal”, Mr Weston said. He left the office leaving Jackson with his thoughts. Unknowing to Jackson, Rebecca had heard everything. The office Jackson was in was surrounded by soundproof glass as well but he forgot to disconnect the telephone line that connected to Rebecca’s  when starting the meeting with Mr Weston.

“Wow I thought for sure he’d take the deal”, Rebecca said. She had known Blake for a few years and her impression of him was that of a lazy, sexist, and overall scum of the earth. The Blake she knew would not just have taken the deal but would have also shaken Mr Weston’s hand rapidly thanking him for bringing up the deal.

‘Maybe losing his parents changed him in a way’, Rebecca thought. Thinking about the deal, Jackson began looking at the ceiling. It sounded good to him despite him knowing the ulterior motive behind them. What did he know about running a company especially one as large as Starkwood's that ran on an international scale no matter how hard he tried he just couldn’t see himself doing it. Having money was more important to Jackson than having power, maybe he should take the deal.

‘I’ll have to discuss It with Adrian and see what he thinks’. Hours passed apart from the meeting with Mr  Weston it seemed like it would be an uneventful day. ‘Ah screw it’. Jackson went over to Rebecca hoping to ask something of her.

“What do you want?”, Rebecca asked in an annoyed mood. “I’,m sorry, for whatever I did to make you hate me so much. I’m trying to be better so please give me a chance”, Jackson said. Rebecca was stunned hearing this what this really Blake Starkwood apologizing to her, she couldn’t believe it.

“Well If you’re going to apologize you may as well be specific so tell me all you’re sorry for”, Rebecca demanded. This is where Jackson slipped up he didn’t think about this, he knew it would be a risk apologizing but he wanted to know her and he couldn’t do that if she continued to hate him thinking he was Blake.

“Oh well you know doing this and that, and what I did before”, Jackson said feeling embarrassed. “This and that? How about the time you threatened to get me fired If I didn’t go to a hotel with you or how about calling me a slut simply for smiling at a man, Oh how about that time you just grabbed my ass and laughed while giving your friend Brian a high five like it was some kind of joke or how about the countless of times you’ve made me miserable simply because I wouldn’t date you no matter how much money you literally threw at me as if I was a whore!!!”, Rachel exclaimed in rage.

Jackson was taken aback by all this, if Blake really did all that to her he would understand the hate, it would be hard for him to get her to forgive him or Blake’s actions maybe even impossible. It might be better for him just to leave her alone.

“You say you’re trying to be better well I don’t believe you. Do you want to know what I think? I think this new you is all an act but you can prove me wrong, by leaving me the hell alone. It’s already bad enough that I have to look at your face every day coming to work”, Rebecca said]

‘Seems leaving her alone might be the right  decision after all I can’t blame her I hated Blake too but it seems she had a worse time with him than I did and I didn’t think that was possible until now’, Jackson thought

“I’ll leave you alone If that’s what you want but I need your help with something”, Jackson said. “What is it?”, Rebecca asked in an annoyed tone. “I don’t know exactly what I’m supposed to do here”, Jackson replied. Rebecca raised an eyebrow looking at him like he was some idiot.

“And you think I do?, I’m just a receptionist of yours, unfortunately”, Rebecca said. “You’ve worked with my father for a few years what would he normally do when he was here? Please I meant it when I said I was trying to be better understanding my role in this company is part of that”, Jackson said.

Rebecca was surprised once again, he seemed sincere. She took out a deep sigh and decided to tell him what she knew. “A lot of days your father didn’t come in, I heard he spent most time in the factories or visiting other competitors but when he was here he’d have meetings just like the one you had here with Mr Weston or he would attend Board meetings like the one that was held today and the second floor”, Rebecca said.

“There was a board meeting today why didn't you tell me?”, Jackson asked feeling shocked. “I assumed you didn’t want to go and if I’m right they weren’t expecting you either, they probably sent Mr Weston with that deal which basically said ‘let the adults do all the work’”.

“I suppose you’re right I don’t have a good reputation… wait how do you know about the deal Mr Weston brought me?”, Jackson asked. Rebecca was horrified she couldn’t believe she had let it slip out, he raised her head down out of embarrassment. “You .. you didn’t disconnect the line when Mr. Weston entered your office and I was able to hear everything”, Rebecca said with her face looking at her desk.

She wasn’t sure what would happen next. She knew there was a possibility that Blake would try and find a way to fire her for some petty reason, but if it ever she planned to sue him and the company for wrongful termination, but her listening to company secrets was a good enough reason to fire her and she knew the board members would certainly agree.

She then heard laughter, looking up she could see it was Jackson who she thought was Blake laughing. “Ha ha ha how silly of me, I don’t know how to use those things well they’re ancient”, Jackson said wiping a small tear from his eye.

He left Rebecca’s desk and went back to his office. ‘What was that? I thought he would have used that to fire or blackmail me but he just left.’, Rebecca thought

Entering the office Jackson had thought about what transpired he was a bit frightened as well, what if he had talked to himself about his situation, about how he wasn’t Blake and was merely pretending to be him? He had to be more careful in the future. He hung up the telephone properly this time.

A  few more hours went by with Jackson doing nothing then he saw Rebecca leaving ‘I suppose it’s closing time for the employees’. He waved to her and gave her a smile through the glass wall, she saw this but simply turned away.  ‘She still hates me, that’s to be expected I won’t make her like me only in a day’.

He started to leave the office as well. Looking out the window now he could see it was nighttime. Now the city was illuminated by tiny lights, not by the sun but it was still a sight to behold one a very few had the privilege to see. He stared for a moment then left the building it was mostly emptied except for the security guards that remained.

Now driving the Camaro Jackson was heading back to the mansion, but a thought entered his mind. Why go back to the nightlife in New York had to be exciting although he had never experienced it, he always wanted to. Quickly his changed his tracks and went into the city looking for some fun and adventure. He saw many late-night business bars, and clubs a lot of them maybe too much but he had one specific in mind. He had reached his destination called a club called Truth. He had chosen this place because it’s where he would usually drive Jackson and his friends every night they would go night which was usually most nights and they seemed to have a good time.

Although the idea of doing something Blake would enjoy rubbed him the wrong way, Jackson had to admit Blake did know how to have fun and after years of having starved from it he needed it more than ever. He exited the vehicle seeing there was quite a line and they were dismissing a large number of people, Jackson didn’t worry about that. He walked up to one of the bouncers and showed him a golden card, the bouncer was quite menacing with his physique, it made Jackson afraid a little.

“There’s no need for that Mr Starkwood you can go in”, the bouncer said. It seemed Blake was quite known here enough for him to cut the line of numerous people and be let in immediately. Jackson did as the bouncer said and entered the club.