CH 1: You're Late

The time on his watch read thirty past ten. They were already thirty minutes late, yet they didn't have the common courtesy to phone ahead. Their time was precious, but his wasn't? Carl had half a mind to walk out on this farce of a meeting, if not for the fact that he needed the money. That's all it came down to in the end: money.

"How much longer do you want to wait?"

Carl honestly didn't know. This meeting had been months in the making. He was playing hard to get, that was his plan, but in the end, he wanted to close the deal. "Let's give them half an hour more. If they don't show up, then we'll reconsider our options."

"Your property will be marked as deal fell through. It might lower your market value."

"We'll cross that bridge when it comes time. Let's just hope it—"

There was a single knock at the door. The door to the board room came undone, and in walked three women, each with their own unique style, make-up, and even their perfumes differed. The only thing the three women had in common was their similar facial construct.

"Apologies for the wait."

Carl got up, as did his counsel, as they waited for the women to be seated.

Rachel Duncan Black took the front and center seat. On her left was a woman that screamed soccer mom, though she looked out of place with that pant suit of hers. And to Rachel's left, was a woman that had an air of delinquency and rebellion that surrounded her.

Carl had already met Rachel prior to this meeting, though the other two were a mystery to him.

"Sarah Manning Black."

Carl shook her hand. "Carl de Boer. Nice to meet you."

"Alison Black."

Carl shook her hand, too.

"If you don't mind me asking," Carl gestured at the three women, "Are you at all related, somehow? Cause let me tell you, you guys can pass as triplets."

Alison opened her notebook, and had a pen in hand. "We're sisters, Mr. de Boer. That's very observant of you."

Carl was not amused. That condescending tone was not missed.

"Have you reconsidered our offer, Mr. de Boer?" Rachel cut to the chase.

"I have."

"Then do we have a deal?"

Carl slid the Purchase Agreement across the table. "No, we don't."

Sarah grabbed the agreement, and went over the counteroffer. "You want a purchase price, 50% over its market value?"

"50%?!" Alison couldn't believe what she was hearing. After a bit of quick math, she said, "You want $3,500,000 for your property?"

"Yes." Carl de Boer smirked, "Yes, I do. And believe me when I say, it's worth every penny."

"That's not all." Sarah continued, "He wants to push the closing date, too. He wants 180 days for closing."

Rachel said nothing, nor did her facial expression express unease, unlike her two sisters did.

"180 days for a vacant property?" Alison wasn't pleased. "That'll delay the entire project by six month, at least. Maybe more, given the complexity of Phase One."

"The terms aren't agreeable." Sarah stated firmly, "You have far too many conditions favorable to you, as the Seller, and not us, the Buyers."

"Where is Mrs. de Boer?" Rachel asked, "Do you not want to consult with her first?"

"I speak for my wife. We're in agreement about this sale."

"This is extortion, Mr. de Boer, and you damn well know it." Alison was usually the levelheaded one, but this jerk rubbed her the wrong way. "Black Crown Corp. will not give in to such unreasonable demands."

The grin on Carl's face could rival that of a used car salesman; it was that slimy. "Well, maybe you should have thought about that, before you started buying up the neighborhood, left and right. And unfortunately for you, I'm the single lockout standing in your way."

"This is where I believe you're mistaken, Mr. de Boer." Rachel spoke in an even tone, "You speak as if you have a say in the matter."

Carl turned, and whispered something into his counsel's ear. This went back and forth for awhile, before the pair stood up. "I don't like your tone, Mrs. Black."

"Oi. It's Ms. Black, you pikachu. She kept her maiden name." Sarah spoke up.

Carl couldn't give two-shits less. "We're done here."

The three Black sisters remained unfazed.

And just in the nick of time, too. The double oak door swung wide open, with such force that it knocked the door stopper off the wall, and left a huge indent in the cheap drywall behind it.

"Oh, crap-nugget!"

Carl de Boer looked from the Black sisters at one end of the room, then to the woman that stood before him, then to the Black sisters once more.

"Jesus Christ. Really? There's more of you?"

"I got it!" Cosima waved the triumphant trophy in the air. "I got her to sign it."

"Sign what?"

Rachel quickly skimmed through the document. And that's when, for the first time all morning, she pulled her thin lips back, and genuinely smiled. She tossed the document across the glossy table.

"That right there, Mr. de Boer, is the paperwork for the dissolution of your marriage."

"And these," Cosima waved in Carl's face. "Are pictures of you and the nanny, well...it's self explanatory. Woah! Are those anal beads?"

"Cosima!" Alison exclaimed.

"Where did you get those?!" Carl made an attempt to grab the pictures back, only to have them yanked from his grasp.

"Nuh-uh." Cosima teased, "These are mine. You already have copies sent to your residence."

Carl's face flushed two shades redder. The vein on his neck looked about ready to pop.

Cosima picked out one particular snapshot. "With all due respect, man, your nanny is one flexible woman. I mean, the wheelbarrow looks easy, but the amount of upper body strength needed to maintain that position, is no joke. Is she into CrossFit?"

"That's enough, Cosima." Rachel said sternly. "In your prenuptial agreement, a particular clause states that if you should be unfaithful during the course of your marriage to Charlene Maude née Trenbeth, you waive the right to file for spousal support. But also, you forfeit the rights to any properties held under your joint names."

"Where..." Carl couldn't think properly; his mind was spinning in every direction. "Where did you get a copy of my prenup?!"

Alison nodded her head, to the man next to him. "Mr. Rose was more than willing to comply with our request."

"Paul?!" Carl slapped him on the shoulder. "What the fuck, man?! You're supposed to me my legal counsel!"

"Actually, it's the Trenbeth foundation, that signs my pay cheque. Not you. Now that Ms. Trenbeth has expressed her wishes to file for dissolution, I must recuse myself. You're going to need another lawyer." Paul straightened the collar of his suit, turned and said, "Good day, ladies."

Sarah walked up, and handed a stunned Carl de Boer, a copy of his prenuptial agreement, with the relevant clause highlighted. Cosima, taking this as her cue, handed him the newly signed Purchase Agreement, courtesy of his newly ex-wife.

"Ms. Charlene Trenbeth has accepted our generous offer."

Carl couldn't believe what he was reading. "You're paying her 50% over market value?! How's that different from my ask?!"

"We have the money. Plenty of it, too." Rachel said coolly. "It's simply a matter of worth. You're not worth that sum of money, Mr. de Boer, by any means. But Ms. Trenbeth, and the connections we've now forged with the Trenbeth family, well, that's what I call a bang for my buck."

Cosima jumped in, "This is the part where you leave with your head held in shame, and we call you a basic bitch, behind your back, of course."

Carl threw the papers to the floor. "This isn't over. Not by a long shot, you cut-throat bitch!"

"Bye, Felicia."

Cosima smiled, "Nice one, Ali."

Sarah handed everything back to Rachel. As did Cosima.

"Come on, Rach, lighten up. You've got to admit, that was pretty melodramatic. I felt like I was on an episode of Law and Order: SVU."

Alison was behind Rachel, and out of her peripheral vision. She shook her head, as if to warn Cosima, not to poke the bear.

"Is this funny to you, Cos?" Rachel asked sternly. "This isn't a game. This is reality. People's livelihood depend on this project succeeding. If this project was to fall through, do you know how many people would lose their jobs? Not the mention the amount of time and energy and effort we've collectively put forth."

Of the lot, Rachel was the eldest one. And much like younger siblings, nobody dared talk back to her. And that included Alison and Sarah, as well as Cosima.

"You should've been on time." Rachel continued, "Don't make a habit of it, Cosima. It's for your own good."

Without another word, Rachel headed out the door. Alison followed behind, but as she left, she mouthed the words, "Ignore her. Good job, Cos."

When Sarah was certain Rachel was out of earshot, she draped an arm around Cosima's shoulder, and pulled her in. "You know how Rach gets, Cos. It's all about work, work, work with her. She doesn't mean it."

"I had to haul ass from the helipad, catch an Uber, and then run up eight flights of stairs. And don't get me started on how creepy my driver was. And all for what? Just so I could make this meeting." Cosima sighed. "Would it kill her to be kind, for once in her life? Is that really so much to ask for?"

Sarah snorted, "Rach? Being nice? To us?"

Cosima pulled her lips back, squinted her eyes, and pulled off the best impression she could, "Rachel Duncan, uber bitch."

"What did you just call me?"

Sarah and Cosima pulled away, faster than polar ends of a magnet. Like so many times during their childhood, they were caught red-handed.

"Oh, shite."

"Uh, uber...bitch?"