The Modest Business Proposal

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All characters are property of the Author.
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The Modest Business Proposal

Chapter I


Chicago, The Windy City, as always the playful wind was lifting women’s skirts, but there seemed to be one woman that even the wind did not dare to touch. She stood dressed in a formal suit ahead of a colossal skyscraper, with a look of determination so strong that it wouldn't be surprising if the building would crumble under her will. She stood there with her short black hair slightly waiving in the wind. Her dream has been festering in her heart for over 10 years now, she carefully went over every detail again and again, but the biggest problem of the start-up capital, was still unsolved. The banks refused, she wasn't willing to ask any of her friends or family to risk their life savings for her sake, so there was the last chance in front of her, the private investors. She had so much pride, she hated to not be able to get the money herself, but to earn 250,000$ would leave her being over 50 years old. This was her last chance; after each investor has either refused to see her, or worse offered her a job what seemed to her, out of pity. She with her mighty pride would rather die than ever be taken pity on. In her mind it was them who she should pity for passing up the opportunity that she was offering. She marched into Deresses Inc. office with great confidence, counseling her worst fear.

“I am here to see Mr. Deresses”
“Do you have an appointment” almost a robotic voice answered.
“Yes at one o’clock” she said without a blink looking at the clock, it was a lie. The woman rustled through her papers.
“I am sorry I don’t see any appointments at that time, it’s his lunch break”
“How strange, yesterday I called and he agreed to discuss my business proposal over lunch, I am sorry did he not notify you?” The secretary was getting frustrated, she had 4 calls on hold that needed to be answered.
“His office is right over there”, she pointed to a door behind her “You can have a seat in one of the chairs in front of his office. She knew he wont have lunch with her as soon as she tells him why she is there, but at least she had to see him. The secretary was very busy on the phones, this was her chance, she walked up to the door and knocked.
“Come in” a firm voice stated. She opened the door and confidently walked in. The gentleman was around 50 years old, sitting in a huge chair looked at her with curiosity.
“What can I do for you?” She came in and sat down in a chair in front of him, his presence made her uneasy, but it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be, she wasn’t shaking and she could speak.
“I am sorry, I snuck by your secretary, all because I really need to talk to you, please. If you could just give me 2 minutes of your time I’ll leave it up to you if you want to see me again or not”
He frowned “Go ahead”
“I have a business plan and a great idea that could be made into a gold mind, but I need the money to make it into that, you can become richer, and a better person in many teenagers lives”
He sighed. “I am sorry to say I am not interested in making an investment in your idea, but I wouldn’t mind making an investment in you.” He winked and smiled at her, and in return she felt a sickening feeling. She laughed and walked out of his office saying, “I am sorry to say you have made the wrong choice, but I cant say I am not happy that I won’t be seeing you again” she smiled and closed the door. She passed a young gentleman on her way out, one of those men that you can’t help but look at as he walk past you. His longer that usual black hair and black suit brought out a dark shade in his bright blue eyes. His eyes were filled with sadness that was easily noticed, but his expression showed no loss, he was in a world of his own thought. He did not seem to notice her presence at all, she thought it rude.
“Hello Mr. Deresses, you don’t seem in a good mood”
“Jayson, you know what just happened? I mean I can’t believe it.”

“What Sir? Did a mistress dump you again?”
“No to be dumped implied that you went out and had some fun, but not this one.”
“Are you speaking of the girl that just walked out?”
“Yea she snuck into here asking me to make an investment in her company, young kids these days really don’t know how the business world works.” He paused “Anyway Jays when is the wedding?”
“Next week” he said with a sigh
“Well my boy congratulations, sorry I won’t be there for the wedding, but I am sure whoever she is, she is a catch”

Jayson was deep in thought, and the more he thought the more depressed he looked. I am sorry Mr. Dresses I have to cancel our lunch, I just remembered I had to do something for the wedding” he quickly rushed out of the office. As he was walking into the elevator “Yea something for the wedding, like maybe get a bride..” he murmured to himself.

She was sitting in front of the skyscraper, smoking the Reds. Her feelings were over whelming her, it was as if the emotions were a tsunami wave about to swallow he whole. She worked so hard, she could not give up, but there were no ideas, not a single solution that she could think of, she always thought there was a way out of every situation, just like in this one, there were many ways out, but none of them that she liked. Suddenly a man from upstairs ran out the door and was looking around. He noticed her and ran up to her.
"So I heard you need an investor?" he was out of breath
"Yea what’s it to you" she was really in no mood for chit-chatting
"Well how much do you need?"
"At least $200,000"
"Okay, so what are you willing to do if I give you that money?"
A look she gave him that he will never forget, the look of anger frustration and of holding back, but of holding back of what?
"Screw You" she got up and was about to leave.
"Hey No stop I am serious, I have that kind of money, not only that, but one of my advertising agencies will do your advertising for free, and I have the best accountants, lawyers, and finance analyzers in the country"
With a look of shock she asked: "What the hell do you want me to do?"
"Well you see I am getting married in two weeks, and I can not do it by myself"
She laughed.
"You see my parents found me this great lady and I fell in love with her and we were getting married, but yesterday she called me and said that we both know our marriage is set up by our parents, and she happened to find a man that was a better investment to her future and who she actually liked, so she instead of going after my money will be going after his"
"So just cancel the wedding?"
"You see I can not do that, I’ll look like an idiot, not to mention if I am going to marry someone who is marrying me for money, I would like to know that up front"
"Wont your parents mind you getting married to a nobody?"
"Yea that’s another plus. Ill tell them I was the one dumped Stephanie for you, what’s you name?"
"I am Katerina"
"I’ll call you Kate"
"I am leaving" she said as she started getting up
"Okay, Okay Katerina"
"So if I do this how long would I have to stay married to you?"
"Five years, maybe shorter?"
"What do you want me to do, I mean what do you mean by getting married?"
"Hmm"
"If you answer wrongly Ill say no"
"Okay what are you willing to do for $250,000"
"Ill clean and cook, pretend to be your little wife when I am not busy with my business, and live with you in the same house for 5 years, and I will sign the certificate for the marriage isn’t that enough"
He laughed, "So you want me to pay you $250,000 so you could be my roommate?"
"My signature on a certificate might be negotiable, but my heart in not, nor will it ever be and for that matter neither is my body" she paused "How much is saving your face and getting back at your parents worth?"
"Okay fine, but you might yourself regret this arrangement later, but how it stands the number one rule for you is don’t fall in love with me. We will have to share a room for at least appearance sake, and you can not tell anyone about this, no one at all."
"Yes Ser" she laughed "Hey but how do I know that you’ll go through with your part of the deal?"
"Ill give you half of the money before the wedding, and the rest after, but if you brake our agreement you’ll need to pay that money back and with interest"

"Here" he gave her his card "Dress up casually and waltz into the office acting like we are getting married and I am going to get the team together to look over your business plan"

Then they went their separate ways, but neither of them got any sleep that night. Not being able to sleep gave his a chance to look over the business proposal. He spent hours analyzing it. It was risky, but with correct management it might be very successful. The competitors in the area were well analyzed, surveys were taken. Anyone could see that this plan was very thorough and took a long period of time to accomplish. He couldn’t help but smile, thinking that it was his future fiancé that came up with this proposal.

The next morning, Katerina did as she was told, wearing jeans and her favorite T-Shirt, she walked into the office and walked up to the secretary.
"Hello, May I help you?" she asked in an official tone
Katerina smiled, she had one of those genuine warm smiles when she was exited, that could melt any heart. The secretary couldn’t help but to smile back.
"Hello, I am sorry to bother you, but I just had a few questions for you, if you are not too busy wont you chat with me?" She pulled out a bar of chocolate and offered it to the lady. The secretary laughed "No one had given me chocolate since I was 19"

Katerina grabbed a sit and started talking away, this woman was extremely nice and she had a very interesting background, with lots of traveling experience. They were discussing the public view of this company, when one of the executives walked out of one of the board rooms.
"What are you two doing?"
"Nothing Sir, I was just telling Katerina about our company"
"Well you should of just gave her a pamphlet and sent her on her way"
Katerina interrupted "You are extremely rude, no harm was done by me talking to her was there?"
"Do not talk back to me, you are a nobody I think we need to get security to keep people like you low, where you belong!" he was raising his voice
"Huh! People like me? What makes you better than me? Is it that uncomfortable suit, that’s too tight on you? If that’s it, I think I am the better person, cause I bought clothes that not only are comfortable. But that also fit me!"
"You Little B.."
"Stop!" a voice sounded from behind the board room door, it was Jayson, dressed in a black suit, and with his hair gelled back.
"I really think you should stop taking out your anger on my fiancé just because your deal didn’t go through"
She took it as her cue, skipped up to Jayson, and hugged his arm "Dear it was nothing, we were just having a heated debate on the different social classes that are present in our society, and the way they present themselves"

Jayson was a little shock on how she responded to this situation, he was sure she was going to insist on somehow punishing his CTO for the sake of her image.
"Anyway, can you do me that favor, you promised?" Katerina asked, with the eyes of a fox shining bright, she wanted to see what the professionals will think of her business plan.
"Only after lunch" he smiled, and she smiled back, they walked out holding hands, which of course they stopped doing as soon as they got in the elevator.
"I thought he was marrying that blond bimbo" said the secretary
"That’s what I thought too, but this one is scarier than the blond" said Jeff, the CTO
"Why do you say that"
"Because this one is smart. Though I met her 30 minutes ago, insulting the bosses fiancé deserves a punishment. So I owe her, unlike the blond who tried to bribe me, I never felt guilty with the blond and always was able to hold my head high never wavering, but this one, I just met her, and I probably owe her still having my job."

"I am glad you cooled off, so are we going out for dinner?"
"Yea, it was a tough day."
As Jayson and Katerina are walking down the street they passed a McDonalds
"So, you want to eat here?" he said it as joke, expecting her to call him cheap and demand a more exclusive place
"I hate McDonalds, I really want Burger King can’t we eat there? Ill pay?"
He burst out laughing, butto his surprise they rally did end up at Burger King. When they got back to the office, Jayson introduced her to all the executives. They all seemed to like her.
"You are like a breeze of fresh air here" said the CFO
"Jayson" she whispered
"Yea"
"I want to ask a favor, about the team looking at the business plan"
"What?"
"Can you tell them its something you got and was wondering if its good investment and how to make it better, don’t mention me"
"Okay"
They walked into a huge board room, Jayson took his seat at the front, pulling up a chair next to him for Katirina to sit.
"Today I have a special assignment for all of you!" he passed out the copies of the 20 page business plan to each person.
"Yesterday I met an ambitious entrepreneur who asked me to invest in his business, I really think he might be on to something, so I want you to analyze this business plan for me, and see if its possible to actually make this happen. I happen to think with some improvements and our full support it could work!"

They all quietly read it some marked pages, some wrote notes. Katerinas heart was beating so hard she was afraid they could hear it. Jayson found this all very entertaining, he usually did not stick his nose into the business of the company unless it was absolutely necessary. He thought Katerina looked like a kid about to get her test back. She was very anxious, watching the team flipping through the pages of her hard work.
Finally all of them seemed to be finished.
"So what do you think, lets go in a circle and state your opinion"
"I think its ridiculous that such a business would be partnered with us,"
"Why?" asked Jayson
"We deal with hotels, offices, resorts, restaurants. Not games bookstores and coffee shops"
"Well I am asking what you are thinking about the business plan as a personal investment, that I will make utilizing my personal funds not the companies resources"
"I guess with improvements it might work"
"I think its a pretty solid business plan, probably a few hired people worked on it for a while, but it had a few kinks" said the man next to him
"As the financial officer I have to say, I have no idea how this person is planning to finance this?"
"Oh I am giving her $250,000 as start up capital"
There was a dead silence in the room.
Katerina hopped up: "I guess the cat is out of the bag, I wrote that business plan long ago and I had a dream of owning that business, so when Jayson proposed he said he was going to make my wildest dream come true, and he chose to give me this dream of mine as a wedding present" and she giggled throwing her arms around Jaysons neck, giving him a kiss on the cheek. His heart jumped, he got nervous all of a sudden. He laughed thinking to himself, that he might once again fall into the same trap, of loving a woman that was only after his money.
After the meeting was over, Jayson and Katerina walked out together.
“You are quite an actress” he said once they were alone
“Thank You, but this is nothing compared to what I will get in return”
“Where do you live? I can drive you home”
“That will not be necessary” she took out a piece of paper and jotted down her number “This is my cell phone you can call me anytime. By the way when is out wedding?” he took the piece of paper
“Next week”
She looked very troubled “so soon?”
“Whats wrong?”
“Well I am not sure what you want me to do? Do you want me to keep this a secret, from my family and friends?”
“I am sorry I didn’t really thing that far. It would be strange if no one from the brides side would show up”
“I will gather my closest friends, I will tell the truth to my best friend who is like a sister to me, and this is not negotiable”
“Fine, but what about your family?”
“That’s my problem, not yours” she said sharply cutting him off, and walking away
“Wait!” he shouted, catching up to her “Your family might be your problem, but I have a problem with my family that you agreed to help with”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Tonight, I want you to meet my parents”
“Fine, I will meet you here tonight at 7pm”
“I can pick you up, if you want”
“No Thank you, I’ll see you tonight”
And with that she walked away. She was very worried she only had a few hours to buy an outfit, do her make up and hair. She was never very good at these things, so would have to depend on the sales people at the shop.


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