One-on-One
Gaspard
After a week of radio silence, Wald finally agreed to meet me in his office in La Défense.
Ten minutes. Not one more.
That’s his way of reminding everyone where they stand in the hierarchy.
And yet, I’ve been working for him for fifteen years.
From the top of one of La Défense’s tallest towers, Wald overlooks Paris like a silent king. I get straight to the point.
I start by briefing him on the companies I monitor for him.
“SenzaTech just made a major breakthrough. They found a stabilized version that’s safe and clinically viable.”
“That doesn’t interest me.”
He barely looks up.
“Products like that end up in hospitals, not in markets that generate real profit.”
His voice is calm. Sharp.
“Too technical. Too niche in terms of exploitation. If that’s why you interrupted my day, then you’re wasting my time.”
I clench my jaw and swallow my pride.
You don’t correct Wald, you adapt.
“That’s not the main reason for my visit,” I say, regaining control of myself. “Bianca Fabre is starting to worry. She wants to know when she’ll receive her payment.”
A dry laugh cuts me off.
“She has nothing to worry about. She’ll receive what she was promised. I simply needed my experts to verify the authenticity of the documents. She’ll be paid within the week.”
He exhales slowly, almost contemptuously.
I remain expressionless, but he isn’t finished.
“Now make sure she keeps her distance. Her role is over. And make sure she keeps her mouth shut. Otherwise… I’ll deal with it myself.”
A chill runs down my spine.
He pauses before looking back at me.
I say nothing.
“I know you’re… enjoying the situation.”
A brief silence stretches between us.
“But don’t ever forget where your loyalty belongs.”
Ice floods my veins.
He knows. Of course he knows.
Bianca and me. Probably the baby too.
With Wald, you always have to assume he knows everything.
Still, I keep my face perfectly neutral.
“Thank you for your time. I’ll let you get back to work.”
I turn away.
“Gaspard.”
I stop immediately. I hate when he uses my first name. Slowly, I turn back toward him.
He watches me with a faint smile.
“Give my regards to your wife… and your children.”
The silence closes around us instantly. Cold. Absolute.
I nod slowly.
“Of course.”
I leave the office without rushing. But the moment the door closes behind me, the true weight of his words crashes down on me.
That wasn’t politeness. It was a warning. He knows exactly where to strike.
And he can destroy my life whenever he wants.