Victor sat in his modern sleek office. His fingers flying off his keyboard. The light reflecting on his steel table. Victor was writing an invitation letter to Jonah's parents.
'Dear Mr and Mrs Hartfield,
My name is Victor Crane. Jonah's new boss. Mrs Susan is familiar with me as I have already introduced myself to her. As part of getting to know my employees better I would love to invite you out for dinner tomorrow by 6pm. So as to save yourselves the stress. My car would pick you up from your house to the venue and back.
I apologize that this letter is such on a short notice. I would be overjoyed, if you honoured my invitation.
Yours sincerely,
Victor Crane.
Victor sent the letter to his secretary. He has her handwrite the letter and deliver it to the Hartfields.
**THE NIGHT OF THE DINNER**
Victor Crane sat in the perfectly lit dining room of an upscale restaurant, his fingers lightly tracing the rim of his wine glass. The calm hum of conversation and the clinking of silverware filled the air, but his attention was fixed on the door. He was waiting for his guests, Jonah’s parents, Susan and Gregory Hartfield.
He had invited them under the guise of getting to know their son, his new employee better. The Hartfields were retired government officials who are staunch in their conservative beliefs.
They had accepted the invitation without hesitation, eager to help Jonah have a good image in the mind of his new boss and a better working environment with more benefits.
The door opened, and Victor’s lips curved into a practiced smile as Susan and Gregory walked in. Susan was a petite woman with a gorgeous smile and beautiful gray hair, her eyes scanning the room with curiosity . Gregory, on the other hand, was a tall, broad-shouldered man with a stern expression. Sadly he had been placed in a wheelchair due to a work accident. Victor stood, stretching his hand to welcome them as they approached.
“Mr. and Mrs. Hartfield, thank you for coming,” he said, his tone warm and welcoming. “I am so glad you could make it on such short notice.”
“Thank you for inviting us, Mr. Crane,” Gregory replied, shaking Victor’s hand firmly. “It is nice to finally meet the visionary man who is changing the company one step at a time." Gregory praised him.
Victor smiled, "Oh sir you flatter me too much." “And please, call me Victor,” he said, gesturing for them to sit. “And I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of ordering a bottle of wine. I hear it’s one of the best they have here.”Susan smiled politely. “That is very kind of you.”
"Unfortunately Gregory here can't have any, it is terrible for his health." Susan sighed. "My apologies sir, perhaps I will get you something else." Victor said as he called a waiter to his seat and placed an order for a separate drink for Gregory.
As they settled into their seats, Victor made small talk, asking about their business and their family. He was careful to keep the conversation light, easing them into a sense of comfort. It was not long before the wine was poured, and the atmosphere grew more relaxed.
“So,” Victor began, leaning back in his chair, “How is Jonah doing? I have not seen him in a while.”
Gregory’s expression tightened slightly, though he tried to mask it with a smile. “He is doing well. He has decided to take a break from work for now, that does not change the fact that he’s always been a hard worker.” "I think it's important that he rests too to be able to produce high quality work." Susan chimes in.
“That is good to hear,” Victor said, nodding. “He is an extremely talented young man. I have always admired his dedication.”
Susan glanced at her husband before speaking. “Yes, he has always been very focused. We are very proud of him.”
Victor took a sip of his wine, his eyes narrowing over them slightly. “It is not easy being young and ambitious these days. There are so many distractions, so many, influences that can pull someone off course.”
Gregory's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Victor hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully. “Well, I just mean that the world is a very different place than it was when we were young. There is so much pressure to conform to certain lifestyles. It can be hard for someone like Jonah to stay true to himself.”
Susan’s brow furrowed. “Are you saying Jonah’s been influenced by something?”
Victor held up his hands in a gesture of innocence. “Oh, no, not at all. I’m just speaking generally. But I have seen it happen to so many young people. They get caught up in things they don’t fully understand, and before they know it, they are in over their heads.”
Gregory’s jaw tightened, and he exchanged a glance with his wife. “Jonah’s always been level-headed. He would not let himself get caught up in anything like that.”
“Of course,” Victor said quickly, his tone reassuring. “I did not mean to imply otherwise. I just well, I care about Jonah. He is a good lad, and I would hate to see him get hurt.”
"Anyways, don't mind my little rant there. It's just that my concern has always been for the youth. How they can evolve and grow irrespective of upbringing." Victor said brushing off the topic. Victor continued on with his small talk. He smiled inwardly. The seeds he planted. had seemed like they had started taking root.
Gregory’s expression was thoughtful, his earlier ease replaced by a subtle tension. Susan, too, seemed distracted, her fingers nervously tracing the rim of her glass.
As the evening drew to a close, Victor walked them to the door, his demeanor as charming as ever. “Thank you again for coming,” he said, shaking their hands. “I will be in touch about the business proposal, but in the meantime, if there’s anything you need, anything at all, don’t hesitate to reach out.”
“Thank you, Victor, we appreciate all you do for us and Jonah.” Susan said, though her smile did not quite reach her eyes.
As they walked to their car, Victor watched them go, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. He had planted the first seed, and it was only a matter of time before it grew into something much bigger.