Meeting Mr. Mogul (Book 1 of Mr. Mogul series)

Ten

WARNING! SAMPLE CHAPTER ONLY!

BOOK RELEASE ON JULY 19, 2020. AVAILABLE ON AMAZON AND KINDLE.

As I walked to my place, I contemplated about what happened earlier and the time I spent with him. My mind raced at the thought of how he knew where I lived. Clearly, I have a weird fascination when it comes to him as my thoughts were filled with him. It sent a shiver down my spine. So I decided I need to know my enemy. Luckily, I'm acquainted with the best person for the job.

After I changed my clothes— a white shirt, jeans, and Converse—I knocked on the door across mine. In a few seconds, a female voice answered and told me to wait. When the door opened, I gave my new neighbor a smile in greeting.

"Andy, hey! I almost forgot I'm taking you out for drinks tonight," she said, giving me a warm smile in return. "Please come in for a second as I get my things."

"Thank you. I didn't want to bother you, but I wanted to ask you something," I said as I reached the living room and sat on the couch.

"What do you want to ask?" she asked, her voice was thick with curiosity.

"You know William Maxwell, right?"

"Vaguely. The magazine I work for did a spread on him. From time to time, we feature him and his sister. Why do you ask?"

"Well," I paused for a second as I thought of a good excuse so as not to sound like a stalker. "I'm going to be working with him this Monday, and I want to know the man."

She paused and looked at me knowingly before saying, "Okay, sure. I can tell you what I know. Let me change first, and then we can head out to the coffee shop across the street. The tenant who lives in the apartment beside mine owns it."

I waited as she quickly changed. When she stepped out, she wore an outfit almost identical to mine, though hers look more expensive.

When we reached the coffee shop, I was impressed by its warm atmosphere and tasteful design. It had a vintage feel to it with its dark red couches and wooden tables and chairs. Somehow, it reminded me of the Maxwell Mansion.

We sat down at the far side of the room. As I wasn't much of a coffee drinker, I let Ally decide on what to order. She came back with two drinks and two bagels.

"Don't worry about paying. It's my treat tonight."

"Thank you," I said with a grateful smile.

When she sat down on her chair, I grabbed the caramel-colored drink and took a small sip. The drink was sweet, yet it had a bitter aftertaste.

"What is this drink called?" I asked out of curiosity.

"It's caramel macchiato, my favorite," she said with a beaming smile.

I took another sip of the drink again, tasting it a second time. A few more sips later, I was starting to like its bittersweet taste.

"So, what do you want to know about Mr. Maxwell?" Ally asked.

I was nervous, so I asked the first question that came to mind.

"Who is William Maxwell?"

She chuckled and shook her head, saying, "Can you be a little more specific? The question is too vague."

"I mean, what's he like personally and professionally?"

"Well, I don't know about his personal life, but when it comes to business, the man is a force to be reckoned with," she said, blinking a couple of times in awe. "He dropped out of Harvard Business School in his fourth year to help build the Maxwell Empire after his father died. He kept the company afloat and, in less than two years, increased its market value. I don't think he slept much during those two years. He transformed a small real estate company into a corporate conglomerate."