Recipe for Disaster

     In a large, mostly empty mansion on a cold, stormy night, the world’s tensest dinner party was taking place.

     Cienna didn’t want to know how it got that way; she wanted to resolve some of the relationship issues taking place in the city, so she had given instructions to her trustworthy and efficient secretary to organize everything.

     What a devastating mistake that was.

     There were seven people on the guest list. All of whom had the tensest relationship problems with one another. Cienna wanted to crawl into a hole and die, as she watched the sullen guests glare at one another across the dinner table. Barely anyone touched their food that the chef had graciously cooked up.

     First up on the guest list was a young woman named Sera Kibishi. She was the founder of a wealthy jewelry company that had its headquarters in the nearby city of Vince. Her company had respectable methods of gaining profits, and very few ties in shady dealings. But everyone knew of her…estranged relationship with her ex-husband. Cienna was quite frankly surprised that she hadn’t murdered her husband just yet, who was sitting across the table from her.

     Oscar Matsu. The founder of a lumber company with sustainable harvests from nearby taigas. Cienna found him to be a respectable and likeable man, but then again, he was said ex-husband of Sera. Those two were set on destroying each other’s companies.

     Robert Kellman. A furniture manufacturer with a strong grip on Vince’s furniture industry. Cienna personally disliked him very much; through her own channels, she had heard that Kellman had a very nasty temper against anyone that spoke up against him. There were also rumors circulating that the man was using the company to smuggle in illegal goods. He was here because Kellman hated pretty much everyone and refused to make alliances with other companies.

     Then there were the last four. They all came from the same company, but all equally…difficult…to deal with.

     First was the CEO of the company itself. Alice Trancis. The girl had a nasty personality and blatant disregard for their publishing company. Maybe that was why she had so many representatives with her. Alice hated Sera because the older woman was prettier. Alice, despite being 21, acted like a petty child.

     Next, was the co-CEO of the company. Despite holding that title, Claus Fenneril held very little power over the company compared to Alice. He was a dog. A follower of Alice’s orders. For some reason, he absolutely hated Cienna’s secretary.

     The other two representatives were Hannah Abelis and Lucas Trancis. Lucas was in charge of the fiction branch of the publishing company, while Hannah was in charge of non-fiction. Cienna had the feeling that Lucas was the true co-CEO of the publishing company. Alice ignored any and all of the advice and requests of Claus and Hannah. The petty woman only listened to the advice of her younger brother. Seriously! He was sixteen! How did a child get into such a powerful position?!

     Cienna rubbed her temples as she ate another piece of lobster. Currently, Oscar and Sera were having a staring contest, Robert was glaring at everyone suspiciously, Alice was smirking for no reason at all, Claus was eating a lemon tart, Hannah was reading a book, and Lucas was constantly poking Oscar. Just great.

     Swallowing her bite of lobster, Cienna stood up and cleared her throat, starting to speak. “I imagine that you are all aware of who I am and why you are all here.” She started. “I am Cienna Jenson, founder of the Jenson Toy Company. And we’re here tonight to discuss some of the rivalries and difficulties between our companies. Who would like to speak first?”

     “I will.” Oscar said, before anyone else could get a chance to talk. “I’d like to address the issues of the Gemstone Company.” If glares could kill, then Oscar would be dead right then.

     “That’s preposterous!” Sera exclaimed furiously, standing up abruptly and slamming her hands onto the table. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Gemstone Company. Nothing that you need to worry about, anyways.”

     “I believe what I have discovered concerns us all.” Oscar responded coolly, clearly making a huge effort to remain civil in front of a loathing Sera. “Recently, one of our studies has exposed the Gemstone Company stealing shipments of jewels from other companies!”

     “Well, I’ve also discovered that the Matsu Lumber Company has been lying about their ‘sustainable harvests!’” Sera retaliated, an icy flame burning in her eyes. “They’ve destroyed the habitats of thousands of animals, many of which are vulnerable or endangered!”

     “Hold on. Why were you doing a study on the Gemstone Company’s shipments?” Alice inquired, raising an eyebrow at Oscar.

     “And why were you sticking your nose specifically into Matsu Lumber Company’s business?” Claus mused. 

     “Then the answer is clear!” Robert Kellman roared. “Shut down both of the companies!!”

     Oscar and Sera stopped in the middle of their argument, heads turned on Kellman. “WHAT?!”

     The dinner table erupted into a chaotic argument. Cienna could only watch as the CEOs of famous, respected companies throw apples and lobsters at each other, try to strangle each other from across the table, and scream at the top of their lunges about how so-and-so was disrespectful to this and that and violated this regulation and completely overlooked that regulation. Cienna regretted this so much…

     “Are you alright, madam?” Cienna swung her head to glare sullenly at her secretary, who was holding a platter of lemon meringue pie with what had to be a smirk hidden behind a towel.

     “You did this to make me suffer, didn’t you,” Cienna growled in a low voice.

     “I haven’t the slightest clue what you are referring to.” He smirked. Cienna facepalmed.

     “I swear, if this mansion goes to hell because of this, you’re paying for the repairs.” Cienna muttered as she stood up from the table, and stomped away towards the stairwell. 

     In the background, the first blowtorch was pulled out.