Chapter 1
The Pink Room II:
The Two Businessmen
By Amy Sadler © 2026
Author's notes:
This is not a direct sequel to the first story, but is a sequel in that it is set in the same universe as the 1st Pink Rooms book, in which The Pink Rooms Exist.
CHAPTER 1: THE CRUELTY OF MEN
HYDE PARK
The London fog clings to the damp grass. Grey skies hang heavy over the city. Jack Ryan (32) and Vance Miller (34) stride down the paved path. Both wear-oversized grey power suits with sharp shoulder pads. Gold watches glint on their wrists. Their leather oxfords click rhythmically against the stone. Jack adjusts his tie, a smirk playing on his lips.
“The market is a slaughterhouse this morning, Vance. I love the smell of it.”
Said Jack with a smile on his face.
“Blood in the water. That is where we thrive. I closed the Sterling account before my first espresso.”
Said Vance with a grin.
“You always were a shark.”
Remarked Jack grinning in return.
They stop abruptly. A few yards ahead, a group of four little girls, aged six to eight, stand in a circle. They wear frilly, pastel-coloured party dresses with lace collars and matching bows in their hair. They are giggling, holding small teacups from a plastic set. Jack nudges Vance. He points a finger.
“Look at this. A royal gathering of the doll house.”
Said Jack with a callous laugh.
Vance slows his pace, eyeing the girls with a look of disdain.
“Absolutely precious. It is almost nauseating.”
Remarked Vance with a chuckle.
The men approach the children. The girls look up, their eyes wide and innocent. Jack looms over them, casting a long shadow.
“What is this? A tea party for the toddlers?”
Roared Jack with an evil chuckle.
One girl, the smallest with a bright pink bow, beams at him.
“We are having a party! Would you like some tea, mister?”
Asked the little girl in a sickening sweet tone of voice. Jack lets out a sharp, barking laugh. He looks at Vance.
“Did you hear that, Vance? She wants to serve us tea. How quaint.”
Roared Jack laughing, mocking the little girl.
“Tell me, little one. Do you think those dresses make you look like real ladies? Or just like overpriced birthday cakes?”
Mocked Vance with a cruel smile on his face.
The girls stop giggling. The small girl’s smile wavers.
“My mommy says I look like a princess.”
Said the little girl.
“A princess? In that tacky lace? You look like a cheap curtain from a discount shop.”
Taunted Jack, smiling cruelly at the little girl.
“Look at the bows. They are crooked. You are not princesses. You are just little girls playing dress-up because you have nothing better to do.”
Mocked Vance.
The girls look at each other. The confidence drains from their faces.
“Why the long faces? Do not tell me you are sensitive. I thought princesses were brave. Or are you just a bunch of losers in silk?”
Remarked Jack with an evil chuckle.
“Look at them. They are practically shaking. All that pink and lace, and not a single backbone between the four of them.”
Remarked Vance with a cruel burst of laughter.
The smallest girl’s lip trembles. A single tear tracks through the powder on her cheek.
“Oh, look! A leak! One of the dolls is broken!”
Jeered Jack with malice.
“Stop it, now. You will ruin the dress with your salty little tears. Imagine the scandal. A princess crying over a few honest words.”
Roared Vance with laughter, as the girl bursts into a loud, sobbing wail.
The other three follow suit, their faces crumpling as they cling to each other, sobbing in unison. Jack throws his head back and laughs. The sound is harsh, devoid of warmth.
“God, I love the sound of a good meltdown.”
Laughed Jack, very cruelly.
“Pure poetry. Let us leave them to their misery.”
Remarked Vance callously. “We have a company to run.” He added.
The men turn and walk away, their laughter echoing through the park, leaving the children shivering and weeping in their pink dresses.
CORPORATE BUILDING - LOBBY
The lobby was a cathedral of marble and glass. The air smells of expensive cologne and floor wax. Jack and Vance stride through the revolving doors, ignoring the greeting of the security guard. They enter the elevator. The doors slide shut with a metallic hiss.
“I can still hear that little brat screaming. It was a masterpiece.”
Said Jack with a sadistic chuckle.
“It sets the tone for the day. Total dominance.”
Chuckled Vance, with a wide evil grin on his face.
The elevator climbs. The digital display flickers. 1... 4... 7... 10. *DING. * The doors open to the 10th floor. This is the heart of the operation. Rows of mahogany desks and beige cubicles stretch across the floor. Assistants scurry with stacks of paper. A man stands at the end of the hall, arms crossed. Max Henderson (50s) the boss, wears a suit that costs more than a mid-sized car. His eyes are cold, calculating.
“Ryan. Miller. You are three minutes late.”
Remarked Max taping his gold-plated watch.
“Traffic was a nightmare, Boss.”
Jack lied.
“We were conducting field research on the psychology of failure.”
Replied Vance with a smug smile on his face.
Max stares at them, his expression unchanging.
“I do not pay you for research on failure. I pay you to ensure our competitors fail. Get to your offices. I want the quarterly projections on my desk by five.”
“Consider it done Sir.”
Replied Jack obediently.
“Of course, Sir. Right Away Sir.”
Replied Vance.
They both split off, walking toward their respective offices. The sound of their leather shoes fades into the hum of the office machinery. The day proceeds in a blur of phone calls, aggressive negotiations, and the cold efficiency of corporate warfare.
THE 10TH FLOOR CORRIDOR
The sun has dipped below the London skyline, casting long, orange shadows across the office carpet. The frantic energy of the day has cooled into a quiet, exhausted stillness. Jack steps out of his office, loosening his tie. He finds Vance waiting by the elevators, checking his watch.
“Finally. I thought those projections would kill me.”
Said Jack with relief.
“The grind never stops, Jack. Ready to hit the club?”
Asked Vance, with exhaustion on his face.
“Absolutely. I need a drink and a woman who does not talk about quarterly projections. In fact, the dumber the woman, the better.”
Remarked Jack with a sadistic laugh.
“My thoughts exactly.”
Said Vance with a smile on his face.
They step into the elevator together. Vance presses the button for the ground floor. The elevator descends in silence, the mechanical hum the only sound in the small space. The elevator stops. The doors slide open. Jack steps out first. He stops dead. His jaw drops.
“Wait! What the hell is this man?”
Asked Jack in shocked dismay.
Vance steps out from behind him, blinking in confusion. He looks around, his brow furrowing.
“I do not know, but I do not like it.”
Remarked Vance, blinking in sheer disbelief.
