Author's Note: This story is set in the fictional country of Nordland, a small island nation in the North Sea between the UK, Norway, and Denmark.
This story is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places described in this narrative are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
This is an abridged version of Parts 4 and 5 that I originally wrote -- I'm publishing these in order to complete this series. The changes I have made haven't affected the overall storyline but have improved the pacing.
Appreciate all comments and feedback.
HF
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"Yes, Minister... the North Sea Initiative will play a significant role in the long-term energy security around the North Sea region," Astrid said in flawless French to the French Energy Minister. She'd met the Minister several times over the past year in relation to other projects that North Sea Oil and Gas were pursuing, and she had found him to be a friendly and approachable man, but with absolutely no idea about details.
"And what do you believe to be the long-term potential for this project?" the Minister asked. Astrid smiled and answered his questions. Here, in this professional, corporate environment, she felt at home. She was at an EU-hosted European energy conference in Paris, networking and discussing the North Sea Initiative to the respective government representatives. At 5'8", with striking blue eyes and blonde hair, Astrid, the Vice President Strategic Initiatives at the Nordland government-owned North Sea Oil and Gas Corporation, cut an impressive figure amongst the crowd of overwhelmingly male conference attendees.
Clad in a stylish Hugo Boss charcoal grey pantsuit, paired with a white silk Equipment blouse and black leather Salvatore Ferragamo pumps, Astrid was the epitome of a sophisticated European corporate executive. As she conversed with the Minister, it was clear to not just him, but also to the other members of his party standing nearby, that she wasn't simply just an attractive, well-dressed woman, one of many who would hang on the fringes of the European Union political machine, but a confident and capable executive.
Her insights into the evolving European energy market and the energy issues facing the Continent, including Nordland, over the next ten, twenty, thirty years marked her out as one of the rising stars of the North Sea Oil and Gas Corporation. Several of the Minister's aides, waiting for him to finish conversing with her, surreptitiously eyed the attractive blonde woman standing in front of them.
It was only when their gaze drifted down to her left hand that they felt a twinge of disappointment when they saw the wedding ring, specially made by a specialist craftsman in Nordhaven, on her ring finger -- a gift from her loving husband, Erik, given over twelve years earlier, a promise for the two of them to love and be faithful to each other forever. Although they didn't realize it, the other items of jewelry she wore, a delicate gold necklace from Tiffany & Co. and gold stud earrings from Cartier, were also presents from Erik, the necklace for her birthday several years earlier and the earrings on their fifth anniversary.
However, the aides and indeed, the Minister himself, would have been stunned if they had realized that the confident, capable, and exquisitely put together female corporate executive in front of them had actually been blackmailed by an up-and-coming black American energy executive over the past several months. None of them could have imagined seeing her come apart in ecstasy on his black cock, nor thought that she would have willingly taken another black corporate executive to bed before engaging in a wild threesome with both him and her blackmailer. Neither would they have expected that she would turn over reams of confidential corporate files that would give Horizon Energy Solutions an edge in the competitive European market.
"The North Sea Initiative project holds immense long-term potential for both our corporation and the European energy landscape as a whole. With advancements in technology and a strategic focus on sustainability, we envision the North Sea becoming a cornerstone of the EU's clean energy production for decades to come," Astrid said. "How so? Can you elaborate?" the Minister asked, a look of puzzlement on his face.
Astrid smiled to herself; he really didn't have any idea about the details. "Certainly, Minister. Our project is centered around maximizing the utilization of renewable energy sources such as offshore wind and tidal power in the North Sea region. With vast untapped potential in these areas, we aim to harness the natural energy resources available to us in a way that minimizes environmental impact and maximizes efficiency."
The Minister smiled. "Thank you, Ms. Bjornsdottir, for your insights. It's clear that the North Sea Initiative holds great promise for the future of energy. We look forward to continued collaboration and progress in this important endeavor." He held out his hand to her.
"Thank you, Minister. We appreciate your support and look forward to working together to achieve our shared goals for a sustainable energy future," she replied, shaking his hand. It had been a good discussion, one that she had prepared for and achieved the outcomes she had hoped it would. On her mental conference checklist, she ticked off the French Energy Minister.
Her feeling of comfort disappeared abruptly as she saw a familiar, but certainly unwanted, figure in the crowd. She swallowed nervously, feeling a knot of fear and anxiety tightening in her stomach as Richard weaved through the crowd towards her. She had hoped to avoid the black man, especially in such a professional setting. It had been nearly a month since his visit to Nordland, and she had been relieved by the lack of contact from him since then, beyond the standard corporate communications between their two firms. Yet here he was, striding purposefully toward her with a confident smile plastered on his dark face.
As he approached, she realized there was no escape from him, not with the explicit video of their first night together in his possession that he held over her as leverage for her continued compliance in his twisted scheme of corporate blackmail.
"Richard," she greeted him in English with forced cordiality, her azure eyes betraying the barest hint of apprehension. What does he want? Why is he here? she thought to herself.
"Astrid," he responded smoothly, his brown eyes gleaming with a mixture of charm and mischief, like a snake viewing its prey. "What a pleasant surprise to see you here."
Astrid forced a polite smile, her mind racing with thoughts of how to handle this unexpected encounter in such an environment. "Yes, I'm here to speak at the conference tomorrow," she replied, trying to keep her tone neutral.
"Ah, yes, I heard about your keynote address," Richard said, nodding approvingly at the blonde executive. "Quite an impressive achievement, I must say."
Astrid's heart sank as she realized where this conversation was heading. She had hoped to avoid any further interaction with Richard, especially after the ordeal he had put her through back in Nordland during the visit by the Horizon executives. Yet here he was, inserting himself into her professional sphere once again. Will he ever leave me alone? Will this ever end? she thought to herself.
