Vince quickly sensed that almost no one was on board with his decision.
Lance shifted uncomfortably next to him. Mark was openly showing his disagreement now. Gus stood at the front of the crowd, arms crossed, clearly wishing Vince would change his mind.
The hallway had gone quiet after Vince dropped the news about Cal's termination.
No one seemed eager to break the silence.
For what felt like an eternity, the only sound was the distant clatter of the production crew packing up after the show.
Finally, Vince let out a slow breath and adjusted his collar.
"Fine."
Every head snapped in his direction.
Vince locked eyes with Cal.
"Your contract isn't going to be terminated."
The response was instant.
Several wrestlers visibly relaxed. Others exchanged glances of relief. Even Lance seemed to let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
Cal looked completely taken aback.
"Really?"
Vince raised a finger.
"But."
The relief faded almost as quickly as it had come.
"You're suspended for two weeks without pay."
No one dared to speak up. No one wanted to test their luck.
Vince carried on. "This is your first and last warning."
Cal nodded vigorously. "Thank you, Vince. I promise it won't happen again."
"I certainly hope that's the case." Vince's tone remained steady, "Because if it happens again, I won't be swayed by anyone in this room."
His gaze swept over the assembled wrestlers.
"And if anyone thinks about stepping in to challenge company discipline, they can leave alongside him."
The weight of his words hung in the air.
Silence reigned.
Eventually, Mark approached and gave Cal a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"I think everyone gets it."
A few nervous chuckles broke the tension.
Gradually, the atmosphere lightened. Groups began to disperse. Wrestlers headed back to their locker rooms, and the production crew got back to their tasks.
Cal looked like a man who had just dodged a bullet.
An hour later, the arena was much quieter.
Most of the roster had already cleared out.
Vince was seated in a small meeting room tucked away at the back of the building.
Across from him sat Stu Hart.
The older man exuded a quiet confidence that instantly commanded respect. Even while seated, he had an imposing presence.
In his previous life, Vince had never imagined he'd get the chance to meet someone like Stu Hart.
At best, he'd managed a backstage tour.
He still remembered getting a photograph and autograph from Trish Stratus and John Cena.
Trish had somehow looked even more beautiful in person. And Cena had been one of the friendliest people Vince had ever met.
Back then, those memories had felt priceless.
Now he was sitting face-to-face with one of the most influential figures in wrestling history.
Life was strange.
Vince wondered briefly whether he would ever meet those future legends in this world.
If they didn't exist yet, he would find their equivalents. Just as he had already found people who reminded him of Hogan, Savage, André, and the Harts.
And if he couldn't find them? Then he would create them.
The wrestling business always needed stars.
For a brief moment, neither man uttered a word. Stu simply observed him.
The young owner who had somehow become a hot topic in the wrestling world.
Finally, Stu broke the stillness, "Maya mentioned you're the reason wrestling is booming in Dodge."
Vince grinned, "I like to think I'm making a difference."
Stu let out a snort, "That's one way to look at it."
The older man leaned back in his chair, "I've heard a lot about you."
"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
"That depends on who you ask."
This brought a laugh from both of them.
But then, Stu's expression turned serious again, "So, what exactly prompted you to want this meeting?"
Vince didn't hesitate, "I wanted to offer you a job."
That instantly piqued Stu's interest. The older man's eyes narrowed a bit.
"A job?"
Vince nodded affirmatively, "Trainer."
Stu raised an eyebrow in surprise, "I believe you already have a trainer here."
Vince pressed on before he could continue, "I've heard too much about Stu Hart to ignore it. You know wrestling inside and out. You know how to train wrestlers. More importantly, people hold you in high regard. And I won't fire Gus. You provide experience which Gus can't."
Stu stayed quiet.
Vince took that as a cue to keep going. "IRW is expanding faster than we ever anticipated. We need improved training systems. Stronger fundamentals. Better talent development."
"And you think I'm the solution?"
"I think you're one of them."
Stu studied him closely, "You don't strike me as someone who likes to share control."
Vince chuckled, "Neither do you."
A smile broke across Stu's face.
The conversation flowed from there.
They chatted about wrestling schools, discussed training techniques, shared stories about injuries and pondered the evolving landscape of the industry.
At one point, they even found themselves in a spirited debate over whether today's wrestlers leaned too heavily on athleticism rather than the basics.
Neither managed to sway the other.
Yet by the end of their talk, Stu realized he was enjoying the exchange more than he had anticipated.
Eventually, Vince got to the heart of the matter.
"I don't just want you."
Stu sensed there was more to come. "Of course you don't."
"I want Bret. And Owen."
Vince leaned in closer. "I believe both of them have star potential."
Stu stayed silent. Most promoters only had eyes for Bret.
Very few recognized Owen's talent. But they still took him because of him.
The fact that Vince was interested in both sons piqued his curiosity. "What makes you so sure?"
Vince grinned, "Just a gut feeling."
Stu shook his head. "That's not exactly a solid answer."
"But it's the truth."
The older man sat in contemplation for a moment. Finally, he posed the crucial question.
"What exactly are you offering?"
Vince slid a prepared document across the table.
Stu opened it.
As he scanned the figures, his eyebrows climbed higher.
The offer was generous. Incredibly generous.
For a few moments, he just stared at the paper.
Then he met Vince's gaze.
"You're serious."
"Absolutely."
The room fell into silence once more. Stu tapped the table, deep in thought.
The money was solid. The opportunity was intriguing. But what really caught his attention was his curiosity.
Curiosity about IRW. Curiosity about Vince Maston. Curiosity about whether this young promoter could truly transform wrestling as everyone was saying.
After pondering for nearly a minute, Stu finally reached out and shook hands across the table.
Vince grinned.
And then they shook hands.
Just like that, the deal was sealed.
Neither of them knew it at the time, but IRW had just brought on board one of the most significant additions in the company's history.
--
AN: I have published my new novel. I hope you check it out and give feedback if you are interested.