Creating an Industrial Empire in 19th Century Parallel World

Jonathan and Poul's work at the Axelsen & Nielsen Company remained unchanged despite the looming lawsuit. They continued to deal with clients and oversee the production of their products, unfazed by the legal battle ahead. To them, the lawsuit was nothing but a frivolous claim made by James Russell, who believed he was the sole inventor of the incandescent light bulb, disregarding the contributions of countless scientists, engineers, and other professionals.

However, they knew that the upcoming court battle would soon prove Russell wrong. For the time being, though, they had a business to run and a counselor to meet.

Jonathan was en route to New York to meet with the councilors from the New York Board of Transportation to discuss a matter that had not yet been revealed to him. As he sat on the train, heading towards the ferry station that would take him to New York, he felt Caroline's head resting on his shoulder. She playfully traced her fingers on his tie, distracting him from his thoughts.

"Hey, Caroline," Jonathan said, turning to look at her. "You said you were going to sleep?"

Caroline chuckled softly. "Do you mind?"

"No I don't," Jonathan said. "In fact, you can continue doing that."

Caroline smiled and continued to play with Jonathan's tie, her eyes slowly closing as she drifted off to sleep, lulled by the gentle sway of the steam locomotive.

Jonathan let out an awed sigh as he gazed at Caroline's face. It was just as beautiful as the day they met back in the Astoria Hotel, if not more so. He could stare at her for days on end and never tire of her stunning features. Jonathan felt incredibly lucky that the woman he was attracted to was slowly but surely falling for him. He wasn't oblivious to the possibility that the feeling could be mutual, but he was waiting for Caroline to say it herself and reveal her true feelings. When she did, Jonathan knew he would answer accordingly.

As the train pulled into the station, Jonathan gently shook Caroline awake. "Caroline, we are here, let's go now."

Caroline groggily rubbed her eyes and sat up straight, giving Jonathan a sleepy smile.

"We are already here?" she asked, looking out of the window and saw that the steam locomotive is stationary and the view out there displayed the station platform.

"Yes, on your feet now, we have a ferry to catch," Jonathan said.

"Okay…" Caroline quickly got up, feeling a bit disoriented from her nap.

As they disembarked the train and made their way toward the ferry station, they were greeted by the hustle and bustle of the city. The streets were crowded with people going about their daily business, and the sound of carriages and street vendors filled the air.

As they boarded the ferry, Jonathan took Caroline's hand and they found a quiet spot on the upper deck where they could admire the view of the city skyline. Caroline leaned her head on Jonathan's shoulder as they watched the iconic landmarks pass by. She felt a sense of comfort and happiness being with him.

Finally, they arrived at the dock and hailed a carriage, taking them to the building of the New York Board of Transportation. Upon arriving at the building, they were greeted by a group of councilors who shook their hands.

"Mr. Axelsen, it's a pleasure to see you again," the Councilor said.

"Thank you, sir, oh, by the way, this lady beside me is Caroline Dupont. I'm sure you know her."

Caroline curtsied and spoke. "Greetings, Councilor."

"Oh yeah, the founder of the Loreal Company, It's a pleasure to have you here, Lady Dupont. Though I must ask, where is Mr. Nielsen?"

"He is in Pittsburg, managing the business while I'm here. So, Councilor, we have received your letter, summoning us here. And now that I am here, may I ask why you summoned us?"

"Let's talk about that inside the conference room," said the Councilor before turning around and walking away.

Jonathan and Caroline followed the Councilor into the conference room, taking a seat at the long wooden table. The room was dimly lit, with only a few electric lamps scattered around, casting a warm glow on the walls.

The Councilor cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Mr. Axelsen, we have reviewed the proposal and the documents you passed to us after your presentation. And after a lengthy debate with my colleagues, we have decided that your proposal is one that we have selected to improve the transportation system here in New York by building what you coined, 'metro station'."

"Thank you, sir," a smile spread over Jonathan's face as he thanked the Councilor for their decision.

Caroline looked at Jonathan with admiration, knowing how much effort he and Poul had put into this project. She knew that this was a big win for the company and for Jonathan personally.

he Councilor continued, "However, there is a catch. You see, your company is facing a lawsuit against James Russell, we feared that this decision of ours could potentially harm the reputation of our board if we were to be associated with a company that loses such a high-profile case. Therefore, we cannot proceed with the project until the lawsuit is resolved and the outcome is favorable to your company."

Jonathan's face fell as he processed the news. Caroline reached out and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Councilor, I don't understand," Caroline began. "Why are you delaying a project over some lawsuit by one of Mr. Axelsen's enterprises whose industry is wholly not related to this?"

The Councilor sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Lady Dupont, I understand your frustration, but the reputation of our board is of utmost importance. We cannot risk being associated with a company that may potentially lose such a high-profile lawsuit. It is unfortunate, but our hands are tied."

Jonathan spoke up, "Councilor, I understand your concerns. We just have to win the case in order to push forward on the project right? Then so be it."

A smile appeared on the Councilor's face after hearing his confident reply.

"Very well, Mr. Axelsen. We will monitor the progress of the lawsuit, and if the outcome is favorable to your company, we will proceed with the project."

With that, they stood and shook hands with each other before leaving the conference room.

While climbing down the marbled stairs towards their carriage, Jonathan hissed.

"Shit, why is there always bad news to every good news?"

Caroline chuckled softly at Jonathan's rant.

"Don't mind it. Just as you said, you are going to win the case. Where did your confidence go all of a sudden?"

"I know, but Russell, that man is becoming a pain in the ass. We'll definitely crush him in court."

"That's more like it," Caroline giggled.