Damien
Their voices echoed all around me.
I could see the faces of the thirteen board members, their mouths moving as they argued loudly. Those in support of me and those who wanted me removed.
"But it's been six years! He didn't cause the fire!" one said.
"Well, he was in charge of it. Now people are dead. Every year, we pay respect to the lost lives. The media remembers the memorial and puts us under public scrutiny all over again. We're getting hit every single time. Our stocks are plummeting!"
"Oh come on! We're hardly under public scrutiny. That's because he's been paying his respects. He's working, Peter! There have been new innovations. Our revenue has tripled. Don't tell me you don't receive the fat sums into your account, because I have…"
"We could make more if we stopped getting random hits here and there!"
"What makes you so sure another hand would do a better job?"
"Julian's jurisdiction is flourishing. Ever since he joined, we haven't heard any scandals, have we? Yet our CEO gets famous for the wrong reasons. Every month, there's a new scandal. Today it's about ladies and escorts, drugs, trafficking, contraband, tomorrow, it's leaked sex videos and whatnot. We need an end to it!"
"Those are all rumors, perpetrated by competitors, or worse, people among us who want him gone."
"All I'm saying is that we need change. Our individual reputations and that of the organization are at stake. We demand an end to all of these!"
I pinched the bridge of my nose, wincing as my head pounded with a bad migraine.
I hadn't been able to sleep for two days. The nightmares were getting worse. This meeting and the loud voices made it unbearable.
The mention of the fire kept triggering flashes, heightening the migraine, making it difficult to focus.
If only she'd accepted the offer.
I didn't know why I felt like this. I'd always been alone. I fought my own battles, faced my demons head-on even though I sometimes lost. But never had I felt lonely. I might have in the past, growing up and all, but I'd grown past it and accepted my fate.
However, the thought of her leaving and never coming back, never seeing her clumsiness again, or the way she couldn't look me in the eyes and would rather stare at the ceiling, crept into my mind and made me feel…lonely.
That night in my office, I'd been in a dark place, surrounded by the pale, ghostly faces of the people I'd lost, haunted by their families with pitchforks. But she'd arrived like a bright light, calling my name.
She'd touched me and pulled me right back to reality.
Her face had held worry and panic. She'd been scared, but she'd held onto me anyway, soothing me.
No one had ever done that for me.
Jack had been with me through many episodes and had tried his best, but the pain and torture usually ran their course. I'd come back in agony and be down for days.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please calm down." The chairperson stood up.
The boardroom quieted, but people were still fuming, breathing heavily from all the exertion.
"Let's all take a break and enjoy a bit of respite. We've been here for hours. Our stomachs are churning already. Let's relax and have some refreshments the hotel has prepared for us." He gestured to the staff at the door, who nodded and opened the double doors.
The smell of fresh food wafted into the room, making everyone look toward the entrance.
In walked the concierges, dressed neatly and elegantly, pushing in trolleys of different assortments.
I sighed, looking away. I wasn't going to eat anyway.
"Oomph! Pardon me."
I immediately shot my head up, my eyes landing on her.
She was the last to enter with her trolley, but the door handle had hooked on her uniform.
I watched her dart her eyes around, bowing apologetically at anyone who looked her way while struggling to free herself.
My lips stretched. My heart soared. I had to readjust myself in my seat to contain whatever it was that had made the chair suddenly feel too small.
One of the staff helped her free herself. She scurried over to the rest of the group with her trolley.
What does this mean? Did she change her mind?
I hadn't read her letter, but with the way she'd responded that night, she'd certainly been telling me to go fuck myself.
I watched her try to organize her trolley as someone stepped up to be served.
My lips stretched again.
"This issue is not nearly resolved. We can't just sit here and allow this place to be brought down by a CEO with terrible conduct!"
Everyone froze.
The concierges stared at each other, as if asking whether they should leave. The board members stared daggers at the person who'd said this. We all knew he wasn't supposed to reveal meeting details to outsiders, not actively. Unless… someone had coerced him.
I saw him glance at my stepmother, Claudia, who had been sitting quietly throughout the meeting, watching her pawns do her bidding.
"All concierges, leave."
All eyes turned to me as I gave the order.
"Why?” The speaker chuckled, “You don't want them seeing you for who you truly are?"
"Edmond! Desist from making such comments." One of the board members started, but I cut him off.
"Mr. Edmond Cheshire. On November twenty-fourth, you were arrested for being in possession of things you shouldn't have been in possession of. In your residence. Twenty bags, precisely. Should I continue?"
I stared straight into his soul, watching with satisfaction as blood drained from his face.
He shot his eyes at the concierges, who began scurrying away.
"How dare you!" Another stood up in anger.
"Mr. Richard Liverpool. Your teenage son was involved in a DUI where a couple was severely injured. You covered it up."
"What is wrong with you…" Yet another.
"Mr. Cosmos Brighton. You've been summoned to the police station three times for hiring underage girls to work in your strip club, which you've denied, even with all the evidence."
No one else stood up. Everyone stared at me in shock.
"Anyone else?"
They turned to each other, sharing knowing looks.
"I have all the proof with me. Ask for it, and I'll have it on the projector in seconds. You know yourself and what you're capable of, so you're quite aware of what will go up on that screen once you dare me."
I moved my gaze to my stepmother, who was staring daggers at me.
If looks could kill, I would have been incinerated right there.
"Now, I want you to present proof. You can do it now or later. Provide legitimate evidence, police reports that verify all these claims."
I stood up as anger rippled through me.
"Give me something, anything, to back up your accusations and rumors, and I'll step down!"
Gasps echoed throughout the room.
"Yes. Show me proof that I can't defend, and I'll gladly give the reins to Julian."
Whispers erupted from all angles.
I turned and looked at my stepmother with a smirk on my face, as if telling her to bring it on.
I knew I was digging a pit I'd probably fall into.
But I dug it anyway.