Jacob Sims sat at the head of the conference table, his sharp gray suit a stark contrast to the disheveled papers strewn across the polished surface. The boardroom was silent, save for the rhythmic tapping of his pen against his notebook. Around him, the board of directors exchanged wary glances, waiting for him to speak.
"This," Jacob began, holding up a glossy report, "is the latest performance review for our fiscal quarter." His voice was cold, biting, each word a jab in the suffocating tension of the room. "And it’s unacceptable."
One of the directors, a middle-aged man with thinning hair, cleared his throat nervously. "Mr. Sims, with all due respect, the market,"
"Don’t," Jacob snapped, slamming the report onto the table. "Don’t blame the market. This company is slipping through ou
