Chapter 8
865 Words
CHAPTER 8
THE SHATTERING MOMENT
FRED'S POV
The boardroom's silence had become suffocating, pressing down on every chest and shoulder. No one dared to move, and not a breath felt stable. The air itself seemed to have frozen, holding its breath for the unavoidable collision of the irreversible and the past.
And there she was. Asher is at the heart of it all. Pretending she belonged here and deserved this, she stood erect and unwavering, as though she had been carved out of marble. My blood began to boil. A dangerous chord struck. something inside me snapped, and all of a sudden the anger I had been suppressing exploded.
"This is impossible," I growled, my voice rough and jagged.
I slammed my hand against the conference table with such force, like a gunshot, that a nearby bottle of water teetered on its edge. The sound echoed throughout the room. Eyes widened in shock, papers fluttered, executives leapt, and a few scattered murmurs died instantly.
“ENOUGH!!”
I roared instead of yelling. My words sounded like they were about to shatter everything; they were precise and icy. My anger had already grown into a living thing, demanding to be acknowledged and let go.
Every glance, measured movement, the slight tilt of her head, and breath she took made my stomach twist. I detested her for standing there, trying to look untouched. The sight of her in my company disgusted me, I was repulsed by everything about her presence including her composed demeanor, and ability to maintain her composure as though nothing had happened.
This made me hate her even more.
"What on Earth are you doing here?"
You don’t walk into my company like you still have a name here.”
Immediately, I took a step forward, my voice trembling with barely restrained anger.
"Standing here as if you belong here? What audacity do you have?” I slammed… and continued.
"Making projections, presenting data, and acting as though nothing is wrong?" My jaw stiffened. "As if you still have the authority to do so?"
Her gaze rose to meet mine. For a split second, I saw raw, unfiltered pain, not just defiance, but a glimpse of the weakness she had worked so hard to conceal. Her hands were trembling, and her lips were pale and almost withered. But I didn’t relent.
It only made me angrier.
I let out a low, humorless laugh. Tell me something, Asher… After everything, did you really think you could come in here today and pretend nothing had happened? Or have you forgotten already?
The room echoed with murmurs.
Every member of the board was confused; executives shifted nervously and muttered to one another. They'd never heard of the past, but they'll know now. I did not give a damn.
I maintained eye contact. No, not even once. The anger that had built up inside me like a tidal wave was something I wanted her to feel every last bit of.
Yesterday, I threw you out, or did you think it was just temporary?
"Whatever you were... ended when I threw you out."
"So, what are you doing here?"
The words struck like bombs. Silence erupted around, and whispers spread like wildfire, filling every corner of the boardroom. Chairs scraped, gasps filled the room, and even the most experienced executives appeared stunned, unsure whether to intervene or observe the unfolding spectacle.
Asher remained motionless at first. Her tears began to flow slowly, streaking down her cheeks. Her fingers were so tightly gripping the remote that I could see the whitening of her knuckles as her body shook. The weight of my words was causing her to crumble, but I could sense resistance in her. She was desperately clinging to what little dignity she had left.
"Is this pride?" I grunted as I drew her in closer, pulling with force, or was it desperation?
Her lips shook. I noticed movement from the corner of my eye as tears streamed down her wet eyes.
Excellent.
This was exactly what I wanted. I whisper to myself victoriously...
Make it visible to all and allow everyone to see that anyone who dared to cross me, must be reduced to trembling humanity in the face of my rage.
"Or maybe..." I continued.
Quieter now, but more dangerous now. “You’re not here because you belong… you’re here because you have nowhere else to go. Right?? "Or is it that no one wants you? And that's why you are here shamelessly pretending you still belong in my life. "Or my company.” "My voice hardened."
I watched her swallow hard, and her tears continued to fall.
I could see her final attempt to hide her pain and humiliation by trying to keep herself steady. She placed the remote on the table, lingering just long enough for me to be satisfied.
As the storm of my wrath raged around her, she grounded herself and clung to something firm; obviously, she could lose her fist. First, she forgot how to stand...
Finally, she raised her head and spoke in a clear and gentle tone. "I am here to do my job."
"Your job, you say?" I repeated,
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