When Hate Ends

Sloane Whitmore

“What do you mean by we can't see her?” Sloane Hart and Serena Laurent had gone to the headquarters of Calloway Empire which stood on the outskirts of the city. It was an imposing glass-and-steel structure.

Sloane looked perfectly composed despite the irritation burning beneath her skin. She was dressed in a tailored black suit, her hair neatly pulled into a bun that revealed the sharpness of her features.

Serena Laurent stood beside her, equally polished but far less comfortable with the situation.

“I'm sorry but all appointments for today were cancelled due to the impromptu live conference happening among important families” The receptionist explained as patiently as she could but Sloane did not look like who would take no for an answer.

“So there's absolutely no way we can get in.” The receptionist offered an apologetic smile. “I’m afraid not.”

Serena immediately placed a hand on Sloane’s shoulder.

“Sloane…” Serena said softly but Sloane didn't budge.

Instead, she glanced at the stack of books sitting on the reception desk and casually pushed them to the floor. The receptionist gasped.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Sloane gave the most insincere apology. The receptionist looked at her with patient anger before she bent down to pick the books up.

Slaone seized the opportunity, grabbed Serena's wrist and headed towards the elevator.

Just when the elevator was two seconds from closing, the receptionist saw Sloane and Serena in the elevator and Sloane responded with her middle finger.

“Thank Goodness” Serena was the one who breathed in relief.

“So what's the plan?” Serena asked. She couldn't remember them making any plans on their way there.

“We'll go in there and I'll speak my mind”

“Okay…” Serena looked at Sloane hoping for a better answer.

“That's it.”

“Oh God” Serena palmed her forehead. Seconds later the elevator chimed and the door opened.

Slaone walked out and Serena followed behind, their heels clicking against the polished marble floor in almost perfect rhythm.

Both women carried themselves with grace, but there was an obvious demeanoral difference between them.

Serena seemed more nervous than Sloane who was the victim.

___

The doors to the Calloway Empire HQ boardroom burst open. Everyone turned their heads to see Sloane and Serena standing in the doorway. Her expression was anything but pleasant.

She did not care if the board room was packed and she certainly did not care that half the most powerful families in the city were sitting around the table.

“Oh dear” Serena's confidence immediately faltered when she saw the people present.

Slaone looked around the room until her eyes found Michelle Calloway.

“There you are!” Slaone walked over to the table where the conference members sat around. Michelle Calloway sat adjacent to Roman Calloway, her father and CEO of Calloway Empire. Irritation was undoubtedly all over his face.

“Michelle Calloway, return what you took,” Slaone said calmly. Amidst the tension in the room, she exuded an undefiant aura.

“Slaone Whitmore” A voice called out. Her face churned at the mention of that name. She never thought she would hear that voice or answer that name again.

Her eyes located the source of the voice.

“Hi, mother” Slaone smiled sarcastically and returned to her business. She didn't plan on meeting her mother so there was no need to acknowledge her. Besides, she had disowned both parents…years ago.

“Serena!” Roman Calloway spoke up. “What nonsense is this?” He asked and Sloane noticed Serena shudder slightly. Sloane looked at Serena as if asking: ‘You know him?’

“I'm the one who has business with your daughter, not Serena” She spoke disregarding the stares of the other families.

As much as Roman Calloway hated what was happening, he seemed to have a slight interest in it.

“Michelle, what is this I hear?” He asked , turning to his daughter.

“She's only pained, Dad. She got terminated from the job just yesterday” Michele said with an unexpectedly sweet voice. Sloane was taken aback. She never wanted to mention her loss…at least, not in front of her parents.

“And her properties were seized following the termination of her employment and the financial investigation that followed” Slaone's face changed.

“That's a f*****g lie” Sloane retorted immediately.

“A lie? You were terminated just yesterday” Michelle's voice remained perfectly calm.

“Is what she said true?” Roman Calloway asked, his hands on his chin, face undoubtedly showing impatience.

“Yes, but…she's saying it all wrong”

“And since you were terminated for misconduct, several contractual protections attached to your properties were activated” Sloane stared at Michelle as she folded her hands on the table.

“You have no right to announce that”

“Sloane, let's just go” Serena tried stepping in. She herself had not expected things to turn out that way.

Something shifted in Michelle's expression. Serena noticed it too.

“We're in a shareholders conference, Sloane Whitmore or whatever you are called. Everything concerning the companies we have major shares in is relevant.” Some chuckled quietly, others groaned in irritation and impatience.

“She lost her job and now comes here for trouble” A voice whispered but Sloane heard it. Her mother's face twitched and then she spoke.

“This is precisely what happens when someone believes they are above consequences” Her mother's voice cut through the room. Sloane's eyes snapped toward her.

For a second, the temperature in the room seemed to drop.

“Don't” Sloane's stern warning made her mother's face harden.

“You made it clear that you don't want us in your life”

“Camilla Whitmore, I did not come here for you” Sloane said sternly, her gaze still on her mother. A few people exchanged uncomfortable looks and Slaone's mother sighed and shook her head.

Slaone's gaze moved across the room. People whose companies had partnered with Monarch International through her looked at her unbothered.

“Your professional blacklist has begun” Michelle folded her hands. Michelle's eyes met that of Serena's and Sloane noticed the slight change on Michelle's face and Serena's demeanor.

“Three companies just declined to work with you, two investors have withdrawn and your previous employer has circulated warnings about future partnership with you” Michelle's voice remained calm and emotionless as if she was discussing a business deal.

“So, that's it” Sloane asked, staring at her and then she laughed. Everyone looked at her. Roman Calloway's curiosity grew as he watched the young woman speak.

“Still too proud to admit you've failed…again” Her mother said. Slaone's sharp eyes darted to her direction. If looks could kill, her mother could have rotted on a spot.

“No, I've failed…and you can keep pretending that disowning my parents was the greatest mistake I ever made.” Camilla's lips parted slightly.

“But failure isn't the same thing as defeat.” Sloane continued.

“None of you decides what happens next” She said, turned towards the door and Serena followed behind.

For a few seconds, the boardroom remained silent. Then Michelle turned to her father. She thought he would be furious.

She had expected him to reprimand Sloane for interrupting one of the most important conferences Calloway Empire had hosted in months.

But, he appeared curious, still looking at the door Sloane had just passed through. She could only hope it wasn't what she was thinking.

Instead, Roman was still staring at the closed doors.