CHAPTER Eight
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 single 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, slight tilt of her head, and breath she took made my stomach twist. I detested her for standing there. I hated her for trying to look untouched. The sight of her in my company disgusted me.
I was repulsed by everything about her presence here, including her composed demeanor and ability to maintain her composure as though nothing had happened.
I despised it, and I hated her even more for it.
"What on Earth are you doing 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. 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 of my house." 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 simply 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 is 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 must be reduced to trembling humanity in the face of my rage.
"Or maybe..." I continued.
Quieter now, but more dangerous. "Don't you have anywhere else to go?" "Or is it that no one wants you? And yet here you are… 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 clearly and gently. "I am here to do my job."
"Your job, you say?" I repeated,
disbelieving and irritated at the same time.
This has heightened my anxiety." "Cut that crab.
The room became silent and cold...
The words hung heavily, now more devastating and unforgiving.
Her hand lingered a little longer than necessary as she carefully set the remote control down on the table, continually grounding herself and holding on.
Something inside me shattered again uncontrollably...
My hand shot out and knocked a file off the table. The polished surface became littered with papers.
"Do you realize what you've done?"
I grabbed her shoulder firmly and pulled her by her hair. Her body jerked slightly as I gripped it. I could feel the tension in her body and see the pain on her face.
And I released her abruptly, as if she had burned my hand.
Let it hurt.
Every eye in the room was watching the tension between us like onlookers at a duel, and I could feel the tension in the room.
Are you deaf? "Pay attention now," I exclaimed to her ear....
With every word as sharp as a knife, I stated, "This company does not operate on personal feelings." "And it certainly does not tolerate people who are unable to distinguish between their failures and responsibilities."
Now she was shaking obviously and silent as she stood there, letting her tears fall. I could see her struggling to breathe, to withstand everything, including the storm I had summoned.
I slowly turned to face the executives, allowing them to absorb the full impact of the scene. Their expressions were frozen with shock, discomfort, and unease.
Just the way it ought to be.
I looked around the room and said bluntly, "I assume you're all surprised." Silence.
Of course, they weren't expecting this.
Not a single one was. They were clearly horrified and curious. Nobody was brave enough to speak. No one dared to move. They were caught up in an intense human conflict that could not be ignored.
At the same time, I was expecting no response from them. It wasn't necessary for me.
I walked over to my chair and gave the order, "This meeting should be adjourned." I was ready to walk away and leave her standing in the ruins of everything I had just destroyed. Because the storm inside me had subsided, I roared and cracked in my veins, clenched my jaw, and continued walking.
I believed that was it. I expected her to crumble and accept total defeat.
But then her voice broke through the thick tension in the room, soft and trembling but clear as a blade. "Everybody, please wait!"
The boardroom froze again. Everyone turned their heads to look at her. The executives' curiosity grew into confusion.
For a brief moment...
As I stopped, my own chest constricted and my steps slowed. Behind me, I could hear it: an uneven, broken rhythm of someone attempting not to fall apart.
I was surprised not because she spoke, but because she dared.
Her eyes locked with mine again. They were wet, raw, and vulnerable, but there was a spark within them that I had not expected.
This isn't exactly defiance. Not a sign of weakness. Something more... resistant.
She took a trembling breath and steadied her voice, saying, "I know what happened."
"So, what do you think of me now? She asked... But well, I am not here for your opinion. I am here to fulfill my duties. Regardless of how you perceive me, I will always be who I am.