The atmosphere in the boardroom was so cold and refreshing, from the ground to the ceiling with the windows showing off the city sky, but then all eyes are fixed on the woman at the head of the table.
Ella Vanley remained calm and steady. even when her high executives were mind made up and wanting to talk her out of the merger deal. and also not when the numbers on the screen where giving signals painting the deal a risky one for the company. and certainly not when Andrew Keal the man sitting close to her made a little smirk.
She remained calm resting her hands on her shiny table with back resting on her chair, but she was under pressure.
The word used by those who have no vision is "risk" Ella said.
Alot of people in the room became uncomfortable and troubled and Ella didn't care but let the silence in the room continue.
Andrew replied Ella "Vision does not pay when a deal fails" he said with a low calm voice "or have you forgotten about how the last deal u were excited to make turned out"?
The tension in her body was rekindled. from her head to toe, as they looked at eachother, at this point Andrew wasn't just a colleague but also an obstacle she had to overcome as well.
Before she could say something a sound which came from her tablet in front of her, suddenly a message displayed on her screen. "Be very careful who you trust, they are watching you".
The message came without a known sender, she looked around the table and kept a calm expression not making noticeable to the people or how unease she was feeling. the message came with a symbol by the side which seemed familiar to her, it looked like a symbol she had seen before but a long time ago a testament to what once was.
Ella didn't respond or do anything instead she tapped the screen of her tablet putting on her projections she had prepared." When y'all done acting as if this is all about caution, we can focus on what actually matters, control."
This caused great silence in the room, the executives looking at each other speechless, they knew tho that topic wasn't openly discussed but was the main deal.
"And you think you are the one to have it" Andrew said with a smile.
Ella not being moved but boldy replied " I don't think I know I am"
Tho the meeting ended without everyone coming to an agreement, Ella won enough grounds and support which bought her time.
As everyone filed out of the room, Ella being eager to go back to what she saw in the middle of the meeting gathered her notes and tablets not making it suspicious of her hurry.
As as last person closed the door, she went back to the message looking at the symbol by the corner, two arcs intersecting within a circle, this was more than just a warning but a call and command.
"Ella" Andrew called , which frightened her at the sound of his voice standing close to the window with his hands in his pocket.
"You played bold but not careful" he said
" I won" Ella replied brushing past him to the door.
" You survived today, winning is different". he replied staring at her in the eyes making her suspect whether he knew about the message.
Outside the room everything felt normal, everyone doing their work, but Ella knew something was off tho she couldn't rap her fingers around it but she knew something was about to unveil itself.
Before she got to her office a second message came, but this time it wasn't on her tablet but in an envelope on her desk. still anonymous. she closed the door, then pick the envelope, opened it and saw the message written in a sentence: Your family's ties to the cosmic circle were never erased. They are coming for you.
Your family's ties to the Veylan Circle were never erased. They're coming for you.
Ella slipped the note back in the envelope and put it in the pocket of her blazer. Ella slipped the note back into the envelope, sliding it into the inside pocket of her blazer. and began breathing to control her heart beat which for years she trained for.
As for the cosmic circle.
It's been a long time she even heard of the name spoken out, most people are even ignorant of the name. The cosmic circle existed in the hidden corners, it was the kind of organisation you wouldn't find in maps or random place, It only revealed itself to those it chose to and those who chose the right alley to walk down. shadow entity which operated in secret having control over the cities affairs and making decisions behind the scenes.
And she had once been involved in this.
As She was thinking about this, a knock came in "knock, knock",
tho Ella was startled, with a calm voice.
"come in".
"Records sent you this, you asked for it"? placing it on her table.
Ella didn't .
on opening folder she saw an old contract , a piece of forgotten history, the company charter. At the bottom was thesame symbol she saw in the previous message, thesame symbol from the anonymous message.
Jenny with a low tone "Ella"?
She closed the folder. "schedule me a meeting with compliance tomorrow morning". "and Jenny"?
"Yes ma" Jenny answered.
"Don't say a word on this to anyone".
"understood". then she shut the door.
After Jenny left Ella picked her phone. she went through her contacts until she found a number she hadn't used in years.
at first she hesitated but then called.
the line rang twice then someone answered. a male voice
"You know you should not be using this number".
" I received your messages" Ella said.
" Then you already know what's up"
" I know there is no walking away this time". Ella replied.
"You were never supposed to to. well they have been waiting for you to return to the circle. bye".
she kept the phone staring back at her reflection of the glassy table.
Tomorrow, she was gonna face the board again.
This night she had somewhere else to be at.
Ella carried the black folder into her briefcase. as she locked her office not observing that there was a figure across the street monitoring her while leaning at the lamp post, for a second there was a reflection on his hand and boom disappeared into a the crowds unnoticed.