Clara's POV
The boardroom air was thick with fear. The kind of fear that can make a man shiver.
I sat near the end of the long glass table,my both hands so tight on my notepad. Every tick of the clock on the wall sounded like fear and live tension to our ears.
At the head of the table sat Alexander King.
He wasn't just a CEO—he was the CEO. Cold. Untouchable. Ruthless. The kind of man who didn't need to raise his voice to silence a room full of powerful men and women. His words held the kind of powerful that can make a king go down to there knees.
And right now, his eyes makes us flinch. His voice sending down chills to our spines.
"Pathetic," he finally said, his deep voice like his personality.
The marketing director, a balding man in his forties, nearly flickered .
"S-Sir, if you'll allow me to explain..."
Alexander lifted a single finger, and the man shut up instantly.
"Do you think investors care for explanations?" Alexander asked, his tone deceptively calm.
"N-no, sir."
"Do you think competitors wait while you fumble?"
The man swallowed hard as if something was hanging in his throat. "No, sir."
Alexander leaned forward slightly. His gaze at us sharpened, the rage that hides in his eyes were more than visible. "Then why," he said softly, "should I?"
A silence feel upon the room. The type that can allows you listen to the heart beat of your seat partner.
I glanced around. Every single executive had their eyes glued to the table, terrified to even breathe too loudly. The man being scolded looked like he might faint.
"I—I take full responsibility—" he stammered.
Alexander's lips curved into something crueler than a smile. "Full responsibility? Good. Then you can also take full unemployment. You're dismissed."
The man froze, his facial expression filled with pain. "S-sir?"
"HR will process your termination," Alexander said flatly, already looking down at the documents in front of him. He felt like he didn't longer care about a shit.
Rumor's spread wide and far that he sold his soul to the devil.
"Leave your badge at the desk."he didn't look at his eyes, but his words made him flinch.
My heart thicked. He had just—he had just fired him. Just like that.
One sentence, and the man's career was gone. Gone like wild fire.
The fired director shakily stood up, didn't dare to say another word snf stumbled out of the room with pain in his eyes.
The rest of us sat straighter in our chairs, not daring to say a word.
Alexander's icy eyes swept the table again, scanning each of us like he could smell our weakness. Then, suddenly, his gaze landed on me.
"You," he said.
I froze at the call of my name. My heartbeat racing faster than ever.
"M-me?" my words felt heavy to me.
"Yes, Miss Clara Evans." His voice was cool. "Tell me, do you believe I tolerate mediocrity?"
My throat went dry. My fingers getting wet. Every head turned toward me. My brain screamed at me to keep quiet, to nod like everyone else, to not draw his wrath.
But something inside me refused to bow and act weak. Maybe it was my pride. Maybe it was plain stupidity.
"No, Mr. King," I said, forcing my voice steady.
One of the executives inhaled. Another shifted uncomfortably, like they were waiting for me to be crushed.
Alexander's eyes narrowed, his lips curving into a sly smile. "Good. Then tell me, Clara Evans—what would you have done differently?"
My pulse pounded in my ears. He was testing me. Daring me.
I could've mumbled some excuse, or dodged the question like everyone else would. But the words slipped out before I could stop them.
"I would've changed the strategy entirely," I said.
His eyes looked straight into mine. "Entirely?"
"Yes." I lifted my face, ignoring the way my palms were sweating. "The campaign failed because it was outdated. It relied on tired slogans and recycled ideas. People don't want that anymore. They want something bold. Something new."
A collective gasp rippled through the room.
No one ever contradicted Alexander King. No one.
But I just had. I had to make the changes.
He looked at me for some minutes, studying me like I was some strange, reckless animal. "Boldness," he repeated softly.
"Yes," I said, trying to keep my voice firm even though my feet were trembling under the table. "If we don't take risks, we stay irrelevant."
For a moment, silence hung so heavy In the room. I thought I would even lose my breathe.
Then, slowly, Alexander leaned back in his chair. His smile deepened, but it wasn't kind—it was sharp, and almost look dangerous.
"Would you," he asked in a low voice, "have staked your career on that theory, Miss Evans?"
I swallowed. My mind screamed at me to back down, but my mouth betrayed me once again. "Yes."
His eyes locked onto mine, unblinking. Cold. Calculating. But for the briefest second, I swore I saw something flicker within those brown eye of his. amusement? Interest?
The other executives looked like they wanted to crawl under the table and hide.
Finally, Alexander nodded once. "Very well."
"Sir?" one of the vice presidents stammered.
Alexander didn't even look at him. His gaze stayed pinned on me. "You'll get the chance to prove it, Miss Evans. Effective immediately, you're in charge of salvaging this mess."
"What?!" the vice president blurted. "She's just—"
Alexander's head turned. "Do you have a problem with my decision, Mr. Roberts?"
The man's face went pale. "N-no, sir."
"Good." Alexander's gaze returned to me. "You wanted boldness, Clara Evans. Let's see if you can handle the fire."
My heart felt like leaving it's cage I wanted to shrink into my chair, but instead, I forced myself to meet his stare.
"I can," I said quietly but firmly.
For the first time, I swore I saw his lips twitch in thehint of amusement. Like I had managed to surprise him—just a little.
The meeting continued, but I barely heard a word.
All I could feel was Alexander King's eye burning into my soul . Watching. Waiting.
And deep inside, a mix of anxiety and excitement stayed.
Because I knew one thing for certain—my life at this company had just changed forever.