They say Mondays come too quickly…People complain and workers drag their feet. But this Monday came too fast for Andrea Winter…..She still felt strong though. She didn't look like someone who had survived the kind of weekend she just had. She walked straight toward the company building, knowing very well Eva was waiting inside with her usual "I told you so."
Eva always said the club was the best place to release stress….But today Andrea was ready to tell her never to invite her there again….She had the worst experience of her life, even though the night had started well.
Walking in her heels and taking a slow breath, she signed her name at the reception.
Then she walked straight inside.
The moment she stood at the top of the wide steps leading to the lower lobby, she paused….From where she stood, she saw executives in dark suits walking fast in a clean, straight line, each holding a briefcase. None of them looked relaxed. They all looked like they were heading into a war or something.
Andrea frowned.
Was there a board meeting?
Something big is going on that she wasn't told about?
She was still trying to make sense of it when one of her colleagues, Nina, walked up beside her.
Nina followed Andrea's gaze to the lobby below and leaned closer.
"I heard there's a voting happening in about thirty minutes," she whispered. "The full board flew in yesterday."
Andrea turned sharply. "Yesterday?"
Nina nodded. "Yes. Instead of coming in today, they all came overnight. That's how serious this meeting is."
"I see…" Andrea murmured, looking back down at the rushing executives. Something about the tension in the air felt heavier than usual.
Nina tapped her arm gently. "Come with me. There's something I need you to check before everything gets chaotic. The finance team sent a file upstairs and they messed up the figures again…"
Sitting in the boardroom waiting, Mr Victor sat down quietly with his phone in his hand. He had come forty minutes earlier than the board meeting time. He looked as though something heavy had hit him. He sat there, staring down at his phone.
He had been stressing all weekend ever since they announced that the voting was going to be today. He had been restless and was too much worried.
Sebastian was ruining himself….He was ruining everything they had lived for, everything his late brother had built, and Victor feared that even in his grave, his brother would blame him for not pressuring Sebastian enough.
He had done all he could.
He tried calling him again but there was still no reply.
Another call flashed on the screen, then went straight to decline.
Victor's heart sank.
He had spoken with a few board members he believed would stand on his side, but he still wasn't too sure. Their support didn't feel firm enough. Sebastian had done too much… too much for things to be shaken like this.
The moment he heard Howard's footsteps echoing down the hallway, Victor knew the time had come. The men were arriving for the final judgment, a judgment that could change decades of agreement, decades of legacy and decades of their generation's name.
Immediately the door opened and the first man stepped in…Mr. Victor stood from his chair. "Gentlemen," he greeted, shaking hands one by one as the nine men entered and took their seats.
He managed a few light conversations, keeping his face calm, holding his thoughts together, trying not to show the fear shaking inside his chest. He had already planned what to do. He had already planned which direction to push things.
Moments later, three more joined.
And a few moments after that, before the agreed time arrived, another six men entered.
Leading them was Mr Alexander Pierce, stepbrother of Mr Victor…
Victor's fingers clenched the arm of his seat the moment he saw him. Alexander had a small smirk on his face as he looked around the room.
"Well, since we are all here, what are we waiting for?" Alexander said loudly. "Let's start."
Victor stood up quickly "I am the one to say when we should start," Mr Victor said, turning sharply to look at his brother. He knew exactly what Alexander was aiming for.
Mr Victor began walking slowly toward the front, trying to buy time, praying his nephew would walk in any moment from now.
"Gentlemen, welcome once again," he said...then turned on the wide screen and a few data charts appeared which were about the hotel records, shares and projections. Mr. Victor tried to talk about the hotel, about their shares, and about what they could do next to strengthen the company.
But Mr Alexander knew he was stalling…He knew Victor too well.
And if he let Victor continue with everything he had planned for years, then his own plans, the ones he had been building for years as well…would fail.
So Alexander rose from his seat abruptly.
"We are not here for this, Mr Victor Harrison Pierce," he cut in sharply. "We are not here for speeches. We are here for the vote."
Then with a coarse smirk, he added loudly, "And where is the person we are all waiting for? Where is Sebastian?"
Mr Victor's chest tightened. His brother was trying to shake him and it was working.
"He's on his way," Mr Victor said quickly. "He will be here in a few minutes. Traffic issues."
He knew very well he was lying and didn't even know where Sebastian was.
He feared he couldn't hold things together any longer and also didn't know what to say next or how to stall them anymore.
He managed to drag everything for about fifteen minutes, but it could only go on for so long…The tension in the room had grown thick. Several of the men began shifting, clearly irritated. Finally, one of the older board members sighed loudly.
"Victor, that will be enough."
Mr Alexander seized the moment…."Gentlemen, the voting needs to be done."
His voice carried a push of authority, and one by one, the board members nodded and no one objected.
The vote began.
Each gentleman picked up the slip in front of them, jotting down names and signing with practised ease.
Mr Victor watched them with a sinking feeling. His entire body felt cold.
His only hope now relied on one man, one man he prayed wouldn't betray him.
**
Andrea stepped out of the office with her file clutched tightly under her arm. She had been asked to bring it to the boardroom urgently, so she needed to move quickly.
When she reached the elevator on the third floor and stood waiting for it to open, she suddenly saw Sebastian…He appeared from the opposite end of the corridor, walking fast and focused.
Andrea hesitated for a moment.Maybe…..she could at least thank him for helping her get home over the weekend.
So she stayed still, giving him a chance to come closer.
For a second, it even looked like he might bump into her because they were that close.
But at the very last heartbeat, Sebastian shifted his path and walked right past her. Without a nod, acknowledgment and not even the smallest glance in her direction.
Andrea blinked and slowly turned her head, watching his back as he continued down the hall without stopping.
How rude, she thought.
.
How could someone pretend so much? How could he walk past without even a hello?
She bit down on her tongue, annoyed, then remembered she was running late.
Whatever.
She adjusted the files in her hand, took a steady breath and stepped into the elevator the moment the doors slid open.
Andrea made her way quickly into the boardroom. The moment she stepped inside she felt the tension hit her. Everyone was seated, writing, murmuring, and exchanging tight looks... She barely lifted her head but still caught Mr Alexander's voice. He was muttering in a sharp and tricky tone about how irresponsible someone was. Saying how this was the man who wanted to handle Titan Hotel….Saying it could never work. And he should have been here by now.
Andrea kept her head down. She only wanted to drop the file and walk right out. She placed it on the table gently and turned to leave, still avoiding every pair of eyes in the room.
But before she could take a step, the door swung open sharply and Sebastian walked in.
"Who said I am not ready?"
The room went still.
Sebastian moved forward with a confidence that did not match the pressure in the air. "I came here today as an engaged man. And I am inviting each and every one of you to my wedding."
Mr Victor was the first to jump to his feet. His eyes widened with shock and relief, but he still looked like he wasn't sure if he was dreaming. Was his nephew serious? Was this real?
Mr Alexander slammed his palm on the table. "What nonsense is this? When did we ever see you as a man ready for responsibility? You don't even have a fiancée."
Sebastian turned his head slowly and looked at him.. Then his eyes slid across the room and landed on Andrea…
He slowly walked toward her.
Andrea's heart jumped. Why is he coming here?He did not even answer his uncle. Was he just passing by? She moved slightly, ready to slip out so the men could continue their argument, but he stopped right in front of her.
Without saying a word, Sebastian leaned in and gently pressed a kiss to her forehead.
Andrea's mind went completely blank.
Sebastian straightened, placed a hand lightly at her back, and said calmly, "If you don't know… she is my fiancée."
Mr Alexander opened his mouth to speak again but Sebastian raised a hand and his tone sharpened.
Andrea blinked fast. Fiancee? Did she hear him correctly? Was she dreaming?
Mr. Alexander opened his mouth to argue again, but Sebastian cut him off.
"A vote cannot go on today," he said. "Not when a major shareholder is announcing a union that affects inheritance, company leadership, and future representation. This concerns every seat in this boardroom, whether you like it or not."
The room went dead silent, and no one dared to speak after that.
Andrea stared at him in pure shock….What was he talking about?
Was he losing his mind or what?