Substance over Styles | H.S.

XXXVIII. Eyes Across the Room

I think you're going to enjoy this chapter. It's a 'gut-feeling'. Anyway, I think there will be three or four more chapters after this one, but I'm not really sure. I don't want to suddenly rush anything to get to the end. But don't worry, I'll tell you when the last chapter is coming so you can mentally prepare if necessary.

Enjoy!

~*~

Pouring all my focus, sweat and hard work in the multiple tasks at hand, made me lose track of time in the most maddening of ways. Keeping the work flow up was the only way I could think of to keep the panic of seeing him away. I hadn't checked the time since this morning and I was dreading the moment Jules would walk back into my office.

All my attention was pinned to giving people permission to make budget cuts, buy necessary stocks or even fire the occasional employee who was just too much of a burden. I didn't want to think of how much of a sinking ship this company actually was. It would make me even more nervous. Yet, it was a blessing for the company that Harry took a temporary leave. Instead of acting quickly and stabilising SC, he had somehow managed to drown it even more.

Robin had made his way into my office a few hours ago, updating me on the situation, making suggestions on how to actually repair the leak. He had also talked to me about leading the meeting. At first, I didn't want to. There was no way I was going to open my mouth in any way. The truth was, even though I loved working here in the past and I knew very well that this job was an incredible opportunity for the future, I wanted to get the job done as quickly as possible. The sooner gone, the better. Even after working for only a few hours as a CEO, I knew I couldn't handle the tension, not because of the workflow, but simply because of the mere thought of him.

Of course, I wasn't going to tell anyone that.

Somehow, Robin had succeeded in talking a little sense into me, arguing that the only way of getting some respect and authority, was by grabbing the bull not by the horns, but by the balls, ergo controlling its every move. So I agreed, because frankly what else could I do? He was right. I had to have the most important people in the company behind me, they had to believe I could do this, at times even more than myself.

Yesterday evening, I even prepared the meeting, I suggested it during lunch since it was as of then my job to release Robin from the overload of work. I thought and planned, trying to come up with ways to enhance SC and to make it more efficient. Robin agreed to most of the changes and plans I had in mind and gave me his blessing. He told me that I had the power to do as I pleased by contract and that literally no one could stop me. It was a time of crisis after all.

A knock on the door made me raise my voice and look up from the stacks of documents covering my desk. I gulped once I saw Jules coming in with his laptop in hands. We made eye contact and then I glanced at the big clock hanging at the wall. It was one minute to three. I gulped again.

"They're ready for you." He softly said.

"I'll be there in a second." I nodded and started to grab all the necessary files, including the documents I had printed to proof my innocence to everyone in that bloody room.

I headed into the corridor and walked over to the giant meeting room situated at the other end of the thirtieth floor. My feet were heavy, weighing approximately a hundred pounds. But I carried on. I had too. If it weren't for my contract, I would've turned around and never looked back.