Chapter 6: The Cold Meeting
"We need to discuss the quarterly projections for the third quarter, and I believe…"
"No." Leonard's voice cut through the boardroom like a blade, silencing Mr. Henderson mid-sentence. "What we need to discuss is the missing two point three million dollars from our operations account."
The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Twelve board members sat around the polished mahogany conference table, their expensive suits and confident demeanors doing nothing to hide the discomfort that had settled over them like a heavy blanket. Leonard stood at the head of the table, his hands planted firmly on the surface as he leaned forward, his green eyes scanning each face with predatory intensity.
"But sir," Mrs. Caldwell from Finance ventured carefully, "perhaps we should review the…"
"Perhaps you should explain to me how two point three million dollars simply vanishes from a secured account without a single person in this room noticing." Leonard's tone was ice-cold, each word delivered with surgical precision. "Perhaps you should tell me how our supposedly foolproof financial systems allowed this to happen under your watch."
Mrs. Caldwell's face went pale, and she quickly looked down at the papers in front of her. Leonard's gaze moved to the next person, Mr. Davies, who had been present during that morning's interviews.
"Davies, you're awfully quiet today," Leonard observed, straightening up and walking slowly around the table like a shark circling its prey. "Don't you have an opinion about our missing funds?"
"Well, I…" Davies began, but Leonard was already moving on.
"Or perhaps Thompson has something insightful to add?" Leonard's attention shifted to a nervous-looking man in his fifties who was sweating despite the perfectly controlled climate in the room.
Thompson opened his mouth to speak, but Leonard held up a hand, stopping him before he could utter a word.
"Actually, let me save you all the trouble of making excuses," Leonard said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Someone in this company has stolen from us. Someone with access to high-level accounts, someone who understands our systems well enough to cover their tracks. And until we find out who, nobody in this room is above suspicion."
The board members exchanged nervous glances. Leonard had always been demanding, but this level of cold fury was something new. Ever since he'd taken over as CEO two years ago, following his father's semi-retirement, he'd been ruthlessly efficient and occasionally harsh, but never quite this menacing.
"Sir," Mr. Patterson from HHR spoke up cautiously, "perhaps we should involve the authorities—"
"Did I ask for your opinion, Patterson?" Leonard's head snapped toward him, and the lawyer immediately fell silent. "Did anyone in this room hear me ask for suggestions about involving outside parties?"
The silence stretched on, broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioning and the distant sounds of traffic from forty floors below. Leonard continued his slow walk around the table, his footsteps muffled by the thick carpet but somehow still managing to sound ominous.
"I want a full audit of every department," Leonard announced, stopping behind Mrs. Caldwell's chair. She visibly flinched as he spoke directly over her head. "I want personnel files reviewed, security footage examined, and financial records going back six months pulled and analyzed line by line."
"That will take weeks," Henderson protested weakly.
Leonard's laugh was cold and humorless. "Then I suggest you get started immediately. This meeting is over."
The board members began gathering their papers with obvious relief, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere Leonard had created. But as they started to stand, his voice stopped them once more.
"One more thing," Leonard said, returning to his position at the head of the table. "Until this matter is resolved, I'll be personally reviewing every major decision that comes through this office. Nothing gets approved without my direct sign-off. Nothing."
The implications of that statement were clear… Leonard was essentially placing the entire company under his complete control, cutting out the board from any meaningful decision-making. It was a power play that would normally result in significant pushback, but given the circumstances, nobody dared to object.
"You're dismissed," Leonard said curtly.
The board members filed out of the room in silence, their earlier confidence replaced by a mixture of fear and resentment. Leonard watched them go, his expression unreadable, waiting until the last person had left and the heavy oak doors had closed behind them.
Only then did he allow himself to sink into his leather chair, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair. The missing money was a serious problem, one that could potentially damage the company's reputation and stock price if word got out. But more than that, it was a personal insult… someone had dared to steal from him, to challenge his authority and competence as CEO.
A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," Leonard called, straightening his tie and composing himself once more.
The door opened to reveal Nath, his personal secretary and one of the few people in the company who seemed completely unfazed by Leonard's intimidating presence. Nath was in his early thirties, impeccably dressed and efficient to a fault. He'd been working for Leonard since before the CEO promotion, and had proven himself to be both discreet and invaluable.
"The board meeting ended early," Nath observed, closing the door behind him and approaching Leonard's desk.
"They weren't being particularly useful," Leonard replied coldly. "Did you have something for me?"
"Yes, sir. The new employee recruitment results." Nath reached into his leather portfolio and withdrew a manila folder. "HR finished processing all the interviews from this morning. These are the candidates who passed and will be starting Monday."
Leonard's expression shifted slightly, a flicker of something almost like anticipation crossing his features. "Let me see that."
Nath handed over the folder and Leonard opened it immediately, his eyes scanning the first page. There were eight names total, along with their photos, qualifications, and assigned departments. Leonard flipped through them methodically, his face giving nothing away.
Until he reached the second-to-last page.
Laura Robin. Executive Assistant, Operations Department. Supervisor: Nathan Mitchell.
The photo was a standard headshot, probably taken for her college yearbook, but it captured those dark eyes and delicate features perfectly. She looked younger, more innocent, though Leonard knew better than anyone how deceptive appearances could be.
A slow smile spread across Leonard's face, but it was nothing like the charming grins he'd once given her during their college days. This smile was cold, calculating, and held the promise of retribution. It was the smile of a predator who had just spotted its prey walking willingly into a trap.
"Sir?" Nath asked, noticing the change in his employer's demeanor. "Is there a problem with one of the candidates?"
Leonard closed the folder, but his smile remained. "No problem at all, Nath. In fact, I think this batch of new employees is going to be very... interesting."
He leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming softly against the armrest as he contemplated the delicious irony of the situation. Laura had applied for a job at his company, had sat through his interview, and had somehow still been foolish enough to accept the position. She'd walked straight into his domain, placing herself completely under his power.
"Make sure Miss Robin's paperwork is processed immediately," Leonard said, his voice carrying a note of dark satisfaction. "I want her to start first thing Monday morning."
"Of course, sir," Nath replied, making a note in his tablet. "Anything else?"
Leonard's smile widened, becoming truly wicked now. After four years of wondering what he would do if he ever had the chance to make Laura pay for what she'd done to him, fate had handed him the perfect opportunity.
"No, Nath. I think Monday is going to be a very productive day.”