Options. As if there really are any.
He adjusts his cufflinks, casting a brief, sweeping glance across the room. No urgency. No concern. Just cool, calculated detachment.
I grip the edges of the envelope in front of me, but I don’t open it.
“What’s the deadline?” Paul asks, his voice rough.
Ben turns slightly, his gaze flicking to him. “Ten days.”
A murmur ripples through the group. Ten days? That’s nothing.
Thomas exhales sharply, shaking his head. “You really are your father’s son.”
A sharp silence follows.
Something flashes in Ben’s eyes. Something dangerous.
For a second, just a second, his mask nearly slips. But then, he exhales through his nose, tightens his jaw, and chooses not to react.
“I’ll take everything under advisement,” he says finally, his tone measured but distant. “I trust you’ll make the right decision.” His eyes lingering on me a fraction too long. “Until next time, Ms Ng.”
He turns, not waiting for an answer. Not lingering. Just walking away.
The door swings shut behind him.
The silence he leaves behind is almost suffocating.
He’s gone. But the damage isn’t.
The business owners linger for a while, murmuring amongstthemselves, the weight of Ben’s bombshell still pressing down on the room. No one opens their envelopes. Not yet. Not here.
Thomas grumbles under his breath, arms crossed tightly over his chest. “Damn shame,” he mutters. “He was always a sweet kid.”
A few people nod in agreement, but no one knows what else to say. Eventually, one by one, they start to leave, clutching their envelopes like they weigh a ton. I don’t breathe properly until the door clicks shut behind the last one.
Finally, it’s just me and my friends.
I grip the edge of the table, trying to steady my breathing, my heart still racing.
Olivia’s voice cuts through the quiet.
“What. The. Hell. Was that?”
“Yeah,” Sophie adds, eyes wide. “Do you know him?”
I hesitate, my pulse kicking up again. Do I tell them the truth?
I glance at the door, half expecting him to walk back in. No. Not yet.
I force a laugh, shaking my head. “No. Of course not. He’s just… intense.”
Sophie narrows her eyes.
“It’s nothing,” I say quickly, grabbing the stack of papers and pretending to organize them. “It’s just business.”
I grab the stack of papers, straightening them with trembling hands.Keep moving. Keep it together.
My vision blurs. My pulse pounds. I need out. Now.
