Page 122 of King of Ruin

No one wanted to be the person who pushed him too far.

The employees outside the meeting room had already noticed the unusual tension. Even the most confident managers were moving quietly, lowering their voices whenever they passed by Xavier’s office.

Everyone knew one thing about their CEO.

When Xavier Chen was unhappy, the entire building felt it.

Inside the conference room, the executives continued presenting their reports, doing their best to focus despite the intimidating presence sitting at the head of the table.

One of the senior executives smiled as he finished presenting the quarterly report, unable to hide the satisfaction in his voice.

“Mr. Chen, the results have exceeded every projection we made. The strategic direction you chose for the project turned out to be exactly right.”

Another executive immediately nodded in agreement, eager to build on the success.

“The shareholders are extremely pleased. Our market value has increased significantly, and this is the strongest quarterly sales performance Chen Group has recorded in years. The board couldn't be happier.”

A murmur of approval spread around the conference table. Several shareholders exchanged impressed glances before looking toward Xavier with unconcealed admiration. Every major decision he had made over the past several months had paid off. The company's shares had climbed to an all-time high, profits had shattered expectations, and Chen Group had further cemented its position at the top of the industry.

Ordinarily, a meeting like this would have ended with congratulations.

Instead, an uneasy silence lingered over the room.

Because the man responsible for all of it looked anything but pleased.

Xavier sat at the head of the table, his posture relaxed yet somehow more intimidating than if he had been visibly angry. One hand rested against the leather armrest of his chair whilethe fingers of the other tapped the polished tabletop in a slow, impatient rhythm. His expression remained cold, but there was something simmering beneath the surface—a tension that everyone in the room could feel.

The praise seemed to bounce off him without leaving the slightest impression.

If anything, each compliment only made the atmosphere heavier.

The next executive stood and began presenting the financial breakdown, carefully explaining the revenue projections for the upcoming quarter. He had barely reached the third slide before Xavier's voice cut across the room.

“Stop.”

The single word froze the presentation.

The executive immediately fell silent, his hand still hovering over the remote as every pair of eyes shifted toward Xavier.

Xavier didn't raise his voice.

He simply stared at the chart projected onto the screen, his gaze so sharp that it made the man presenting instinctively question every number he had prepared.

“What exactly is this?” Xavier asked.

The executive swallowed.

“Sir... it's the revised market forecast.”

“I can read the title.”

His voice remained calm, almost indifferent, yet it somehow made the temperature in the room drop several degrees.

“What I asked was who approved these assumptions.”

The man hesitated.

“I... I did.”