Page 128 of King of Ruin

"Then postpone it." Xavier's voice cut through the hallway like a blade. "If they don't like it, cancel the meeting. If they still have a problem with it..." His expression remained unreadable as he reached the elevator. "Cancel the project."

Benjamin nearly stumbled.

"Sir..."

The elevator doors slid open. Xavier stepped inside without waiting for another response.

Benjamin could only swallow the protest that had risen to his throat. After years of working beside Xavier, he knew that look. Once his boss had made up his mind, not even the board of directors could change it.

"Get the fucking car to the front," Xavier said as the elevator doors began to close. "Now."

"Yes, Mr. Chen."

Benjamin hurried after him in the elevator, a flicker of anxiety tightening his chest. As the elevator started to descend, he pulled out his phone and rapidly fired off a string of messages to Xavier's executive assistants.

‘Reschedule all afternoon meetings.’

‘Notify the Harbor District partners that Mr. Chen will not be attending today.’

‘Coordinate with Legal and Strategy to handle any immediate concerns.’

‘Delay today's negotiations until further notice.’

By the time the elevator reached the ground floor, replies had already begun flooding in.

‘What happened?’

‘The partners have already arrived.’

‘The board is waiting for Mr. Chen.’

‘Are we canceling the signing ceremony?’

Benjamin closed his eyes for the briefest moment. He could already imagine the chaos that would erupt upstairs over the next hour.

The board would demand explanations. The investors would be furious. The senior executives would scramble to contain the fallout. Every problem would eventually land on his desk.

Normally, Xavier would never postpone a meeting this important. Business had always come first. No matter how exhausted he was or how little he slept, he had never allowed personal matters to interfere with work.

Which was precisely why Benjamin understood the gravity of the situation.

Miss Foster wasn't simply upsetting him anymore.

She had become the only thing on Xavier Chen's mind.

The elevator doors slid open.

Without slowing for a second, Xavier strode through the lobby toward the waiting black Rolls-Royce parked outside.

"Get the car."

Benjamin slipped his phone back into his pocket and quickened his pace.

"Right away, Mr. Chen."

Within moments, the chauffeur had opened the rear door, and Xavier climbed into the car without another word.

Benjamin followed behind, unable to shake the feeling that the billion-dollar crisis he was about to deal with wasn't at Chen Group.