CHAPTER 137: THE SILENCE BEFORE THE STORM
James walked into the break room and found his wife, Diana, fast asleep where she had eaten. The table was still littered with plates. He sighed, carefully moved the dishes aside, and gently laid her down more comfortably.
Diana stirred as she felt someone adjusting her. Her eyes fluttered open, and she saw James hovering over her.
"You fell asleep in front of the food, babe," he said softly.
Diana sighed and tried to sit up, but James placed a firm hand on her shoulder.
"Just rest, honey. I've already cleared the plates."
"Alright," Diana mumbled drowsily, sinking back down. Her gaze, however, lingered on him.
"I overheard something earlier," she said. "About the problems you're facing. I… kinda eavesdropped before I got too tired."
James frowned, though he still held her close.
"You shouldn't be mad," Diana added quickly. "You wouldn't tell me anything, and I needed to know what had you worried."
James sighed but didn't interrupt.
"The guy doing this to you—he's probably expecting a confrontation," she continued. "So, whatever happens, don't let your anger show. Don't give him the satisfaction of thinking he's getting to you. Stay calm, stay in control. That way, he'll lower his guard and reveal his real intentions."
James's expression softened as he listened, but Diana wasn't finished.
"While you're keeping him distracted at the front," she said, "send your team to dig up his weaknesses behind the scenes. Catch him off guard. Let the meeting be your bait, but never let him see it coming."
James blinked, stunned by her insight. Half of what she said, he already knew. The other half was something he would have figured out eventually—but possibly too late.
"Wow, baby," he said, shaking his head in amazement. "How did you come up with all this?"
Diana gave him a small smile. "I went to business school, remember?"
"And they taught you how to be this shrewd?" he teased, grinning.
"Well, some of it I learned from my dad," she admitted. "The rest? I just imagined it."
"So, all imagination, huh?" James replied, his smile widening.
Diana chuckled softly but didn't answer, closing her eyes instead.
James kissed her hair, then her eyelids, and finally her lips. "You should sleep now," he murmured. "I'll tell you how it went later."
"When is the meeting?" she asked, her voice still thick with sleep.
"In three hours," James replied solemnly.
"Will you stay with me until then?" Diana looked at him with pleading eyes.
James found it difficult to resist her, even with the mountain of paperwork waiting on his desk. "Alright," he acquiesced.
Diana smiled and nodded, closing her eyes as she drifted back into a peaceful slumber. Once she was asleep, James returned to his office and made a series of phone calls, issuing instructions. After the calls, he focused his attention on the paperwork before him.
Two and a half hours later, James went back to the break room to check on his wife and found her still sleeping soundly. It would have been better if she were awake, and we were doing some… exercises, he thought with a wry smile, rather than her just sleeping like this. He sat on the edge of the sofa and gently tried to pull her into his arms. The movement roused Diana, her eyelids fluttering open. She looked up at him with a slight frown, her eyes still heavy with sleep.
"I'm sorry for waking you," James said quickly.
"It's alright…" she began, but before she could finish the sentence, a powerful wave of nausea washed over her. She bolted to the bathroom with surprising speed. James followed close behind and watched with concern as she vomited up the contents of her stomach. He gently patted her back, his voice soft and soothing. "It's alright, baby. Calm down now. It's alright. I'm here."
Diana struggled to catch her breath as she swallowed hard. When she looked up at her husband, tears welled in her eyes. "This is just too much, James," she said, her voice trembling.
"I know, dear," James said softly, handing her the glass of water he'd fetched. Diana rinsed her mouth and allowed him to carry her out of the bathroom. He took her straight to the sofa and gently laid her down, holding her close and rocking her gently. Diana buried her face in his chest, sobbing softly.
"Honey, come on now," James murmured, his voice soothing. "Tell me what I can do to make you feel better." But his words only seemed to intensify her crying. James sighed softly and kissed her hair. "Don't cry, baby," he pleaded, his voice gentle and coaxing. He buried his face in her hair as he continued to soothe her. Diana, unable to resist his comforting voice, gradually calmed down.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," James said, his voice now crisp and businesslike.
"Chairman," Angelo began, entering the room. "It's time for the meeting."
James nodded as Angelo withdrew almost immediately. Diana sat up in his embrace, looking at him. "You should get going," she said. "I wouldn't want you to be late."
"What about you, then?" James asked, his brow furrowed with concern.
"I'll be fine," Diana reassured him. "I just need to rest a bit. I promise I'll be alright. Besides, I'm not going anywhere. I'll just stay here and wait for you."
"Then I'll be sure to finish my meeting on time," James said, bending his head to kiss her lips. It was meant to be a light kiss, but he couldn't resist deepening it, drawing her closer. He only pulled away when she gently nipped his lip.
James looked at her, a question in his eyes.
"We'll continue this later, Mr. Alfred," Diana said, a playful smile gracing her lips. "You have a meeting."
Understanding dawned on James's face, and he smiled. He gave her another quick peck on the lips before standing up. He was about to leave when Diana called out to him. "Hubby, you should change your shirt."
"Why? What's wrong with it?" James asked, glancing down at his shirt.
"It has my tears all over it," Diana replied.
"Well, that's good then," James said, a warm smile spreading across his face. "It'll remind me of your sacrifice to carry our children, and that thought alone gives me joy."
"Is that what you'll be thinking about during such an important meeting?" Diana asked, her brow furrowing slightly.
James gave her a boyish grin and smirked as he put on his jacket. "This should cover it," he said, smoothing down the lapels. "Does it make you feel better?"
Diana smiled and nodded. He gave her one last wink before leaving the room. Diana sighed as soon as he was gone and lay back down on the sofa.
She tried to watch tv but soon put it off after a while out of boredom. she would rather be kissing her man and making out with him, she thought aloud shamelessly.
James adjusted his suit and tie before stepping out of the break room. Just as he exited, his secretary opened the door.
"Sir, they are all gathered," Angelo informed him.
"Alright, let's go then," James replied, gesturing for him to follow.
The moment James entered the boardroom, the atmosphere seemed to shift dramatically, as if the temperature had dropped to a chilling ninety degrees. The stakeholders rose to their feet as soon as they saw him, their expressions strained and uneasy. Their eyes remained fixed on him as he strode to his seat at the head of the table. Once he sat, the others followed suit, sinking into their chairs in unison.
James's hawk-like gaze swept across the room, noting the fear etched on the shareholders' faces. He allowed a small smile to curl his lips, though it lacked warmth and didn't reach his eyes. That fleeting smile disappeared the instant his gaze landed on Timothy, who sat at the far end of the table to his right. James's jaw tightened, and he nodded stiffly, his teeth clenched.
Among the stakeholders, some were elderly while others were middle-aged. Despite being one of the three youngest people in the room, James commanded a presence that struck fear into their hearts. The silence was deafening, so complete that even a pin drop would have seemed thunderous.
James continued to scrutinize the room, his intense stare holding everyone in a suspenseful grip. It wasn't until a full minute had passed that he finally began to speak.