The morning sunlight spilled into the second phase of the Harrington estate as Mason strode out of the house, his crisp blue suit perfectly tailored as always.
He paused in the driveway, his eyes narrowing slightly when he noticed that Anastasia's car was missing from the garage.
"She left early?" he muttered to himself, his tone carrying irritation.
"Why had she gone to work so early?" Mason frowned, shaking off the thought as he climbed into his car.
"To the office," he ordered the driver curtly, and the car roared to life, speeding off toward Harrington Tech Corporation.
Some minutes later...
Arriving at the company, Mason stepped out of his private elevator and into the operations floor.
The staff immediately stood, greeting him in unison as usual, their voices polite but filled with unease at his usual intimidating figure.
Among them stood Anastasia, her posture straight and her face composed, but the faint frown she wore as her gaze briefly met his did not go unnoticed.
Mason's eyes flickered at her desk as he walked past her, not returning the greetings of his employees.
Anastasia's expression hardened as he passed, and Mason caught the brief glimpse of disdain in her eyes.
It was enough to burn him that instant as he continued to his office.
Inside his office, Mason began pacing, his hands tucked into his pockets. His mind churned with thoughts of Anastasia.
Her sudden coldness toward him a minute ago was like a thorn under his skin, one he couldn't ignore.
"What's gotten into her?" he mumbled with a scowl.
Then a sudden knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Mason straightened, calling out, "Come in."
Daniel entered, holding a tablet.
"Sir, there's an urgent board meeting scheduled for 11 a.m."
"Board meeting" Mason's brows furrowed.
"Yes sir."
"Who called for it?"
Daniel hesitated, his eyes darting away momentarily before he answered, "It was called by the COO, sir."
Mason stilled, his expression darkening.
"Nicholas?" he uttered, his voice low and dangerous.
"Yes, sir," Daniel confirmed, stepping back slightly, sensing the brewing storm.
Mason's jaw tightened as anger surged through him.
"Nicholas better have a damn good reason for calling this meeting," he growled, "or he will have me to deal with!"
Daniel remained silent, knowing when not to say a word further...
***
Meanwhile, in Nicholas's office, Anastasia sat stiffly in the chair across from him, her hands placed on her laps.
Her nerves were evident in the way her foot kept tapping lightly against the floor.
"Let me repeat myself, Anastasia," Nicholas said. "You'll be the one to present the new project to the board."
Anastasia's eyes widened slightly, and she immediately shook her head.
"Mr. Nicholas, I...I don't think I'm ready for something like this. I'm still new, and I don't have the experience—"
Nicholas held up a hand, cutting her off gently.
"You're more than capable, Ana," he assured her. "This is your chance to prove yourself, not just to the board, but to everyone in this company. Trust me, I believe in you."
Anastasia hesitated, her heart beating so fast. The thought of standing before the board was nerve-wracking, but the opportunity to showcase her abilities was too valuable to pass up.
She took a deep breath and nodded.
"I'll do it," she said, her voice calmer despite the churn in her stomach.
"That's the spirit," Nicholas replied with a small smile.
He leaned back in his chair, studying her for a moment before adding, "One more thing... Mason will be there."
At the mention of Mason, Anastasia's calm façade cracked momentarily, but she quickly forced out a smile.
"It doesn't matter," she answered firmly. "In this company, he and I are just strangers."
With her response, Nicholas's triumph smile widened slightly, though he quickly hid it. "Good... Let's head to the conference room then."
They both stood up and left...
When they arrived there, most of the board members were already seated, their eyes narrowing with curiosity as they noticed Anastasia.
Whispers began to ripple through the room, their judgmental gazes making her skin crawl.
"Why is she here?" one murmured.
"Who is she?" another added, their tone dripping with disdain.
Before the murmurs could grow louder, the door swung open, and Mason strode in with his usual air of authority.
The room fell silent as everyone rose to greet him.
Mason's sharp eyes swept over the room, and then they landed on Anastasia, who stood beside Nicholas with her head slightly bowed.
His body froze in shock, and his expression rigid.
The sight of her standing there, so close to Nicholas, sent a ripple of unease through him.
His steps slowed as he approached his seat at the head of the table, staring at those two.
Anastasia felt his gaze burning into her, but she kept her eyes down, refusing to look at him.
Mason finally took his seat, his cold eyes continued flicking between Anastasia and Nicholas.
Then his gaze finally locked onto Nicholas, his eyes sharp and unyielding.
"Nicholas," Mason called out coldly, "why is she in this room?"
Nicholas stood calmly, his hands clasped behind his back as he addressed the room.
"First, let me apologize for calling this urgent meeting without the President's prior approval," he began smoothly, nodding toward Mason with a veneer of politeness.
"The reason this lady..." he gestured toward Anastasia, who sat rigidly in her chair, "...is here today is because there's a new project I wish to present to the company. Anastasia, being the operational analyst and the brain behind this project, is the best person to present it to you all."
Suddenly, the room erupted in murmurs.
Some board members nodded in agreement, their expressions thoughtful, while others frowned, clearly displeased.
"This is unprecedented," one member whispered.
"A newbie? Really?" another scoffed.
"Well, if she's capable, why not?" a third countered, shrugging.
Before the discussions could escalate, Mason's voice rang out through the room.
"Enough!"
The murmurs died instantly, the room falling into a tense silence as the president's piercing gaze swept over the board.
"This is not acceptable," he said, his tone authoritative and final. His eyes then fixed on Nicholas.
"If you truly believe in this project, you should follow the proper process and present it yourself. Not delegate it to a random newbie!"
Following his response, Anastasia's heart broke into pieces. The cold dismissal, the lack of acknowledgment...it stung deeper than she expected.
Was this the same man she shared a home with? She wondered, her nails dug into her palms as she fought to maintain her composure, her mind spinning.
Around her, whispers began again, quieter this time but no less judgmental.
"She's just an analyst. Why is she even here?"
"Maybe Mason is right. This isn't the time for risks."
"But Nicholas clearly sees potential in her. Shouldn't we hear her out?"
Mason didn't bother to address the murmurs. Instead, he stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor as he glared at Anastasia, his voice cold.
"This meeting is over!"
He hadn't taken more than two steps when the sound of another chair being pushed back echoed through the room.
Mason froze mid-stride, his head tilting slightly as he heard the determined voice that followed.
"I will do the presentation now!" Anastasia blurted out, her voice clear and unwavering.
Instantly, every gaze in the room turned to her, wide-eyed and disbelieving. Whispers erupted once again, this time louder and more chaotic.
"Did she just say what I think she said?" one person asked.
"Is she in the right state of mind? Challenging the president like that?"
"She's either very brave or very foolish."
Mason slowly turned around, his dark eyes bore into hers. Anastasia stood tall, her hands clenched at her sides as she met his gaze without flinching.
"What did you just say?" Mason roared, his voice reverberating through the room like thunder.
The room fell deathly silent, every pair of eyes bouncing between Mason and Anastasia...