no matter what decision your heart makes, I will be waiting for you...

Part 59.

Silence overtook the room, unlike the thoughts in my head. To be honest, I couldn't quite process that Marcus was actually standing next to me, much less what he was talking about me to the company.
"Tom Holland is disorganised, unqualified and ruthless!" Quiet murmurs came from the crowd, but other than that, Marcus had expected more and fumbled with his hands in nervousness under the stares. "He is not capable of running a company if he can't even keep his hands off his secretary." Now the first gasps sounded from the guests, Y/N's face paling as the faces turned towards her.
"You heard me right, Tom Holland is fucking his secretary, and is this really the behaviour that we tolerate and accept?" Heads nodded and slowly agreed with Marcus one by one, giving him the confidence to take the mic in his palm and claim the space that once was mine. "That we need to bring this company to the top of all tops? To strive and build it up? Because I don't think so. If one can't even complete easy tasks like this, you certainly won't be able to run a company either." Now the crowd was going crazy and while I was supposed to be reclaiming what was mine, I was frozen.

I felt more eyes on me than I did when I was standing alone on this stage just a minute ago.
Ronny, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found, just as I couldn't find my blond-haired best friend. But I knew where Y/N was standing. Although she no longer looked like the radiant girl I had seen at the hotel earlier.

With a pout on her lips and worry in her eyes, my anxiety tripled. If even she was beginning to doubt me, who was there left?

My palms were sweating like a workout in the Sahara. Which I would still rather do than be on stage right now.

I briefly thought about opening my mouth, but who would hear me except for the front row? I had no microphone and without a microphone no chance. But maybe I could play Marcus by not making myself look so affected. Why should our employees believe him without proof anyway? And a few faces still looked very doubtful, after all we were both fighting for the place that would improve our future.

So I caught myself again, stretched my shoulders out and waited until Marcus had finished his speech. Which didn't take too long, because after he saw how confident I was still standing on the edge, he started to fold. And the eyes turned back to him instead of Y/N or me.

Once silence returned to the room, I took the opportunity to justify myself. I took the mic from Marcus, inhaled a deep breath and laughed into the mic as I turned round to face the front.
"Thank you Marcus, for your wonderful speech- although..." I hesitated with a grin on my lips, sucked on my teeth and turned towards him. "I think the term "fucking" was not quite appropriate for a promotion speech." A few laughed in a relaxed manner.
"Now I don't know what you've seen these last few weeks and how much you've stalked me to find out who I've had coitus with, but I think I should be a little worried about my privacy." Again, some people laughed at the way I put it across, and I think I had things well under control.

"Oh shut it Holland." He replied, but without a microphone I was almost the only one who could hear him. "We both know I'm right." He added.

"However, I would like to-"
"The CEO succession stops here." Ron's voice sounded over the loudspeakers. However, no one could see him and puzzled faces looked around the room to find the man who had spoken. None of us found him though and nothing more was said before my mic was taken by people behind the stage and the crowd erupted in unrest. Everything quickly dispersed and Marcus had already disappeared behind the next wall. Left me standing alone on the big stage, looking down at all the disappointed faces, some more, some less.

The smile quickly fell from my lips as I watched everyone leave the room. I had no idea if I still had the CEO's spot, but I doubted it. The whole area was empty until the only person still standing in the same place was Y/N in her dress. Waiting for me, ready to give me a hug, although this was probably the wrong time. A sad smile twitched on her lips, then she shook her head slowly and followed the people out of the room. Her heels become quieter with every step she took. That was the last time I saw her that evening.

From then until I got back to the hotel room, nothing much happened. I didn't find Ron nor Marcus. Nobody spoke to me, yet everyone looked at me. We all started to make our way home, the evening not going as well as it should and question marks dangling over all our heads. Only when I dropped onto the bed did I let out the stress that was boiling in my organs. I didn't shed a tear, but my eyes ran red and I ruffled my hair without realising it. Tore the tie off my neck in agony.

My expression masked by a veil of disappointment and misery. The whole evening felt like a bitter reminder of my failure. Losing the coveted spot I so sure was mine.

Not a single second could I stop replaying the events in my mind, thoughts running in circles. The eager anticipation that had filled the room, the whispers of congratulations that never reached my ears. Instead, I was met with cold glances and hushed conversations as I walked through the crowd. Wondering if one of them was about Y/N.

I didn't deserve that, or maybe I did. Perhaps it was my own fault, for letting myself fall for Y/N. Then again, it was worth falling for her.

A ping sounded from my phone, I couldn't have cared less if it hadn't been her name that lit up.

Y/N:
Sorry things didn't work out the way you wanted them too...
11:56 pm.

It was the only message. Even though she was still typing afterwards, nothing more reached me that evening. At the same time, I hadn't replied. Too tired and stressed to answer her.

Sleep was probably the only thing that could have kept my thoughts distracted, had I been able to. But none of my eyes really wanted to close without me looking down at all the disappointed faces again. It was a night full of agony, which nevertheless passed more quickly than I realised and the sun shone through the curtains.
It was supposed to be a better day, it should have been...

~What a crap part. But I've just realised that I haven't posted anything for two months, so there you go. Now it's not yet certain who will get the CEO position.~