♡𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒇𝒊𝒂 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒑𝒍𝒆♡

The Hollow Throne

Author's POV

The atmosphere in the Lee Corporation boardroom was usually one of calculated power and expensive cologne.

All the board members, were sitting professionally, in their sharp bespoke suits, in the meeting room-waiting.

Today, it felt like a pressurized chamber. The directors were lined up, ready for the auspicious meeting about to take place, to meet the representatives of Aethelgard Tech - the German conglomerate Company that held the key to their five-year expansion plan.

It was a marketing deal of Four hundred billion dollars between the Aethelgard Tech and Lee Corporation.

It was about to raise the standards of the company too high to reach - just like the attitude of the board members who were proud enough to handle and get such a Deal WITHOUT "ANY" CEO.

Charlie, sitting at the head, his fingers steepled. He felt like a king.

For the first time, he wasn't looking at the back of YN's head or dealing with Jennie's erratic demands. He was the one in charge of the four-hundred-billion-dollar future.

The Board of Directors moved in a tight formation. Charlie was at the front, adjusting his silk tie for the tenth time, his face a mask of practiced confidence.

Behind him, Kyeong and four others checked their reflections in the glass, preparing their "victory" smiles for the German delegation.

Richard: This is it. Once the Aethelgard signatures are on that digital ledger, the market will forget any YN Lee or Jennie Kim ever existed. We prove the institution is bigger than the individual.

Kyeong: Of course. They had agreed for this meeting weeks ago. That just shows how trustworthy they find Lee Corporation.

Josh nodded, almost arrogantly.

Josh: All because of us. WE have made the company come so far.

The heavy, soundproof doors of the primary conference hall had been sealed for twenty minutes. Inside, the air conditioning hummed at a precise, expensive temperature, but the atmosphere was stifling.

Richard: Where is Director Mueller? We have the final contracts ready for review.

Sunghee: He must be on his way, Richard. You know Right, A German company, they can be a little late.

The digital clock on the wall flickered.

10:00 AM.
10:05 AM.
10:10 AM.

The doors, however, still didn't open to a welcoming committee of German executives. Instead, they buzzed and slid back to reveal a single, junior assistant from the Aethelgard delegation, standing alone in a room of untouched refreshments.

Charlie stood.

Charlie: Where is Director Muller?

The assistant looked at the row of polished suits with a cold, professional pity.

Assistant: Director Mueller and the entire team departed for the airport thirty minutes ago. They have formally withdrawn from the partnership negotiations.

A sudden gasp appeared in the whole board room.

Richard stood, frustrated.

Richard: WHAT THE HECK DO YOU MEAN "WITHDRAWN"??? That's impossible! We had a verbal agreement! They were thrilled about this merger!"

No line of finch appeared on the Assistant's face, as he spoke.

Assistant: They were thrilled about a merger with YN Lee's architecture, sir. Director Mueller was only informed this morning that she is no longer the CEO. He instructed me to tell you that Aethelgard does not invest in empty shells. They invest in the mind that built the machine.