chapter324
The morning executive meeting commenced at 10:30 AM. Thalassa had prepared the room to perfection, standing by the door as the senior VPs filed in.
Lysander arrived late, his presence accompanied by a drop in the room’s temperature. Even without looking directly at him, Thalassa could feel the sharp edge of his mood. He moved with a predatory grace, the tension radiating from him making every person in the room sit straighter.
“Good morning, sir,” she said as he passed. He gave her a singular, intense glance before taking his seat at the head of the table.
The meeting was a masterclass in high-pressure management. Lysander was uncompromising, his critiques sharp and his standards absolute. He dismantled several proposals with a clinical efficiency that left the room in a state of stunned silence. Thalassa managed the multimedia presentations with silent precision, aware that today, even a minor glitch would be met with severe consequences.
When the meeting concluded, the executives departed with uncharacteristic haste. Thalassa remained to reorganize the room. As she worked, David approached her, his expression a mix of curiosity and amusement.
“You have a unique talent for affecting the President’s temperament, Thalassa,” David noted quietly.
“I was simply fulfilling my duty,” she replied, not looking up from the files. “I returned the vehicle he provided. I didn't realize that following protocol would cause such a stir.”
David chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Returning a gesture of that magnitude from a man like Sinclair isn't just following protocol—it’s a statement. Most people would have spent the morning celebrating; you spent it reinforcing your boundaries.”
He left the room with a cryptic smile, leaving Thalassa alone with her thoughts. She didn't view it as a statement of defiance, but one of self-respect.
During her lunch break, she headed to the nearby commercial district. She intended to find an exact replacement for the coat Leopold had lent her—a final step in closing the chapters of the past so she could focus entirely on her future.