Quite the Audacity
The spacious meeting room was abuzz with quiet murmurs and subdued laughter as the board of directors engaged in conversation among themselves.
Eren stood in the corner, reviewing Roman's schedule. He glanced at his watch, noting there were only two minutes left before the meeting was due to start, yet Roman was nowhere to be seen.
At precisely 9 am, the door swung open, and Roman entered, flanked by his secretary. The room fell silent, his commanding presence instantly demanding their attention.
He settled into his seat at the head of the table.
"Shall we begin?" Roman said, foregoing any pleasantries.
The CFO, a poised young woman in her early twenties, cleared her throat, promptly initiating the financial overview.
She gestured toward the screen. "Since the launch of the new product, we've observed an impressive 29 percent increase in profits—"
"You mean 29.8," Roman interjected, casually spinning a pen between his fingers.
She checked the screen again, which displayed a 29 percent increase, then returned her gaze to Roman.
"It's actually 29 percent, Mr. Ashford," she corrected, her gaze drifting to the kiss mark on Roman's collar. "I believe you have something right here." She indicated her own collar with a subtle smile, her teeth gleaming white.
"Your current responsibility is to deliver an accurate and comprehensive report of the company's financial status, not to comment on my attire," Roman replied, his tone icy, his expression unchanging.
The woman's smile broadened slightly. "Of course, Mr. Ashford. And that is precisely what I was doing," she said, redirecting her focus to the screen.
The board members exchanged glances, taken aback by her audacity; few would dare to address Roman in such a manner. It was either the woman was an arrogant fool who didn't know her place or a brave fool.
Roman's smirk resembled a sly devil's as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his fingers interlacing.
"Mr. Anthony appointed you to this position, correct?" Roman inquired, though it sounded more like a statement. She affirmed with a 'yes.'
Roman rose from his seat and made his way to the door.
"This board meeting is adjourned until the CFO can present an accurate review of the company's financial performance," he announced, exiting the room with his secretary and Eren in tow.
...
After her final class, Alana stepped out of the lecture hall feeling utterly spent. She made a quick stop at the restroom to freshen up her makeup before heading out to hail a cab.
As she waited, someone called her name. She dismissed it, assuming it was meant for someone else who shared her name.
"Alana," the voice called again, this time just behind her.
She spun around, her surprise mingling with delight at the sight of the familiar face.
"Oh my God, Troy!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with excitement.
"I never imagined I'd run into you in New York,"Troy said, his smile warm. "You've changed since we last met. Your hair has grown quite a bit, and it suits you," he observed, his eyes lingering on her long, wavy tresses.
With a shy blush, warming her cheek up, Alana tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Thanks," she murmured.
"I'm supposed to meet someone. Can I get your contact so we can talk later?" Troy asked as he brought out his phone.
"Sure." Alana took the phone from him, typed in her number, and handed it back.
Troy saved her number before pocketing his phone again.
"I'll text you," he said, and Alana nodded before he started to walk away.
Alana remained in the same spot, watching his broad back as he moved away with a distant look.
She had been betrothed to marry Troy when she turned twenty, until three years ago when her mother abruptly called off the engagement, insisting it was no longer what she wanted. This decision had been made solely by her mother and stepfather.
She vividly recalled how furious she was the night she found out.
Rain lashed out side the building, thunder clashing like a chorus of angry roars.
Alana flinched with each thunderclap, her spoon clattering against the table for the fifth time that night.
Her mother glanced up from her plate, where she was meticulously cutting her steak, and chewed in silence.
Her stepfather said nothing, his irritation evident in the tense movements of his jaw as he chewed.
Only the three of them were at the dining table since her stepsister was still in the hospital following her operation.
As the thunder boomed again, Alana's spoon slipped from her grasp once more.
"Is it so hard for you to hold your spoon?" her mother, Stephanie, asked coldly, annoyance in her voice.
"I'm not doing it on purpose, Mom."
Stephanie scoffed and sipped from her wine glass. "I don't care, just stop it," she ordered. Setting the glass down, she continued, "Anyway, your father and I have called off your marriage to Troy."
Alana's head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock.
"You've done what?" Her voice rose in disbelief.
"It's for your best interest, so be grateful for once in your worthless life," Stephanie snapped.
Chuckling mockingly, Alana stood abruptly, the chair scraping loudly across the floor.
"My best interest, huh?" she retorted, her glare shifting between her stepfather and mother. "The only thing you two care about is seeing me suffer." Her words were like venom.
Her mother gasped, her face contorting in anger. She rose and strode over to Alana, delivering a resounding slap to her cheek.
Alana crumpled to the floor from the force of the blow.
Her stepfather set down his cutlery with a clink and stood. Alana tensed as she heard the sound of his shoes approaching.
He sighed, squatting down in front of her. She stiffened further when his hand reached out, brushing her hair from her face to tuck it behind her ear.
"Your mother has grown soft on you," he remarked.
"She—" Stephanie began.
"Hush," he silenced her with a raised finger.
"But not to worry," he continued, his grip tightening in her hair, eliciting a whimper from Alana as he forcefully made her face him.
"I'll start teaching you how to behave very soon," he said, his eyes settled on her red cheek and bruised lower lip.
He left her hair standing up before leaving the dinning room.
"Miss Gates," Alana was snapped out of her daze when she heard someone call her followed by a gentle tap on her shoulder.
She turned around to see Roman's driver.
"Mr Ashford asked me to take you back home after your classes miss," the man said, as he held open the car door for her.
Alana had been so lost in her thoughts that she did not even notice when he pulled up. She nodded and entered the car. The man closed the door and entered the drivers seat, starting the engine.
....
Seated behind his desk, Roman was reviewing the project that the research team had just sent in when a wave of a headache hit him.
He shut his eyes, massaging his temples. Eren, who was sitting across from him sorting out some files, frowned upon noticing his expression.
"When was the last time you had a good night's sleep?" Eren asked.
"Two days ago," Roman replied, his forehead slightly furrowed due to the headache.
"Go home and get some rest. I'll finish up the work here."
Here is the revised version of the text with improved grammar, phrasing, and flow:
Roman shook his head, refusing. "It's still too early. I wouldn't be able to sleep now even if I tried."
"Then take your sleeping pills; that should help," Eren suggested.
"I took the last dose three days ago," Roman replied.
"And you didn't think it would be wise to inform me?" Eren questioned.
Roman raised a brow at Eren. "Stop treating me like a child. Do you think I have thanks time to remember such simple things?"
Eren sighed in frustration at Roman's careless attitude towards his health. Despite Roman's calm and collected demeanor, he struggled with insomnia, a fact known only to himself, Ryan, and Roman's Grandfather.
Unfazed, Eren didn't falter as he continued to persuade Roman to go home. After much persuasion, Roman finally agreed, and Eren called his driver to take him home.
Eren made sure to stop by the hospital to collect his recommended sleeping pills from his doctor, which he then delivered to Roman before returning to the office to finish up the work Roman had left behind.
Roman pushed the door open and entered the room, his face contorted in discomfort as another wave of headache hit him before subsiding slightly.
His eyes fell on the bathroom door, and he strode over towards it. His hand reached for the doorknob and began pushing it, but he stopped when he noticed a figure inside.
The door was made of glass, making it slightly transparent to the extent that one could make out a figure inside, but not transparent enough to reveal much.
He slowly closed the door, retracting his hands before entering his closet instead.
Staring at his reflection in the mirror, he observed his slightly dull eyes.
Retrieving the sleeping pill container from his pocket, he gazed at it with a distant look before taking a single pill. He dropped the container into the drawer before leaving the closet.
He slowly closed the door, withdrawing his hands before stepping into the closet.
Staring at his reflection, he examined his tired eyes. Retrieving the sleeping pills container from his pocket, he gazed at it pensively before selecting a single pill. Placing the container on the drawer, he hesitated before leaving the room.