Chapter 645
Jarred’s icy gaze swept over every terrified, rigid face in the room.
An invisible pressure instantly gripped everyone’s hearts.
A chill ran down their spines as the crowd instinctively took a collective half-step back.
A mocking smirk played on his lips, his voice low and lazy, yet utterly intimidating.
“Right now, I am speaking to you all as the heir of the Sterling family. If you feel this title lacks authority p>
His gaze turned somber, radiating a bone-chilling cold. “I wouldn’t mind putting my uniform back on to have this conversation p>
The color drained from the faces of everyone in the room.
Absolute silence fell, with no one daring to breathe too loudly.
Jarred noted the unconcealed fear in their eyes, and his smirk deepened.
“Just because I haven’t mentioned the dirty laundry you’re all hiding doesn’t mean I’m unaware of it. If I truly started digging p>
His predatory gaze crushed over them once more.
“Every single one of you in this room today wouldn’t walk out of here unscathed p>
The dozen or so people in the conference room froze, entirely motionless.
No one dared utter a single word of rebuttal or make the slightest movement.
They all clearly remembered Jarred’s ruthless, uncompromising methods.
Jarred cast one final glance at the figure slumped on the floor before turning toward the door.
He paused at the threshold and tilted his head, the light from the window catching the sharp, handsome lines of his profile.
“Until the results are out, if I hear a single word I don’t like, you can kiss your tongues goodbye p>
The door clicked shut behind him.
The executives remained rooted to the spot, paralyzed by fear.
A suffocating wave of dread swept through the room.
Only the sound of their hammering heartbeats echoed faintly in the dead silence.
Declan Ward had been waiting by the door.
Seeing Jarred emerge, he quickly stepped forward to report, his tone a bit more relaxed. “Mr. Sterling, everything has been handled
Sienna, whom you asked to wait outside earlier, should still be in the first-floor lobby p>
Jarred relaxed his grip, the violent storm in his eyes slowly fading.
The cold indifference rarely faded from the face of a man who had long held immense power and authority.
A faint glimmer of hope surfaced in his heart—one so weak he barely wanted to acknowledge it himself.
He had deliberately asked Sienna to leave the room earlier.
First, he didn’t want her facing the vicious insults of these greedy vultures nor did he want her dragged into their filthy disputes.
Second, he harbored a tiny, pathetic wish.
He had cleared every obstacle in her path and crushed the board’s attempts to make things difficult for her.
Even if it couldn’t earn him her forgiveness, surely she would at least be willing to wait for him quietly for a moment.
It would give him an excuse to drive her back to the villa and ease the tension between them.
Even just looking at her back or sharing a brief moment of peace.
To him, it would be a rare comfort.
He adjusted his slightly messy cuffs, shedding his murderous aura, and stepped steadily into the elevator.
When he reached the first-floor lobby, his gaze instinctively swept toward the window seats, but they were completely empty.
The only trace of her presence was an untouched, stone-cold glass of water left on the table by the receptionist.
A security guard standing nearby noticed Declan’s signal and hurried over, bowing his head to report the truth.
“Mr. Sterling, Ms. Sloan left with Ms. Stanton about five minutes ago. She didn’t leave a message, nor did she seem to have any intention of any intention of waiting p>
A ringing sound echoed in his ears.
That secret, fragile hope shattered instantly, replaced by a bitter chill.
His efforts to step up and protect her felt like nothing more than an irrelevant, one-man show in her eyes.
Declan watched the man’s expression darken, the air around him growing terrifyingly heavy, and tentatively asked a question.