Suddenly, the door swung open, sending an electric shock of surprise throughout the conference room. For a brief moment, the room fell silent.
Every pair of eyes in the room swiveled towards us, wide with disbelief.
Bennett strode confidently inside, his face a storm cloud, and took his place at the head of the table. I followed closely behind, taking my seat beside my father on the right.
Bennett's icy gaze swept the room, and I noticed a few attendees shrink back, trying desperately to become invisible, daring not to meet his eyes.
Finally, Bennett's stare settled on Kemp for a few moments before he spoke with a hint of scorn in his voice, "Well, has Kemp's little pow-wow concluded?"
Kemp's face turned beet red, his adam's apple bobbing as he struggled to find his voice, but no sound came out.
Seeing Kemp's pathetic state, Bennett withdrew his gaze dismissively and cut straight to the chase. "Since everyone's here, let's get started. I'm not one to beat around the bush, and I certainly don't have time to waste listening to gripes. If you've got a problem, speak up. No more skulking around behind my back. I don't appreciate people barging into my office, so I'm giving you one shot, one hour. After that, you're out of luck. As you know, VitalAxis Pharmaceuticals isn't my usual stomping ground, and I won't be lingering here. Kemp was right about one thing, though..."
He paused, his chilling gaze sweeping over the crowd. "No one's going to oust me. Not a chance."
The room was a sea of exchanged glances, but silence prevailed.
Bennett's presence was formidable, his eyes alone enough to command reticence.
He fixed Kemp with another look. "Since Kemp seems to have the most to say, let's hear it from him first."
With his name called out, Kemp's expression soured even further. He scanned the room, seeing nothing but cautious deference, and his frustration boiled over.
With a contemptuous snort and a growl of impatience, he barked, "What's with the silence? Trying to ride this out? Didn't we all agree to share our thoughts?"
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