The glass doors shut with a muted click behind me. The conference room stretched wide, its long table polished to a gleam, a reflection of the soft ceiling lights overhead. A tray of water glasses and a pot of coffee sat waiting at one end, untouched.
I took my seat at the head of the table. Elena stood at my side, her hands folded lightly in front of her. She stayed quiet, but her presence was steady. It was her first time in this room. I wondered if she noticed how people watched her before pulling their attention back to me.
The others filtered in. Cory arrived last, his tie loosened as if it were an afterthought, his stride easy. He offered a smile to no one in particular before settling opposite me. He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping a lazy rhythm against the armrest.
Two executives joined us. Harrow, head of finance, gray streaks in his hair, sharp eyes hidden behind rectangular glasses. Beside him sat Lane, director of operations, neat in presentation but already rifling through papers with nervous energy. They greeted me with clipped nods before opening their folders.
The air settled. Harrow adjusted his glasses, then began.
"…Weekly revenue shows a slight increase from last quarter…" His tone was steady, numbers rolling off his tongue as if memorized. "…client retention is holding at seventy-eight percent, though two contracts are under review. The marketing budget has remained within target."
Lane shifted in his seat, cutting in before Harrow could finish. "…but operational costs are pressing higher than expected. We've had delays in procurement, and two shipments last week arrived incomplete. This will need revisiting if we want to maintain the profit margin."
I listened without moving. The weight of the room was familiar, the hum of reports and statistics layered with quiet tension.
Cory broke the rhythm, his voice lighter. "So we're up slightly, down slightly. A neat balancing act. If I were new here, I'd think we planned it that way." His smile curved as if to soften the words.
Lane shot him a glance, uncertain whether to laugh or stay silent. Harrow cleared his throat and pressed on. "…If adjustments are made, projections suggest a stronger close to the quarter."
I tapped a finger against the table once, a small signal for him to pause. Silence settled. My eyes shifted briefly to Elena. She stood composed, her gaze lowered to the surface of the table. The folder in her arms stayed tight against her chest. She had heard everything, but gave nothing away.
Harrow leaned back slightly, waiting for me to speak. Lane's papers rustled as he reorganized them, eager for direction.
Cory leaned forward now, his smile thinner. "Tell me, Damian, are you satisfied with 'slight increases' and 'manageable costs'? Because if you are, maybe we should redefine ambition."
I held his gaze for a moment. He thrived on reaction. I didn't give him one.
"The point," I said evenly, "isn't satisfaction. It's stability. Stability first, growth next. Stability is what keeps us here."
My words hung in the air. Harrow nodded faintly, relieved. Lane muttered something about projections again, his tone soft.
Cory smirked, sitting back once more. "Stability, yes. Always your favorite word." He didn't argue further.
The meeting continued. Numbers, charts, risk assessments. Each voice layered into the rhythm of the room. I let them speak, only cutting in when clarity was needed.
"…client negotiations are ongoing…"
"…logistics will require revising by next quarter…"
"…a minor increase in overhead costs projected…"
The chatter blurred at times, but I remained still, listening. Elena's presence stayed in my periphery, quiet but grounding. She didn't belong to this room, yet her silence carried more weight than some voices at the table.
When Harrow wrapped up with his final note on projected growth, I leaned back slightly. My eyes shifted to Cory again. He seemed half-bored, but his glance toward Elena did not escape me. Quick, casual, yet deliberate.
I straightened. "The reports stand. Adjustments will be made. We'll revisit progress by next week."
Chairs shifted as people prepared to leave. Lane gathered his papers in a rush. Harrow closed his folder with precision. Cory remained seated, his smile lazy but his eyes sharper now.
I rose, and so did Elena. She followed my step, composed, quiet. For a moment, I wondered what she thought of this room, these exchanges. But she gave me nothing, and I didn't ask.
The meeting dissolved into footsteps and murmured goodbyes. Cory's voice trailed last as he pushed his chair back. "Always efficient, brother. Always so… steady."
I didn't turn.
The doors opened, then shut, leaving the room quiet once more.