In the meeting room, Grace Piao lightly tapped on the table as she waited for her sisters to arrive.
The room held a long, C-shaped table.
The center section was more elevated than the rest, and the opposite side had an open gap that allowed access to the inner area.
Other than the center chair, the seating arrangement placed those against the current way of things on one side, and those in support on the other.
But two chairs remained empty.
Even though it had been thirty minutes since the meeting was supposed to start.
The silence in the room had stretched for too long.
People began to grow restless.
Sensing this, Grace Piao signaled to her assistant.
The assistant stepped forward and addressed the room, allowing everyone to quietly go over the points that would be discussed when the meeting began.
Ten minutes later—
Grace's people remained calm.
Some were even planning what to focus on in the next meeting.
The same could not be said for the others.
They were visibly displeased with what was happening.
One man, in particular, had reached his breaking point.
Yet, relying on his age to restrain himself from a full outburst—and to remain within the protection this meeting provided—he began to speak.
His words were measured.
But his tone carried clear dissatisfaction.
"Is this really how the Piao family conducts this meeting?"
The old man nudged the person beside him, trying to draw attention to his words.
The old man only wanted a small bit of attention.
He didn't realize his voice had risen slightly above the others.
It wasn't loud.
But it was enough.
As his words fell, the room grew eerily quiet.
The surrounding discussions faded.
One by one.
Until nothing remained.
The old man didn't notice.
He continued speaking, unaware.
"Don't they know…?"
He rubbed his beard, shaking his head.
"How to respect other people's time?"
His tone carried clear disappointment.
Or at least, what seemed to be disappointment.