The scene in the boardroom was exactly as expected.
Chaotic.
Men and women who sat in their tailored business suits sat around the long, polished, rectangular, solid wood table in their high-back leather chairs.
Above them, circular chandeliers hung, glowing warmly, casting a soft, ambient light. Floor-to-ceiling windows line one side, revealing a hazy city skyline, allowing natural light to blend seamlessly with the interior's warm tones. The walls are finished with subtle panelling, complemented by minimalist décor that adds sophistication without distraction.
All of their eyes were fixed on their deputy CEO, Aliana Vanderbilt, as questions about her well-being were thrown at her one after another. But all the questions were effectively handled by her, Alester, and Jacob Grant, the current acting CEO of the company.
Jacob was a sharp man in his mid-thirties, with sleek dark green hair and dull yellow eyes. He had been working under Alester from a very young age, shaping him into one of the most polished personalities in the business world.
Jacob was fiercely loyal to Alester and had proven himself trustworthy enough to be appointed as the acting CEO five years ago.
Since then, he had managed the company well, maintaining its growth until Aliana reached the age to begin her training under him. It was a carefully planned transition, designed for her to take full charge of the empire in the near future.
Since then, he had been a staunch supporter of Aliana, always defending her against the board of directors whenever controversies arose, most of which were simply media exaggerations.
"I believe you've all been worried for nothing. This is a place to conduct business, not sit around like gossipmongers speculating on things that aren't true. As you can see, Deputy CEO, Miss Vanderbilt is back to her full health and ready to take charge, so let's not behave like the media, digging for something that isn't there." Jacob spoke firmly, seated opposite Aliana as his dull yellow eyes swept across the board.
"I agree with Jacob," Alester added from his seat at the head of the table. His voice filled with authority. "Let's remember that time is money, and we're wasting both by dwelling on matters that are the responsibility of the PR department."
Aliana, seated beside him, remained silent as her father and Jacob had already shut the board down. She knew she didn't need to say much; her mere presence was enough to silence both them and the baseless rumours questioning the sanity of her mind or her weak body.
"But, Mr. Chairman, what about Miss Vanderbilt's comments regarding Mr. Cillian Pierce?" one of the board members voiced, his tone laced with anxiety.
"There are already speculations that the accident was deliberate. I'm certain Mr. Pierce will retaliate, and the Archon Group will not take this lightly, especially since their stocks are already being affected."
"As I said, the PR department will handle it," Alester replied, his voice flat. " As for their stock…. well, isn't it a benefit to us that they are taking a hit? After all, we have borne the brunt of the market's volatility for the last month because of this accident. It's only fair that the scales are balanced."
"We have the World Business Conference coming up. Top companies from around the world will be putting their best foot forward, vying for billion-dollar projects that will be presented there. I suggest you leave these minor details for us to handle and continue preparing for the conference, as it is only two weeks away." Jacob added.
He then turned his dull yellow eyes towards Aliana, who met his gaze squarely.
"Moreover," he continued, "this is an ideal time for Miss Vanderbilt to reintroduce herself to the public. Her presence alone will help us regain our footing in the business world and emerge even stronger than before. Having the heir to the Van Empire active at the conference would only strengthen our chances of securing those contracts."
Jacob smirked, his dull yellow eyes searching hers, "What do you say, Miss Vanderbilt? Don't you agree?"
Aliana gave him a small professional nod and was about to reply when she froze on the spot.
Her light grey eyes shifted ever so slightly past Jacob, focusing on the space behind him. There stood a pale man with hollow black eyes and dark, bloodless lips staring at the other side of the boardroom.
At the sight of him, her pulse spiked violently. A chill ran down her spine as recognition clawed its way through her. The same unnatural presence… just like the woman in the hospital.
Ba-dum!
Her heart skipped a beat as the realisation hit her like a physical blow. She was looking at another…. ghost.
'No, no. no. This isn't happening to me. Not now!' Ali's thoughts spiralled as panic crept into her chest.
She remained frozen, unable to look away, as the man slowly began to turn… until he was facing her directly.
The moment their eyes met, he opened his mouth and a distorted, double-toned scream tore through the silence, "Release me!"
"JESUS!" Aliana shouted, lunging up from her seat, startling everyone in the entire boardroom, including her father.
Shock was etched across the faces of everyone at the table. Several board members who had been sipping their coffee leisurely choked and spat the liquid out through their nostrils.
Behind her, Nigel jumped so hard that the iPad he was using for his notes slipped from his grip and crashed to the ground. While James, standing beside him, remained frozen in shock.
Alester saw the look of unadulterated terror on his daughter's face before his eyes flickered towards the board members. Some of them were still coughing and gasping for air as they stared at her.
"Aliana?" Alester called in a calm, careful voice.
Aliana's heart thudded so loudly in her ears that it threatened to drown out his voice.
Slowly, she dragged her gaze away from the hollow-eyed man who remained standing there, now pointing a finger directly at her.
As her vision adjusted, she saw the bewildered expressions of the board members. She could read the silent, glaring questions in their eyes, doubting… whether she was really going insane.
Ignoring the ghost, she cleared her throat, "I-I mean… Jesus. Considering the scale of those projects, I'd say we could all use a little divine backup, right?" She offered the room a small, tight smile followed by a light, nervous chuckle.
Slowly, she lowered herself back into her seat and intertwined her delicate fingers on the polished table.
She took a discreet, deep breath, masking her terror with the composed expression of an heiress as she continued, "Sorry about that."
She cleared her throat once again and added, "I believe I have become a little too excited by the prospect of the World Business Conference. It is… always good to seek a higher power before… embarking on such a massive undertaking. I believe with his blessings, we will all do exceptionally well."
Pin drop silence followed.
It was as if the people just couldn't believe their ears, still processing the words the young heiress had just spoken.
'What the hell? Is the world ending?!'
'Did coming back from the jaws of death somehow turn her religious or something?'
Thoughts screamed in their minds, but none dared to speak them out loud.
Alester narrowed his eyes at his daughter, clearly suspicious.
While Jacob was the first to snap out of his shock and let out a light chuckle.
"Well, isn't that a wonderful thought? That's exactly what I was referring to!" Jacob launched into immediate damage control and shifted his gaze back to the stunned board and continued, "This is the kind of fire and enthusiasm I was talking about. We could all learn from the Deputy CEO, starting a massive new venture on such a positive, high-energy note is exactly what this company needs."
Alester cleared his throat after tearing his eyes away from his daughter back to the board to join Jacob in his damage control.
"That is correct. Like Jacob mentioned, we need this level of excitement as we strive for the best. With this renewed positivity, let us all give our best to finalise the preparations for the WBC. Isn't that right, Aliana?"
"R-right," she replied softly, still smiling while keeping her eyes fixed on her father this time. Refusing to look in the direction of the ghost looming behind Jacob.
Just then, James, who was finally recovering from his own near-heart attack, stepped forward. Leaning in, he whispered to Alester, "Sir, there's a call for you from Spain."
Alester gave him a curt nod before turning back to the board members. "I believe we all have much to attend to. So the meeting is adjourned," he announced, rising from his chair and fastening his coat button.
He looked towards Aliana with a neutral expression, "Come to my office later," he said.
When she gave him a nod, he walked out of the room, followed by the rest of the board members.
This left only Aliana and Jacob standing alone, along with Nigel, who moved with great speed to get some water for his boss.
As Aliana turned to leave, her movements were quick, as though she were trying to escape the room as fast as possible, when Jacob called out, "Aliana."