Chapter 32: Action Stefan
The next morning, the tension in the conference room was thick enough to cut through.
Papers rustled, pens tapped against notepads, and the quiet hum of whispered discussions filled the space.
Ruby sat beside Stefan, her fingers flipping through one of the many contracts sprawled across the table. Everyone from the legal team was present, their brows furrowed in concentration as they combed through the ten-year lease agreement with the troublesome Mr Sherlock.
Every now and then, one of the lawyers would point out a clause, murmur a possible lead, or scribble down a note. The urgency in the room was palpable—this wasn’t just another corporate strategy meeting. This was a mission, a desperate search for a legal lifeline to sever ties with a man whose negligence was endangering lives.
Ruby glanced at Stefan, who sat still beside her, his jaw tight, eyes hidden behind dark glasses. Even though he couldn’t see the chaos of documents in front of him, he was clearly tuned in to every word being said. Naomi stood on the other side of the table, flipping through pages of older contracts, highlighting differences between the drafts.
"It’s got to be here," muttered one of the senior attorneys. "There has to be a clause on safety violations or breach of operational standards..."
Just then, the heavy wooden door to the conference room slammed open with a loud bang, startling everyone. All heads turned sharply as Richard Winters stormed in, his face flushed with anger and disbelief.
"What the hell is going on here?" he barked, eyes sweeping across the room until they landed on Stefan.
The lawyers froze, unsure whether to speak or retreat. Ruby stiffened, her back straightening as she closed the folder in front of her.
Stefan didn’t flinch. Calmly, he turned his head toward the sound of his uncle’s voice and said, "Exactly what you think, Uncle. We’re going through the contract, again."
Richard took a step forward, fury radiating off of him. "You’re going to ruin everything we’ve built with this foolishness," he snapped. "That man is one of our best-paying investors. You can’t just kick him out over some drama stirred up by workers."
Ruby stood up, her voice calm but firm. "Drama?" she repeated. "What we saw yesterday wasn’t drama—it was disaster. People are getting hurt. Someone is in the hospital, fighting for his life. And you want us to sit back and pretend like everything’s fine just because you care more about the money than the people?"