Chapter 31
At that moment Malisa pushed the door open, and Cora followed her into the meeting room. It wasn’t a grand conference hall more like an intimate boardroom with a long oval table yet it could comfortably seat fifteen people if every chair was filled. Still, even in a modest space, Malisa’s presence settled at the head of the table like a crown. She carried herself with unspoken authority, and it was clear to anyone who walked in that she ran this room.
Polished wood gleamed under the gentle ceiling lights, and a subtle scent of fresh coffee lingered in the air.
The walls displayed framed posters of blockbuster films and top-rated dramas an echo of MK Entertainment’s proud history. Cora scanned the titles, noting how many of them starred Samuel Callum. The irony was not lost on her.
Malisa set Cora handbag down and clicked her pen twice, a nervous habit she hadn’t shaken since her intern days. "Ma, Cora," she said, "I left the contract files on my desk. They have Samuel’s latest demands. I need you to see them before we start."
"No problem," Cora replied. "Go fetch them. I’ll get a feel for the room."
Malisa shot her a grateful look, then walked briskly back through the doorway. The soft thud of her heels faded down the hall, leaving Cora alone with the quiet hum of the air-conditioning.
Seconds ticked by. The door handle clicked again. Cora turned, expecting Malisa with a stack of folders but instead, three people swept into the room. Leading them was Samuel Callum himself, every inch the superstar. His tailored jacket hugged his broad shoulders, and his confident stride suggested he already owned the place. Behind him came a tall, lean man in a sharp gray suit and a poised woman in a navy blazer, each carrying tablets tucked under their arms.
Samuel paused two steps inside, scanning the walls the same way Cora had, though his eyes lingered on his own posters with a faint, smug curve of the lips. He didn’t notice Cora at first. He slid a chair back, sat at the far end of the table directly opposite where Melissa’s files would have been and reclined as if he’d chosen a throne.
At that moment the man in gray opened his mouth, but Samuel lifted one hand, palm out. "I’ll speak for myself," he said, voice smooth but edged with steel. His gaze swept to Cora just as Malisa hurried back through the doorway, folders clutched to her chest.