The Trillionaire They Taunted

Fear Of the Unknown

A sudden silence took over, sweeping across the hall.

But it could barely last for a few seconds before murmuring took over.

“Does it mean that Mr. Sterling will be fired?”

“He has only been the Manager of Prime Tech for three years. How come?”

“How does that stranger know about this?”

There were too many questions that needed to be answered, the eyes in the crowd demanding an immediate response.

Soon, the inquisitions were echoing inside Charles’s mind, causing him to shake his head.

“That’s enough!” He roared at Brian, breathing fury.

“Take this liar out of this place! He knows nothing!”

“You are the one who has refused to say the truth, Charles Sterling.” Brian was in another mode.

He was not just speaking with confidence, he was speaking with authority.

His eyes spread toward the two guards standing bemused in front of him, then he exhaled sharply.

“Prime Tech is about to have a new Manager. I am sure you wouldn’t want to be fired when he finally arrives. This company pays you too well for you to mess things up for yourselves.”

The guards looked at each other, silently pondering Brian’s words.

For the umpteenth time, they to Charles, but he still didn’t look like he was going to spill the truth.

“How do you know this, Sir?” One of them asked as soon as he returned his gaze to Brian, eyes wide with curiosity.

“Trust me. I do…” Brian’s response was unsatisfactory, but since Charles had said nothing, the guards knew not what to do.

They just stared at the stranger with very sensitive information, silence gradually taking over them.

Arya drifted closer to Brian, and then she grabbed his left arm.

“Listen to me, Brian…” She whispered, leaning closer to his ear.

“I don’t think you should continue with this misleading information. Prime Tech could sue us for this…” Her tone began to break at the last words, her eyes begging for Brian’s silence.

“No one is suing us, Arya,” Brian said with a firm tone, and then he pointed to Charles.

“He knows that I speak the truth. That is why he has not been able to counter my words.”

Arya took a deep breath, and then she turned to Charles.

She observed him for a while, scanning through his silence and body language.

Though he seemed like he was still holding onto his valor, there was something different about his posture.

Charles was standing like an oak tree that was battling the force of the wind.

His feet changed from one position to the other, but none seemed like it was suitable for his crashing body.

The weight of the apprehension that gripped him was becoming unbearable, beads of sweat gradually spreading across his forehead.

He watched Brian march toward him, yet he couldn’t say a word.

Everyone watched, their shock echoing even in the silence.

“I know you are dumbfounded, Charles…” Brian said only to the Manager’s hearing, then he cleared his throat before he continued.

“But I believe we can come to a mutual understanding.” He moved his eyes to Charles’s visage, savoring his doused expression.

“Just let me through, and we don’t need to expose the skeletons in your cupboard. I know about your money-laundering case. I know everything.”

Charles’s breath hung inside his chest, and his heart began to pound violently against his ribcage.

His bulging eyes were focused on Brian, his fingers shaking as though someone was dragging them with invisible ropes.

“Who are you?” He asked, his voice low and breaking.

“That is of no importance, Charles…” Brian chuckled softly, and then he took two steps backward.

“Just let me through, and I will pretend as though I know nothing, alright?”

He sniggered, his smirk intact as he stared at the Manager.

Charles said nothing, but it didn’t look like he was left with any choice.

He had a reputation to protect, his mind still pondering about the identity of the stranger standing before him.

A few seconds later, Romeo drifted closer to him, bending before he could speak to him.

“Why are you so quiet, Mr. Sterling? We should be talking about sending this imposter out of this place so that we can proceed!”

He waited and waited, then his expression fell.

Obviously, his scowl was going to waste, slowly replaced by a collapsed expression.

“What’s going on?” He asked, his voice barely able to hold still.

Charles turned to him, then he cleared his throat.

“I think you should let this man in, Mr. Jones. I see no reason why we can’t allow one person in. The hall is large enough to contain all of us.”

“What?!” Romeo’s eyes glittered with disbelief, his mouth agape while he stared at the middle-aged man.

“You are joking. This has to be a joke…” He looked around as though he was in search of something, returning his gaze when he still couldn’t find whatever it was that came to his mind.

“You were about to tell your guards to haul him out. What changed?!” His voice was dripping with disappointment, coupled with a little annoyance.

“Nothing changed, Mr. Jones. Just let the young man in…”

“But..”

“No buts!” Charles barked, pointing Romeo in the face.

His outburst had sent the other man into silence, causing him to stare with wide eyes.

“We are done with this conversation, Romeo. We have a very important event to carry out, and I will not spend so much time, dealing with such an insignificant issue.”

Charles sighed heavily, and then he gave Brian one long look before he turned and disappeared into the hallway behind him.

His guards followed him at once, each increasing his pace as they tried to catch up with him.

Everyone watched, and jaws dropped even after he was out of sight.