*Click* *Clack* *Click* *Clack* *Click* *Clack*
The rhythmic symphony on the last floor of the building that was the headquarter of Arland Group was from two different kinds of footsteps created with high heels striking against the smooth ground, one steady, and the other clear.
The first footstep belonging to Grace, Alex's mother, was calm, just like the woman's presence, and like a deep lake, encompassed and swallowed the sharpness behind her.
Both her and Leyna, the owner of the second footstep, were dressed in lady suits that brought out more of their own temperaments.
As they reached their destination, Leyna stepped before Grace to open the door that led to the conference room.
The inside was large, with a sober design neither too bright nor too dull, and far from empty. The most prominents occupants of the room sat around the most striking piece of furniture inside, a heavy table that was long and oval.
Some were casual, some were composed, but the one who attracted Grace's eyes with the unmistakable sharpness he was radiating from his seat was Marten Lenner, the very same brother-in-law she had had an exchange of words with at the mansion with giant pillars reminiscent of Greek's temples a month ago.
His metallic blue eyes met Grace lake green eyes, before they parted, with none of the affection that should have been expected between family members in their gazes.
Grace's eyes moved to the other Lenner sitting across from Marten, Sigurd Lenner, meeting the latter's smiling modest blue eyes. He looked younger than Marten, his expression more casual as he sported a light smile at the corner of his lips.
Even as she surveyed the scene, Grace never paused in her steps. She went to take the seat at the head of the conference table, and swept her gaze over the rest of the assembly before opening the meeting:
"Let the meeting of the board of directors begin."
_ _ _
_ _ _
A few hours later, another item of the meeting was wrapped up, marked by the documents in front of the board directors being closed and pushed to the side.
Grace looked at the gathered assembly, and directed the meeting forward:
"Now that we are done reviewing the activities of this period, let us focus on the strategy of the Group, and if there is no problem, keep it unchanged for the next period."
The directors looked at each other. Some of them sported obscure meanings in their gazes as they observed and waited for something to happen, something they looked to be expecting, that they would not be surprised about.
Subtly or not, most gazes went on to linger on the directors with the weightiest surname present. Sigurd kept his casual smile, while Marten remained serious. It was another director to the latter's right who opened his mouth as he faced Grace:
"Chairman Lenner, according to the financial reports and market analysis, I think I'm not the only one to notice that Arland Group seems to be stagnating."
The director swept his gaze around, and continued with a steady tone barely covering his sharpness:
"Moreover, there has been a dip in the profits in the last dozen quarters. So, maybe, you owe us an explanation, Chairman."
Grace looked at the rest, some of whom were calm, and some who were avoiding her gaze, then moved her gaze to Marten, before resting it on the director who spoke. Her expression didn't changed, and she asked calmly in response to the somewhat accusatory words:
"Is that why some are skirting the strategy agreed upon by the board of directors for the Group's operations and investment?"
The faces of many directors flickered before returning to normal.
The director beside Marten Lenner's expression didn't change. He kept his eyes on Grace and retorted with intensity in his tone:
"Chairman, you said skirting, not outright going against the strategy of the Group, so that is not enough reason for you to avoid the subject I raised up, won't you say so? I think having occupied the seat at the head of the Group for a long time, your management has become rigid, just like the position of the Group on the market now, and there is a need for something different… for someone different, to push the Group forward."
Grace showed no surprise. She only questioned:
"I suppose someone like Marten?"
And the director nodded with no nervousness, and no intention of backing down:
"Yes, like director Marten Lenner. And many will agree with me on that, because it is thanks to him that the performance of the Group has not declined as much as it should have."
Grace turned to her brother-in-law:
"Is that so?"
Marten's expression didn't waver, neither refuting nor acknowledging the words of the one beside him. And he did not reply to Grace either.
Grace's lake green eyes showed no fluctuation. She nodded lightly, then swept her eyes around:
"I'm happy that everyone here is more driven and ambitious than the heir of the Group…"
Marten showed a slight frown on his face, but before anyone could interject, Grace corrected her words:
"Or rather, the prospective heir to the chair of the Group. Not being content is necessary to support the desire for advancement."
The room quieted down, and the silence grew to carry a pervasive weight not too oppressive, but decidedly there.
Grace's words brought no smile despite sounding like praise and acknowledgment. And indeed, in the next moment, her words took a turn as she calmly spat out a conjunctive:
"However, jeopardizing the strategy of the Group with single-minded focus on immediate gains and personal ambition is unacceptable."
Sweeping her eyes around, she shifted from targeting one person and continued:
"We are one of the biggest Groups in the world, a giant on the market, and we are past blindly pursuing performance and profits. What Arland Group is after, should be after, is longevity. Remember that the wind never stops, and we must not either, not if we want to keep our place."
The conference table suddenly seemed very interesting, as the directors lowered their gazes to admire its luster, especially as Grace's calm presence flooded the room, and her eyes moved to Marten.