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They all turned and striding toward them was Eleanor Westwood herself, the CEO of Waterfall Corporation. Her presence was like a storm rolling in–calm, powerful, and intimidating all at once.
Marcus froze, the color draining from his face. “Ms. Westwood,” he stammered, his confident demeanor faltering. “I–uh–this… This young man was causing a disturbance. I was just handling it.”
Eleanor’s sharp eyes flicked between Marcus and Allvar. “Causing a disturbance?” Her voice was icy, her gaze settling on Marcus with thinly veiled contempt. “Mr. Falck is here as my guest.”
Allvar felt a wave of relief wash over him as Eleanor stepped between him and the guards. She looked at Marcus with a steely gaze that could cut through iron. “Tell me, Marcus,” she continued, her tone dangerously low, “since when do you have the authority to decide who enters this building? Because last time I checked, that’s my decision.”
Marcus swallowed, trying to regain his composure. “I… I didn’t realize he was with you, Ms. Westwood. He just-”
“He just what?” Eleanor snapped, cutting him off. “You assumed you could treat him like trash because he didn’t meet your superficial standards? Is that how you represent my company?”
Marcus looked like he wanted to melt into the floor. “N–no, of course not. I-”
“Enough.” Eleanor’s voice was final, her patience clearly gone. She turned to the guards, her expression unreadable. “Stand down. Mr. Falck is with me.”
The guards nodded and quickly backed off, leaving Marcus to fend for himself.
Eleanor turned to Marcus, her eyes hardening as she stepped closer. “You’ve overstepped your boundaries for the last time, Marcus,” she said, her voice low and dangerous. “Not only have you embarrassed yourself, but you’ve tarnished this company’s reputation.”
Marcus fumbled, his usual cocky expression dissolving into one of panic. “Ms. Westwood, please, it was a misunderstanding! I-”
“Misunderstanding?” Eleanor interrupted, her tone icy. “You treated Mr. Falck with nothing but contempt. You insulted him, belittled him, and acted as if you had the authority to throw him out of this building. Tell me, Marcus, do you think your position gives you the right to abuse others?”
Marcus’s eyes darted around the lobby, desperate for a way out. “I… I was just trying to follow protocol.”
“Protocol?” Eleanor raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Don’t insult my intelligence, Marcus. You were trying to cover up your incompetence. Well, guess what? It ends today.” She pulled out her phone, her fingers tapping rapidly on the screen.
Allvar, standing silently beside her, watched in awe as Eleanor’s calm fury unfolded. He’d never seen someone so powerful and unflinching, and he couldn’t help but admire her.
“What… what are you doing?” Marcus stammered, his voice shaky.
Eleanor looked up, her eyes glinting with satisfaction. “I’m pulling up the evidence.”
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Marcus blanched. “Evidence? What evidence?”
“The evidence,” Eleanor said slowly, “that proves you’ve been manipulating the hiring process. It wasn’t enough to just insult Mr. Falck, was it? No, you had to ensure that others like him didn’t even stand a chance. You’ve been accepting bribes from applicants, haven’t you, Marcus ?”
Marcus’s face turned pale. “T–That’s not true! You can’t just-”
“I can,” Eleanor cut him off, raising her phone for him to see. On the screen were emails, receipts, and wire transfers–clear evidence of Marcus’s corruption. And I will. This is going straight to the authorities. You’re finished, Marcus.”
The color drained from Marcus’s face as he stumbled back. “Please, Ms. Westwood… I–I made a mistake. I didn’t mean for it to go this far. I swear, it won’t happen again.”
Eleanor’s gaze was unforgiving. “You’ve jeopardized everything this company stands for. Do you think I’ll just let that slide?”
Marcus fell silent, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, but no words came.
Eleanor turned to one of the security guards who had previously approached Allvar. “Escort Mr. Vale off the premises. He’s no longer an employee of Waterfall Corporation.”
