Chapter 47 CHAPTER 47: The Verdict
Hazel
I woke up to three missed calls from William. As I sat on my bed, a barrage of notifications filled my screen.
"When does this end"? I muttered as screenshots and the link to the sex tape of Williams and Emily flooded the media landscape. I had earlier read the frantic message sent by William last night which I only saw when I woke up in the morning.
William: Hazel, please, I am sure the first thing you will see and hear will be the sex scandal swirling around you. Please don't believe a word. That was a careless moment in college and a mistake that may hurt me for the rest of my life. I'm terribly sorry for the pain I have put you through these few days. I promise to make it up to you. Love you. His message read.
Williams had claimed that the tape was made when he was in college and, to my utmost surprise, I believed him. The William I knew was not careless. Everything he did was calculating, and I was sure the tape was not a recent one, so I did not lash out, although it pricked me a bit, seeing how everyone who in reality could not stand me or him, hid behind their keypads and typed all manner of things judging us.
I was called all manner of names for standing by him while some pitied me for the press conference. I had all sorts of emotions swirling inside of me. Then my phone buzzed, William's name flashing on the screen. My hand hovered over the accept button, the urge to hear his voice warring with the fear of what he might say. I couldn't bring myself to answer, the silence, a heavy weight was on my hand. I ignored the call and headed to the bathroom.
As the warm water cascaded down my body, I let myself go. I refused to think about anything as I felt only the warm and pleasant sensation swirling through my body. Emerging from the bathroom, I saw a missed call notification – William again. With a sigh, I dialed back, and he picked up the call on the first ring.
His voice was strained and anxious but soft. "Hazel, hey," he said, the relief in his voice palpable.
“Hey William” I replied.
"How are you? How's the baby?" He inquired.
Tears pricked my eyes again. "I saw the news," I choked out, my voice thick with emotion.
"Yeah," he sighed, a heavy silence following.
"Look, like I said in the message last night. This is all a set-up. It was a stupid thing I did in college and I regret it. I know this is a lot for you considering how strained our relationship has been recently”. His words felt hollow, echoing in the emptiness between us.
"I… I believe you” I mumbled, the lump in my throat making it difficult to speak.
"How are you holding up? I asked.
"I wish you were here” his voice cracked with emotion before he cleared his throat and continued. “I have a board meeting this afternoon with the board of directors. I guess they are tired of my idiosyncrasies” he chuckled, but his voice was devoid of happiness. The weight of his burden settled on me and I wished I was there to somehow sooth his pain.
"Good luck," I whispered, the words tasting like ash in my mouth.
“Before I forget, my dad asked to see you. He said he would call. Just wanted to inform you so you will know when he finally calls. I nodded as if he could see me.
“I will be waiting for his call then” I replied and smiled, wondering why my father-in-law wanted to see me all of a sudden. We ended the call, the silence deafening.
I sat on the edge of the bed, the phone clutched in my hand, a million questions swirling in my head. Then the door creaked open, and my mom walked in with a tray of food and some fruit. She smiled at me as she came up to me and kissed me on the cheeks.
“Good morning baby, hope you slept well”?
“Yes, I did thank you”, I smiled through my sadness.
She gestured to my phone, “Your husband”?
“Yes”, I gave her a little smile. She dropped the tray on a side stool and came up to pat my back.
“Meet us in the living room later or when you are bored” she offered, and I nodded before she exited the room and closed the door with a soft click.
I shifted my laptop close to me as I opened it to finish the application I was working on. From here on out, I needed to put myself first and that was what I did.
William
I arrived at the office a little after 10:00 am. As I walked through the familiar doors of the office, the air was thick with anxiety and gloomy faces. There were quiet murmurs of conversation and as I stepped in, everywhere went silent like a graveyard while the employees walked past me, avoiding eye contact.
My PA, Ava, smart looking in black work trousers and blue shirt with her hair tied back in a bun as usual, greeted me with a forced smile, her eyes betraying the unease that lingered beneath the surface. I continued walking to the private elevator as she followed behind, rattling off my schedule for the day, and then she mentioned the board meeting at 3:00PM. My stomach churned.
As we got to the executive floor, we stepped out of the elevator and I sauntered to my office as she rounded off her reading. I sat down on the executive chair, my mind going through everything. The day dragged on, each minute an eternity. I jumped at every notification on my phone, dreading another news alert. I could not really get anything done for the day as all my mind was on the impending meeting as the clock ticked mercilessly towards the dreaded meeting.
Then there was a knock on my door and my dad walked in with a gloomy expression on his face. I stood up to greet him, and he clasped his hand on my back.
“Hey son, how are you holding up”? He asked.
“I’m okay dad” I said as he nodded.
“I have done everything I can to soften the blow. I don’t know what those old men have up their sleeves, but we will see. Goodluck” he said
“Thanks dad,” I replied.
“I just came to check up on you. I will see you later” he said, and then walked out.
As I entered the boardroom, it felt like a scene from a bad courtroom drama. Stern faces lined the grand mahogany table, their faces etched with a grim expression. My father, usually stoic, looked like he'd aged ten years in the past few hours. I took a seat, the air thick with expectation as judgmental eyes bored into me.
The head of the board of directors, Mr Jacob, a man in his sixties, with once black hair now streaked with strands of silver, looked frayed but had an undeniable commanding presence about him. His gaze was steady and intense as he looked straight at me before turning to address the room.
"For the past couple of weeks, there's been a lot of unsettling news and recent developments concerning Mr. William Thorn, the son of Mr. Thorn, our company's chairperson. As the second-in-command, it's imperative that we address these issues head-on so we can refocus on our business," he said, delving into discussions about the company's image and other matters. However, my thoughts drifted away. I knew the outcome of this meeting wouldn't be favorable. A few other board members spoke, including my father, attempting to defend me. Yet, I could sense he was struggling, unable to halt the momentum already set in motion. After hours of deliberation, protests, and compromises, Mr. Jacob rose to deliver the final verdict.
William Thorn," he began, his voice devoid of warmth, "the board and I have reviewed the… ahem… material circulating in the media and our investors are making a big deal out of it by threatening to withdraw if something is not done about it." He paused, letting the weight of his words hang heavy in the air.
The air in the boardroom felt like a physical weight pressing down on me. Shame burned in my throat, acrid and suffocating. I wanted to explain, to plead, but my voice was a strangled whisper lost in the cavernous room. The faces around the mahogany table swam in and out of focus – all judgmental eyes, even Dad, who usually had a reassuring glint in his steely gaze.
"After looking at all angles, given the nature of the allegations," the CEO continued, each word a hammer blow, "and the potential damage to the company's reputation, the board has reached a unanimous decision." My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs.
"Effective immediately, Mr. William," he declared, his voice flat and emotionless, "you are hereby suspended from your position pending a full investigation”.
The blood drained from my face. Suspended? My mind reeled. This was worse than I'd imagined, a nightmare come to life. Dad, ever the strategist, opened his mouth, a flicker of defiance in his eyes. "But-" he started; his voice gruff. The CEO cut him off with a sharp gesture. "This isn't up for debate, Mr Thorn”, his voice sharp as a whip. "We need to present a united front. We'll issue a statement soon, emphasizing transparency and a thorough investigation."
The meeting dissolved into a blur of hurried goodbyes and disapproving glances. I stumbled out of the boardroom, feeling faint. Ava, my ever-reliable PA, materialized in front of me, her face a mask of concern. As if on cue, my phone began to ring.