Albert walked into the room, a smile of relief on his face.
He said in a pleased tone:
- I spoke with Edward.
Elias raised an eyebrow questioningly and said coldly:
- Who is this?
Albert answered quickly:
- Sidra's right-hand man.
Elias' eyes twinkled, his attention fully focused, and he said:
- What does he want?
- Sidra wants an urgent meeting with you.
Elias let out a chuckle, leaned back in his chair and said:
- "She always goes against my expectations... I thought she would not make this move until it was too late, but she continues to amaze me with her reactions.
After a moment of silence, he continued:
- "Okay, set the date for today at 10 p.m., at the hotel restaurant of the group's hotel.
Albert nods, pulls out his phone and calls Edward, saying tersely:
- Today, 10:00 p.m., Group Hotel Restaurant.
In Sidra's office, Edward slowly hung up the phone, then turned to her and said in a calm tone:
- The appointment is set.
Sidra was sitting behind her desk in a deep fugue, not seeming to have heard him very well. Alice approached her quietly, patted her shoulder affectionately and said:
- "Are you okay?
Sidra looked up at her and answered in a low voice:
- I'm fine... Don't worry.
Alice asked her gently:
- Did you hear what Edward said?
Sidra nodded silently, her eyes lost in her thoughts.
Alice watched her silently, her eyes filled with pity. Sidra has never been one to submit, she has always stood firm, weathering storms and not bowing. But now she has to... She no longer has the luxury of defiance, there is too much at stake, too many people depending on her. The loss that she used to prefer over submission is no longer an option.
The day passed with a suffocating weight on Sidra's chest, as if the clocks were deliberately slowing down to add to her stress. She was lost in her thoughts, running through multiple scenarios of what might happen.
When the time came, they all set out on their way to the designated location. Sidra and Alice in one car, while Marcel and Edward accompanied each other in the other.
They arrived at their destination, and everyone got out of the car... except for Sidra.
She remained motionless in her seat, looking through the windshield without actually seeing anything. Marcel approached her and quietly opened the door, then leaned in and said in a soothing voice:
- "We'll be inside. Take your time to catch your breath... But don't be too late.
She nodded silently and didn't turn around. She was trying to pull herself together before facing an opponent who knew how to press her weaknesses.
Albert entered with someone else. He greeted the crowd, looking around in silent wonder at Sidra's absence, only to be interrupted by Edward's quiet voice:
- "She's on her way.
Albert nodded quietly, before replying:
- Elias is also on his way.
They all entered the fancy restaurant and took their places at the assigned table, waiting for the two. Time passed slowly, with the clock now pointing to ten-thirty... No sign of either of them.
Suddenly, she received a message from Sidra. She wrote:
- Did he come?
Alice quickly replied:
- No.
Sidra's reply was decisive:
- I knew it. When he arrives, let me know.
- Okay.
Alice placed the phone in front of her, then leaned toward Marcel and whispered:
- "I think he's deliberately delaying to embarrass her.
Marcelle nodded without comment, his eyes scanning the room intently:
- It's a good thing she stayed in the car.
It was quiet before the doors of the restaurant opened again... Elias walked in, his strong aura confidently taking over the place. He took a quick glance at those seated, then quietly greeted them, while Alice hurriedly sent a one-word message:
- NOW.
Elias addressed his dry speech to Edward:
- Apparently, your boss isn't very punctual.
Before anyone could respond, the sound of tinkling heels from behind them made them turn around. Sidra was entering the room with confident strides, stepping forward with a steadiness that tried to hide her chest. She looked at everyone, and then her eyes fell on Elias... For a moment, her inner equilibrium was disturbed, and a glint of shock appeared in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure and said coldly, addressing him:
- "I apologize for the delay, I had to finish some work. As you know... There are those who are waiting impatiently for my downfall.
Then she added sarcastically:
- But don't worry, I'm always vigilant.
Elias looked at her intently, from the bottom of her feet to her head, and then said:
- I don't think you're alert enough. Anyway, what's the reason for this emergency meeting?
She ignored his comment and walked over to the table steadily, sat down with her legs crossed confidently, then gestured to the chair opposite without a word.
He understood what she meant, so he approached and sat down.
She looked directly at him with eyes full of defiance:
- I think it's best... to put an end to this.
There was silence for a few seconds, everyone at the table watching silently, Marcel and Alice tense, Edward trying to read the situation, Albert watching Elias with a furtive glance.
Elias said coldly, leaning back in his chair:
- "Okay... I'm listening.
Sidra lifted her chin steadily, and said in a sharp tone:
- "You started this war, Elias... But I don't intend to remain on the defensive forever. We must both know our limits.
- Is this a declaration of surrender?
He said it with a mocking smile, his eyes scrutinizing her as if testing her strength.
Her lips twitched into a slight smile, but it wasn't a friendly one. She leaned her body in his direction and said defiantly:
- "It's a settlement offer. Everyone has their limits, and you've crossed a lot of them. I can play with his shit more than you can imagine.
She leaned back and her voice dropped slightly as she continued:
- If the situation continues like this, we'll both lose. The only difference is that I don't have the luxury of messing around, and I have hundreds of employees and families depending on me.
Elias's features changed for a moment, as if he had picked up on something in her words, but he quickly hid it.
He fiddled with a ring on his finger:
- "I thought you were tougher, Sidra... Isn't this the first time you've put the sword down?
She replied without hesitation:
- Sometimes being smart isn't about making it to the end, it's about knowing when to retreat to win the war later.
He leaned forward slightly, his voice low but sharp:
- What exactly do you want from me?
- I want a clean end to this war. Clear terms, no nonsense, and without one of us coming out the loser in public.
- And if I refuse?
She looked at him for a long time, then said in a cold tone:
- "Then... You will know the other side of Sidra.
"Sidra smiled wickedly as she took an envelope out of her bag, placed it in front of him and nodded.
He grabbed it curiously, and as soon as he opened it, his eyes widened with a shock he couldn't hide.