Chapter 787

The weather was excellent: a gentle breeze, fluffy clouds, and warm sunshine streamed into the large meeting room. Almost everyone had arrived, except…

"What's taking so long?" Joseph's patience was wearing thin. He'd been waiting for half an hour.

"I can't reach him, and no one's answering," the secretary said, shaking his head apologetically.

"Send someone to find him—his house, anywhere he might be. We need to find him!" Joseph growled, barely containing his anger. He knew, however, that this wasn't the time to lose his temper; more important matters awaited. Turning away, he composed himself before returning to the meeting room.

"I apologize for the delay. Shall we begin?"

"Aren't we waiting for Mr. Damian?" Arianna, seated closest to the head of the table, asked casually.

Joseph froze. Immediately, others chimed in: "That's right! This isn't just any meeting. We're eager to hear Mr. Damian's project report. It's already 9:30 AM. Where is he? What happened?"

"No, nothing's happened!" Joseph replied hastily. "I think he over worked on the project and overslept. Let's be understanding. I've sent someone to find him. Let's start; once he arrives, he can present the report. Of course, you've all seen the results—you all have copies, right? They're quite gratifying!" He forced a hearty laugh.

Profit was paramount. This project was a success; it yielded considerable returns and showed great promise. He envisioned continued growth and even international expansion. He'd always envied La Beauté Group's market dominance and enormous profits.

Since Joseph suggested proceeding without Damian, no one dared object.

"Let's begin, then."

The meeting commenced with a review of last quarter's performance and several project analyses. Branch managers presented their reports, followed by executive commentary. Joseph, however, paid no attention; he was frantically calling Damian on his phone. Call after call went unanswered.

His worry turned to anger. He cursed silently: "Bastard! I'll kill you when I see you!"

Even after the final report, Damian was still absent. The executives exchanged glances, then looked at Joseph.

"Mr. Joseph, about this…"

"Should we adjourn?"

"Wait a minute longer. Damian's almost here," Joseph said, then turned to his secretary. "Ken, coffee for everyone."

Though no one openly showed disrespect, a murmur of discontent ran through the room. Under Derrick, such things never happened; everyone was disciplined. They recalled when Benedict was late and publicly reprimanded, even having his wages docked. Yet, Derrick had been stricter with his own son than with company employees.