Chapter 130
Asher’s POV
The office felt heavier than visual, as if the walls themselves were pressing in, waiting for me to crack under the pressure of everything I was trying to carry
The morning light filtered through the large windows, casting long shadows across the polished desk, Marcus’s desk.
No matter how many days I sat here, no matter how many times I adjusted the chair or placed my hands on the smooth wood, it still didn’t feel like mine.
A sharp knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.
“Come in,” I said, straightening my tie.
The door creaked open, and Marcus’s secretary, Evelyn, stepped inside. She looked polished as always, her expression calm and professional, but there was something behind her eyes, hesitation, maybe even doubt.
“Mr. Sterling,” she said, her voice level, “the board meeting starts in two minutes. We need to leave now.”
lexhaled slowly, nodding as I grabbed the file I had barely skimmed through. Two minutes. I had two minutes before I’d be sitting in a room full of people who didn’t believe in me, who saw me as a placeholder, a name on paper until Marcus came back.
If he came back.
No. I couldn’t think like that.
I rose from my seat, adjusting my jacket as I followed Evelyn down the hall. Each step felt heavier than the last, and the closer we got to the conference room, the more I felt like an imposter walking toward his execution.
The doors loomed ahead, and the muffled sound of voices seeped through. They were already talking, already discussing me, my brother, and the company before I even stepped inside.
Evelyn pulled the door open, and immediately, all eyes turned to me.
There were about fifteen people seated around the long, dark–wood, table, board members, investors, men and women who had been a part of Sterling Industries long before I ever considered stepping into this world.
Some of them had supported Marcus for years, standing by his decisions, trusting his leadership. Others had only been in it for the money, their loyalty shifting with the tides of profit and loss.
Their expressions varied, some indifferent, some impatient, and a few openly skeptical.
I could feel their eyes on me, studying me, evaluating whether I was capable, whether I was worth their time.
Their expectations pressed down on me, but I kept my posture straight, refusing to let them see even a flicker of hesitation.
The air in the room was thick with tension, the kind that made even the silence feel loud. Papers rustled as a few of them shifted in their seats.
Someone cleared their throat, a quiet but pointed reminder that I wasn’t Marcus, that I didn’t belong here.
I had no way of knowing who was truly on my side, but one thing was clear, most of them were waiting for me to fail.
I took my seat at the head of the table, the spot that rightfully belonged to Marcus.
“Let’s begin,” I said, keeping my voice steady.
One of the investors, a silver–haired man named Mr. Harrington, leaned forward. He was one of the oldest members of the board, and his reputation as a
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“Carsitulty?” Another Investor, Ms Reynolds, scoffed. “The damage is already done. If the media gets afield of this, the company will be torn apart Investis are already pulling their funding
“This doesn’t change the foundation of Sterling Industries, I countered. “We’re still the same company. Marcus did what he had to do
“And where is Marcus now? M. Harrington cut in. “Tell me, Asher, where is the man who made these decisions? He’s in a hospital bed, and we have no guarantee he’s ever coming back”
The words felt like a punch to the gut, but I didn’t flinch.
“know exactly where Marcus is,” I said, keeping my voice even. “And I also know that if he were sitting here, he wouldn’t tolerate this level of doubt from his own people.”
A few board members exchanged glances. Some looked away, uncomfortable.
“Let’s be honest here,” a man named Calloway spoke up. He had always been vocal about his opinions, and he clearly wasn’t about to stop now. “You don’t have the experience, Asher. You don’t belong in that chair. Marcus built this empire. You” – he gestured at me—“you weren’t even meant to be part of this world”
My fingers curled into a fist beneath the table.
On any other day, I would’ve reacted. I would’ve snapped, told him exactly where he could shove his opinion. But I reminded myself, this isn’t about me.
This was about Marcus, about everything he built. If I was going to do this right, I had to do it his way.
“I won’t deny that Marcus was the foundation of this company,” I said, my voice controlled. “But he’s not here right now. I am.”
“And you think you can handle this?”
I met Calloway’s gaze. “I think I can do whatever it takes to keep Sterling Industries running until my brother comes back.”
The room fell into tense silence.
At the end of the meeting, some of the investors stayed, but we lost several. It wasn’t a complete disaster, but it wasn’t a victory either.
By the time the day was over, exhaustion clung to me like a second skin.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Ivy’s number.
She picked up after the second ring. “Hey,” she said softly.
“I’m going to be fate,” I told her,
She didn’t ask why. She already knew.
“Don’t stay out too long,” she murmured.
I didn’t make any promises.
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13:47 Mon, Jul
Chapter 130
At the Hospital
When I arrived, the hospital was quiet, the halls dimly fit. The scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, starile and suffocating.
1 found Janine sitting beside Marcus’s bed, her hands clasped together, her shoulders trembling slightly.
She had been crying
I stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Janine.”
She looked up at me, her eyes red–rimmed.
“just…” She choked on the words. “I don’t know what to do anymore.”
I sat beside her, pulling her into an embrace.
“Marcus is strong.” I told her. “He’s always been strong.”
She exhaled shakily against my chest. “What if this time, it’s not enough?”
I didn’t have an answer.
We sat there in silence, listening to the quiet hum of the machines, watching Marcus’s still form.
Eventually, we both left, neither of us wanting to, but knowing we had to.
Back Home
When I got back, Ivy was waiting for me.
“You’re exhausted,” she said, stepping forward to help me out of my suit.
I let her.
115)
She undid my tie, her fingers moving with practiced ease. “This isn’t just about Marcus, is it?”
I met her gaze but didn’t respond.
She sighed, brushing her fingers through my hair. “I know you, Asher. I know how much you love your brother, but I also know how much pressure you’re putting on yourself.”
I swallowed hard.
She sat on the bed and pulled me down beside her. I rested my head against her chest, letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
Her fingers ran through my hair, slow and soothing.
“You don’t have to do this alone,” she murmured.
I closed my eyes, letting the warmth of her touch push away the weight of the day.
For a moment, just a moment, I let myself breathe.
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