LOVE IN PARIS: Married To My Brother-in-law-Chapter 61: Demotion

The woman was an elderly one with head full on grey hairs, she slumped onto the floor , clutching her chest, eyes wide with panic as her inhaler slipped from her grasp, bouncing onto the tracks below.

Without hesitation, Yvette’s immediately darted down and retrieved the inhaler, rushing it back to the woman.

"Here, take it". She said, steadying the woman as she took deep, grateful breaths.

The elderly woman managed a shaky smile. "Thank you, dear. You’ve done me a great kindness."

"Are you alone, do you need me to help you?".

"No, you can just help me into the car. I sent my driver to buy something from the supermarket over there and this happened". The woman breathed. "But I’m fine now, no need to delay you".

"Then I’ll wait for your driver to be back so I can be assured". Yvette said as she helped the woman into the car.

And fortunately, the driver arrived few minutes later and she left after seeing that the woman was all well and good.

Meanwhile, in the dimly lit office, Manuel sat slouched, surrounded by crumpled papers and broken pens scattered across his desk.

Documents he used to handle with ease now lay disorganized, marking the disarray that mirrored his current state of mind.

Once known as a capable leader, but now his reputation was in tatters and ruins.

His grandfather had the board initially entrusted him with the role of the acting president all thanks to his mother, a prestigious position that he had accepted with pride years ago.

But the optimism had quickly soured, and now his grip on the power was slipping through his fingers like sand right before his eyes.

Now, his looming dismissal was all but certain. Every corner of the company seemed to echo the downfall he never thought would come.

His phone buzzed on the table. The small screen glowed with a familiar name, his personal assistant.

But today, even the simplest interaction irked him up. His fate would be decided after today’s board meeting after all.

He picked up the call, and the moment his assistant tried to speak, he cut him off immediately, barking in frustration.

"Not now! Can’t you see I’m busy?" He didn’t even care if the assistant was only trying to help; in this moment, he wanted everyone to feel as bitter and broken as he did.

Desperate, he scrolled through his contacts and dialed someone he had always trusted to lend a sympathetic hand.

This person had always been his pillar , someone he knew would understand him no matter what.

So he spilled his frustrations, detailing the challenges he was facing, and hoped for some relief, maybe even advice.

But to his shock, the reply on the other end of the line was cold and dismissive.

"I’m not in any better position, Manuel. Honestly, I think we’ve both upset the wrong people". The voice said bluntly. "Maybe it’s time to face that we’re done here."

The line went dead instantly, leaving him stunned, holding the silent receiver to his ear.

He put the phone down slowly, his hand trembling with a bitter mix of anger and humiliation.

He knew who was behind his downfall, he knew clearly well what he meant by upsetting the wrong people and he also knew so well who the wrong people was. It was none other than Zeke.

He had maneuvered against him, worked tirelessly to discredit him and ruined the reputation he had been building for years and now, he was left all alone to face the consequences.

He couldn’t help the hate simmering in his chest, burning hotter with each second. Everything he had built was crumbling around him because of them.

But as the clock struck the hour, and with a deep, shuddering breath he pulled himself together, straightened his jacket, and stepped into the conference room.

The fluorescent lights in the hallway seemed harsher than usual, illuminating every flaw in his wrinkled suit, every missed spot on his unshaven face.

He could feel the eyes of his colleagues on him, some sympathetic, most indifferent. Just last month, he had walked these same halls with pride as the acting president but now, he was entering as a man on trial.

As he opened the door to the boardroom, he felt the weight of the silence press down on him.

The board members sat in a neat row on the far end of the long conference table, their expressions a mixture of disappointment and impatience.

A few empty seats dotted the table, reserved for people of rank. His usual seat, the one he had occupied as acting president was now conspicuously vacant, moved down to the other end.

His demotion was already set in place and it seemed it was set even before he’d even walked in.

Clearing his throat, he forced a steady expression and made his way to a chair. He barely had time to sit before Mr. Cole the chairman, spoke up.

"Manuel" . Mr. Cole’s voice was stern, each syllable enunciated like a hammer driving nails. "Do you understand why we’ve called this meeting today?"

"Yes". He managed, though the word felt thick and sour in his mouth. "But I would appreciate... hearing it from the board’s perspective."

A young woman next to Mr Cole’s right, Ms. Lizzy leaned forward, tapping a pen against the stack of reports in front of her.

"We’ve received numerous complaints, Manuel. Complaints about leadership, complaints about decision-making, and complaints about your conduct with both employees and clients that even I and Mr Cole had to come over from the branch office to address this issue before it gets any worser".

Manuel’s fingers tightened around the arms of his chair. "Mistakes have been made, yes. But I was following the same procedures I was trained in."

Mr. Cole’s cut in, his voice low but commanding. "This isn’t about minor mistakes, Manuel. This is about neglect. These lapses go beyond what any of us can excuse. Have you looked at the financials?" He slid a folder across the table towards Manuel.

Inside were graphs and spreadsheets, all pointing to one conclusion: massive losses.

Manuel’s glanced at the figures, his throat tightening as he processed the scale of the problem. "These... these are not entirely my doing. There were outside factors."

"Outside factors". Echoed Mr. Travis, a senior board member who had always supported him previously.

However, today though, his expression was as grim as the rest.

"Manuel, these factors weren’t the ones who dismissed the concerns of the finance department or ignored the marketing strategy that we approved months ago. That was you."

Manuel felt a prickle of frustration crawled up his spine. "It’s easy to blame me now, but I wasn’t the only one involved. . ."

Ms. Lizzy shot him a sharp look. "Whosoever they were, do not excuse your own decisions. Frankly, the board is disappointed that you would try to deflect responsibility."

A sense of helplessness mingled with the bitterness that had been festering inside him. "I understand you’re disappointed. I am too. But you have to see that I was set up!"

Mr. Cole sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Manuel, this is not the time for conspiracy theories. We’re here because of your failures as the acting president."

A younger board member, Mr. Dennis finally spoke up, his tone gentler but still firm and holding a tone of finality.

"Manuel , we’re giving you a chance to stay with the company, just not in the capacity you once held. Effective immediately, you’re being demoted to manager."

The words struck like a slap, and Manuel felt his jaw tighten. He wanted to argue, to fight back, but he saw no sympathy in their faces. They’d made up their minds.

"So," . He said finally, his voice a low growl, "This is how it ends?"

Mr. Cole leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "It doesn’t have to be an end, Manuel. Consider it a new beginning. Prove yourself again. This could be an opportunity for growth."

Manuel scoffed. "An opportunity? You’re taking everything from me."

Ms. Lizzy voice softened, just a fraction. "No one’s taking anything, Manuel. You’ve done that yourself. All of this is the consequences of your actions."

There was a tone of finality in her words that silenced him. And one by one, the board members began to gather their things, the meeting already feeling like ancient history.

He sat alone at the end of the table, staring at the empty chairs, feeling the weight of his shattered ambitions settle in.

In only a matter of minutes, it was over. His title, his authority, everything he’d cherished was stripped away.

He was demoted to a mere manager, a position he once viewed as trivial, beneath his capabilities. As he stood in the doorway of the conference room, the realization settled in that he was no longer the man he once was.

He badly wanted to yell, scream at anyone in sight but . . .