The Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 136: [Volume 1] - - major shareholder

But Jay didn’t care about their reactions. He moved with purpose, his steps confident, though inside, his anger was barely simmering under control. He could still feel the sting of betrayal from the photo he had seen earlier, the thoughts swirling in his mind, fueling his growing irritation.

He reached the elevator, pressed the button for the top floor where the Esme office was located. When the doors opened, he stepped out and started walking, only to be stopped by the secretary.

"Sir, I’m sorry, but the CEO is in a meeting right now—"

Jay didn’t even bother to hide his irritation. His eyes darkened as he shot the secretary a look; his voice was low but sharp. "So what? Do I need to wait for her?"

The secretary hesitated, clearly caught off guard. He fumbled for a response, unsure of how to handle the situation. It was written all over his face—he didn’t want to make Jay wait, but he also didn’t want to risk making things worse.

The secretary’s heart raced as he recalled Esme’s strict warning—no one, not even family, was allowed to interrupt her during meetings. He remembered her sour mood earlier that day and felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him. Still, he had to try.

"Sir, please," he said, keeping his voice calm and polite. "It’s just half an hour. I’ll inform Madam afterward, and then you can meet her."

Jay’s reaction was immediate, his eyes narrowing as he turned to face the secretary. "How dare you!" Jay’s voice rang with authority and irritation. "Are you new here? I’m her husband. I own this company. I think I have the right to enter whenever I want."

The secretary’s stomach dropped, but he couldn’t back down. "But sir—" he began, hoping to reason with him.

Before he could even finish, Jay shoved past him, his anger palpable as he pushed open the door with force, ignoring all protocol. The secretary stood frozen for a second, knowing the consequences would be inevitable but feeling powerless to stop it.

Jay barged into the office, the heavy door slamming against the wall with a loud thud. The sound reverberated through the room, interrupting the hushed conversation inside. The meeting table was full of people, some mid-sentence, others staring down at their notes—until now. All eyes turned to him, a mix of confusion and disbelief spreading across their faces.

Esme sat at the head of the table, her expression initially calm, but as she registered who had stormed into the room, a flicker of irritation crossed her face. Her fingers, which had been resting on the sleek wood of the table, tensed for just a moment before she regained her composure. Her voice, when she spoke, was calm but had an edge to it.

"Jay, what are you doing here?"

Jay, standing tall and unapologetic, ignored the weight of the stares in the room. He had one focus, and that was her. "What? Now do I have to wait to even meet you?"

The room remained silent, the tension heavy in the air. The people seated at the table shifted uncomfortably, unsure whether to look at their laptops or at Esme, waiting to see how she would handle the situation.

Esme’s eyes flashed with a mix of irritation and something colder—disappointment. She took a slow breath, then glanced around the room, silently communicating with her staff. "Everyone, let’s take a break," she said, her voice steady.

"We’ll reconvene in thirty minutes."

The employees scrambled to gather their things, avoiding Jay’s gaze as they quickly filed out of the room, relief washing over their faces as they exited.

Once the door clicked shut behind the last person, Esme stood up, her calm facade slipping slightly. She faced Jay, her eyes sharper now. "What was so important that you had to disrespect not only me but the company as well?"

Jay’s voice echoed in the room, defiant and unyielding. "What? It’s my office. And what do you mean by disrespecting? I have every right to be here," he said, his stance firm, eyes locked on Esme.

Esme slowly rose from her seat, her expression cool and controlled, though a spark of frustration glimmered behind her eyes. "I know you have rights, Jay," she responded, her voice sharp but composed. "But care to explain why you barged in like an uneducated person, interrupting my meeting? You do realize how important this meeting is, don’t you?"

Jay’s lips curled into a smirk, his eyes drifting away towards the wall, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. He then turned back to face her, his gaze hardening. "Excuse me? Did I hear that right? This meeting is important?" He scoffed, stepping closer. "And what about you? Have you forgotten something? Have you forgotten that I’m one of the main directors in this company? The biggest shareholder here?"

Esme’s face remained impassive, but Jay wasn’t finished. He crossed his arms, his voice low and full of accusation. "So, can you explain how you decided to sign a deal with the Florence Family without even consulting me? Without my acknowledgment? I think I deserve an explanation for that."

Esme’s expression tightened at Jay’s words, but she kept her composure, eyes locking onto his. She stepped away from the table, slowly closing the distance between them, her heels clicking softly on the marble floor. Her silence was deafening, building tension in the already charged room.

When she finally spoke, her tone was calm but laced with restrained anger. "Jay, I didn’t forget your role here. I’m well aware you’re a major shareholder and a director. But you’ve also been absent—distracted. And frankly, this deal needed swift action, something you haven’t been willing to provide lately."

Jay’s jaw clenched, his frustration clear. "Absent? Distracted? I’ve been dealing with enough, Esme. But don’t twist this around to make it seem like I’m not doing my part."

Esme raised an eyebrow, unbothered by his rising temper. "I’m not twisting anything. You know as well as I do that this deal was time-sensitive. The Florence Family wouldn’t have waited for you to come around. We had to act, and I did what needed to be done."