Chapter 104: Verdict

Chapter 104: VerdictThe hearing was held in the conference room where staff meetings were usually conducted. However, today, the air felt different. It was heavier.

Just as Gray requested, everything was moved to the day before.

How did it happen?

He didn’t know.

All he knew was that Marcus was able to make it possible.

Will arrived ten minutes earlier than the scheduled time.

He walked into the room as if he had nothing to worry about. His blazer was tossed over one shoulder, and there was a slight smirk on his face. His eyes moved around the room as if he already knew how things would go.

Every step he took echoed confidently on the floor, as if he owned the place.

Gray didn’t look at him when he entered. He didn’t need to.

Marcus was already seated beside Gray, his hands resting calmly on a closed folder in front of him. On the other side of the table, two HR representatives of the company sat in silence. One of them nodded politely when Will entered. The other didn’t even look up.

There were also a few executives that Marcus had introduced to Gray earlier. They were shareholders—men and women with ties to the store’s future. All of them had come to see how this would play out.

Will took the seat across from them and leaned back.

"Good morning," he said with fake politeness.

No one answered.

Gray finally lifted his gaze. He didn’t smile. He didn’t move. His eyes were cold, and so was his voice.

"Let’s begin," Gray said, glancing at the time on his watch.

The HR rep on the left opened the folder.

"We are here today to conduct an administrative hearing for Will Morris, in response to recent accusations of workplace misconduct, public harassment of a customer, and involvement in the attempted coercion of a witness during an ongoing investigation."

Will blinked.

His smirk faltered, just for a second.

"I’m sorry... what?" he said, straightening slightly. "Attempted what?"

The room remained still.

Gray watched him quietly. His hands were folded together, but under the table, they were tight. His fingers curled in on themselves, his short nails pressing into his palms.

"Mr. Morris," Marcus said, "please wait until the evidence is presented."

The HR rep continued reading through the sequence of events. The incident at the store. The behavior caught on CCTV. The witness statements. Will shifted in his seat, trying to play it cool, but it was obvious how uneasy he had become.

He knew all about that. But he thought everything was taken care of already?

’What the hell is happening?’ Will gritted his teeth as he looked left and right, trying to find an answer.

"—and on the evening of the 17th, the customer named Rome was approached by three unidentified men attempting to coerce him into withdrawing his official statement regarding your conduct. One of the suspects has since been taken into police custody."

Will blinked again. His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.

"Rome has provided a full testimony and is currently under protection."

Will looked at Gray, searching for something, a hint that this wasn’t serious.

But Gray just stared back at him.

He was unblinking. He was just still.

Will’s throat bobbed.

"You—You’re seriously blaming me for that?"

"We’re not blaming you," Marcus replied, smooth and neutral. "The facts are pointing at you."

Will’s confidence started to peel away.

He tried to laugh.

"This is insane. I had nothing to do with that."

"Then you should’ve spoken earlier," Marcus said. "Because the man who got arrested just named you. And the police are about to file obstruction charges."

Gray didn’t speak. He didn’t need to.

Watching Will now, seeing that slow realization crawl across his face, was enough for him. However, he couldn’t stop the anger that bubbled beneath his chest.

Because he had realized that even if he was fine now, there was still a part of him that wanted an answer.

The young Gray inside him, the one who had lived through being looked down on, pushed around, and dismissed, was still afraid that people like Will always walked away untouched.

But not today.

"With the suspect’s confession," one of the HR reps added, "we now have enough basis for immediate termination. Your conduct on the store floor alone is grounds. But the attempted witness tampering adds a level of gravity we cannot ignore."

Will laughed again. But this time it was short, breathless.

"Where’s my uncle?" he asked suddenly, turning toward Marcus. "I want to call him." He said out loud.

"Let me call my uncle!" He shouted even louder when he realized no one was talking to him.

"Motherfuckers! Let me fucking call my uncle!"

Amidst the frantic shouts, Marcus calmly handed him a paper.

It was a signed letter.

"Your uncle formally submitted a document stating he is uninvolved in this investigation and that he will leave the company’s decision to internal HR."

Will’s hand trembled as he took the paper.

He read the name at the bottom.

Leonard Morris.

There was his name and a signature.

Will’s face twisted. Confusion, desperation, and suddenly, there was realization.

He was being thrown out.

"No. No." Will quickly crumpled the paper in his hands. He shook his head and looked at Marcus, almost pleading. "You don’t understand. He—he promised—he said—" Will looked around as if someone else would save him.

He was waiting for his uncle or his men.

But no one arrived.

The silence pressed in.

"This isn’t just about what you did to Rome." Gray leaned forward slowly, his voice sounding calmer than ever.

He was also surprised how he could let out such a solemn voice.

Will looked at him with wide, desperate eyes.

"This is about all the people you’ve pushed around for years. This is about every day you treated others like they were beneath you. You thought no one would say anything."

Will’s lips parted.

Gray’s hands curled tighter under the table.

"But I’m here now."

He stood.

"Your time’s up, Will."

There was nothing else to say.

The hearing ended with a final statement from HR. Will’s badge and keys were collected on the spot. His access to the company system was officially revoked, and he was informed that a deeper investigation would follow regarding his involvement in the incident with Rome.

By the time Will walked out of the room, there was nothing left of the cocky man who walked in.

Now, he was just a quiet figure with lowered shoulders... and no place left to run to.

Gray remained behind as he watched Will in his current state. He looked hopeless and somehow confused.

"You okay?" Marcus glanced at him. Gray didn’t answer right away. He just sighed and nodded.

"Maybe this is what justice feels like."

He didn’t feel any joy, but he was satisfied.

As silence continued to settle between them, Gray’s phone buzzed just then. It was as if it had been waiting for the right moment.

He glanced down at it. There were multiple messages.

Gray?

You haven’t answered any of my messages for the last 3 days.

You also forgot to come to the house. We still have 1 week left, did you forget?

I heard something is going on with you. What’s happening?

Hello?

"Oh shit."

A/N:

I’ll be releasing an extra Chapter this Sunday for reaching the Top 200 in the Golden Ticket Rankings!

Also, a huge thank you to everyone who has been dropping Golden Tickets and Gifts over the past few days.

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