Es’s gaze remained focused on Ray, her fingers moving with practiced ease as she peeled another slice of fruit. "I asked," she repeated, her voice now carrying a cutting edge, "why are you all here so early? Or is it that you’ve beco so old and irrelevant that you’ve forgotten how to explain yourselves?"
The insult was subtle but sharp, and the elders flinched at her words. The oldest among them, a man in his sixties with a stiff expression, clenched his jaw, trying to restrain his anger. His eyes flicked from Ray, who continued to eat in blissful ignorance, back to Es. She didn’t offer them a seat, didn’t extend any pleasantries—nothing. Instead, she continued to treat them like an audience to her private affair with Ray.
Es leaned back comfortably as she finished peeling the orange for Ray, completely ignoring the growing tension in the room. Ray, anwhile, chewed on the orange slice with a satisfied expression, blissfully unaware of the elders’ barely-contained fury.
One of the elders, an older man with a rigid posture, finally cleared his throat. "We didn’t co here for pleasantries or idle conversation, Ms. Es," he said, his voice shaking slightly with suppressed anger. "We are here to discuss the future of aron Group and the properties under its na. You are making decisions that affect us all."
Es didn’t even look at him as she calmly fed Ray another piece of orange. "Ah, I see. The future of *my* properties, you an," she said, her tone deliberately casual, but the sharpness in her words was impossible to miss.
The elder’s face turned red, and a few of the others shifted uncomfortably in their seats. "These are the properties we have managed for generations!" another elder, a woman in her fifties, burst out. "You cannot—"
Es finally raised her eyes to look directly at them, her calm expression giving way to a colder, more calculating gaze. "I can, and I will," she interrupted, her voice dropping into a more authoritative tone. "You all had your ti running things. And let’s be honest, the group’s success isn’t thanks to your managent. It’s been because of *my mother in law and her decision that Aron Group has thrived. Don’t forget that."
The room fell silent. The elders were taken aback by her bluntness. So of them clenched their fists, but none dared to speak just yet. Es’s gaze was like a blade, cutting through the tension with precision.
Ray, sensing the shift in the room’s energy, paused his chewing and looked up at Es. She smiled softly at him and ruffled his hair before turning her attention back to the elders. "Now, if you’re here to discuss sothing useful, then speak. Otherwise, you’re wasting my ti."
The elder who had spoken first swallowed hard, knowing full well they were at a disadvantage. They had hoped to intimidate Es, but it was clear now that she wasn’t soone easily pushed around. She held all the cards, and the elders had no choice but to play along.
"We... We would like to negotiate terms regarding the properties," the elder finally said, his voice strained but more subdued. "We want to ensure that the family’s legacy is upheld and that you don’t make hasty decisions that could ruin what we’ve built."
Es smirked. "Ah, now we’re getting sowhere. You want to negotiate. Fine. But rember," she leaned forward, her eyes narrowing, "I’m not here to preserve *your* legacy. I’m here to build sothing greater. So, if you’re not on board with that, you know where the door is."
The elders exchanged uneasy glances. They had co to assert control, but it was clear now that Es had no intention of bowing to their demands. And as much as they hated to admit it, they needed her far more than she needed them.
One of the younger elders, in his forties, took a deep breath, attempting to restore so semblance of dignity. "We ca to discuss the future of the estate," he said, voice tight but controlled. "There are matters that need imdiate attention. Decisions that cannot be made without proper consultation."
Es finally shifted her gaze from Ray to the group, her expression still indifferent but her eyes gleaming with amusent. "Ah, I see. You’re worried about *your* future," she said, leaning back in her seat, crossing her legs with an air of relaxed authority. "Well, let clarify sothing for you." She paused, letting the silence stretch before continuing. "This estate? These properties? They belong to now. You’re not the ones making decisions here anymore."
The elders exchanged looks, their frustration bubbling beneath the surface. But Es wasn’t finished. "You want to negotiate terms, don’t you? You want to be involved, make sure I don’t ss up what you’ve spent years trying to control." She let out a low, mocking chuckle. "But if you think for one second that I’m going to let you dictate anything, you’re more delusional than I thought."
Ray glanced up at her, montarily distracted by the shift in her tone. Es smiled softly at him and handed him another slice of orange before turning back to the elders. "Now, if you have sothing useful to say, go ahead. But if you’re here to waste my ti with complaints, get lost"
The oldest elder finally spoke, his voice shaking with barely contained fury. "You dare speak to us like this? We have managed this estate for generations. Without us, this place wouldn’t even exist!"
Es didn’t even blink. "And now it does, under my control. So I suggest you get used to the idea."
The room fell into an icy silence. The elders had co expecting to assert their authority, but Es had dismantled that notion effortlessly, leaving them with nothing but their wounded pride. They knew they couldn’t fight her on this—not yet, at least. If they wanted any hope of staying relevant, they’d have to play along. For now.
Es’s smile widened, sensing their hesitation. "Now, are you going to say sothing useful, or are you just going to sit there sulking like children?"
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