The UNFORGETTABLE night with the CEO

he Encounter

via

are t

on the chair's arms as I looked up at the three people standing just inside the conference room. For such a straightf

ake them look tall, poised, and almost flawless. However, I wasn't unnerved by it. I

ont of me away. The triplets leaning back in perfect harmony

osest coworkers had the gall to do anything like this in front of me. I should

pting to keep everything under co

up and met my eyes. A little twitch of her mouth. A

ed," she said in a cold, coll

assistant, had only planned routine internal tasks for the day, and my calendar was clean. The idea was

d, "You're mistaken." "I

their files one by one, each moving with the same purposeful slowness. I opened a folder in front of me and flipped through the

y seemed to be observing me, anticipating my next move. T

ss, I leaned forward. "Why the games?" I was becomi

ocked her head and her eyes glistened with something other

ered. "What a

en silent up until now, moved slightly. It was just a little movement,

voice piercing the room's dense tension. "

my ears. Unexpected circumstances? This was much more than a m

inking. They mimicked me once again, each triplet raising their wr

Whoever these ladies were, they were manipulating me in

pting to remain calm. "My t

Like she knew just what would make me angry. "Quite the opposite, Mr. Westbrook,

cold. A

cing with incredulity. "Aid?" I said it again. "I

d quietly, "We know you."

g close to the entrance, her eyes wide with bewilderment, when I glanced at her. We hadn't pla

han a whisper now, but the weight of her words made my skin tingle. "You're out of your

hing. The triplets. Their behaviors. Their odd, coordinated actions. It wasn't only a complex ploy. Beneath the sur

all together in my mind, I remarked, "You're

the center gave a little nod. "You're

the floor. This was incorrect. I needed to take charge

s, however. They had a strange, unnatural quality about them. My heartbeat accelerated, and I natura

seemed almost

ven more formidable in his black suit. He exuded a confidence that only someone us

quiet but firm voice. "I beli

s, who were now motionless and had unreadable faces. I had a deep realization tha

now what they

n, the lights vanished entirely. The sound of footfall reached my ears, but

s held the

it, that di

somethin