Different thoughts rushed through people's minds when they saw what had happened to Jonathan. Everyone held their breath, and no one dared speak.
However, the security guards did just as the boss ordered. Jonathan's threats meant nothing to them.
They rushed towards Jonathan. "The president has asked you to get out."
"Fuck off! Who the hell are you? How dare you block my way? I'm one of the most important directors here. I advise you to be wise. If you offend me, I will see to it that you will pay."
Jonathan stuck his chin out. Then, he leaned into the chair and propped his feet on top of the conference table. Everyone knew what he was like. He didn't care about authority, and he certainly didn't care about the security guards.
'Ha! I'd like to see them try to kick me out. They will be sorry!'
"Why haven't you thrown him out? Are you waiting for me to do it myself?"
Jacob snorted sternly. Was no one going to subdue such an arrogant prick?
Hearing what Jacob said, the security guards began to close in on Jonathan. He immediately rushed towards Jacob at full speed. He wasn't going to go down without a fight.
Jacob, on the other hand, just watched as Jonathan ran towards him. He didn't even flinch.
Jonathan poised his arm to punch Jacob, but something stopped him. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain shoot up his arm. He looked up and found a pair of wrinkled, old hands gripping his fist. It was James again. This time, he was using more strength than he previously had.
"What?! What are you doing? Let go of me, old man!" Jonathan cried out in pain. What happened before was nothing compared to the pain he felt at that moment.
"I already told you to watch yourself. You have no right to act so wildly and just do things as you please. You are such a nuisance!" James let out a cold snort and tightened his grip on Jonathan's hand.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Get him out of here!" James shouted at the security guards who had been standing by. They hadn't done anything to subdue Jonathan during those moments.
Some of them came over and held Jonathan. Jonathan was in so much pain that large beads of sweat rolled off his face. Naturally, he didn't dare cause any more trouble.
"Mark my words. This isn't over." As he was being taken away, he turned around and spat out a ferocious warning. Jacob had disgraced him in front of so many people. He would pay for this insult eventually.
"Let go of me! I can walk by myself." Jonathan struggled to get rid of the security guards, who were still holding onto him tightly. His hand ached terribly.
James was feared and revered by many. Even though he was already old, he was still incredibly strong and agile.
Jonathan left the room, boiling with anger.
For a while, nobody spoke. It was as if everyone knew that something was just beginning. In the past, no matter how rude Jonathan was to him, Jacob had turned a blind eye.
That day, it was obvious that Jacob had had enough. Everyone present knew that it was a warning to all those who dared to cross him.
It seemed that everyone had to do their jobs well, or else they would face dire consequences in the future.
The atmosphere was solemn. After a few moments had passed, Jacob stood up and looked at everyone present. Some of the company's directors and executives were there, looking right back at him. He had been kind to a fault, and Jonathan had been spoiled by this.
He studied the faces of everyone in the meeting room. They were all probably spoiled by him, too. Jacob decided that he wanted to reinvent himself and make them respect him.
"Now, does anyone else have the same ideas as Jonathan does? I'm not threatening you. I just hope that you can stop being slack, and do your jobs the way you're supposed to do them."
"Well, I don't think it's a good idea. I have a lot of things going on with my family. It's not our duty to come to work on time. Besides, there are other people in the company who can finish the work we have to do, right?"
"Yes, I cannot possibly clock in. It won't be convenient for me to do that. I am working on something on the side."
"No. This is not suitable at all."
"Yes, you're right. It still needs to be discussed."
"I agree! This can't happen right away..."
As James expected, everyone began talking at once to express their dissent. However, this was only the beginning.
"Ahem... Everyone, calm down. It's okay if you refuse clock in. The company is still experiencing a tumultuous time, so we will have to make adjustments to the budget and reduce where we can. If you don't clock in, you will only get a bonus at the end of the year, not your salary."
After saying that, James glanced at everyone present to gauge their reactions.
Time seemed to freeze for a second. Suddenly, the meeting room exploded with chatter. Several people who seldom clocked in were deeply upset with this new rule.
Some of the people present didn't even work at the company anymore. However, because of their special situations, they thought that they were exempt from following the company rules.
Even if they didn't come to work, they still got paid a hefty sum each month. They couldn't accept the condition because that meant they would no longer get paid. That's why nobody agreed with the new rule.
However, no one dared act rashly. They saw what had happened to Jonathan. They didn't want to follow in his footsteps.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Ex-wife, Please Come Back