The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 483

His expression was calm, but his amber eyes lacked any trace of warmth. They were as terrifyingly cold as the ancient permafrost buried beneath the Antarctic ice.

Howard rushed over as well. He glanced at the side-by-side photos on the projector, then at the packed office floor, his brow furrowing deeply.

He stepped forward, raising his hands to gesture for silence. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried absolute authority. "This is a place of business, not a circus. If you have an issue, sit down and discuss it like adults! Willa, Sloane, whatever disputes you have can be settled legally. Pulling a stunt like this in front of the staff—are you trying to sabotage this company's operations?!"

"Howard, that's not a fair assessment."

Willa's voice was steady, carrying the chilling poise of someone who had completely suppressed their rage to execute a perfect strike. "I am Jackson's legal wife. I am the wife of the chairman. My husband just passed away, and his will leaves the entire company to a woman who is legally recognized by the country as dead. This impacts the livelihood of every single employee at Taylor Manufacturing Corp, and the very legality and survival of this business. As the chairman's widow, I am standing here to clarify the situation. What exactly is the problem?"

A few employees nodded in silent agreement.

Howard sighed, standing rooted to the spot, entirely unsure of how to refute her logic.

Garrison took a step forward, smoothly shifting his body to block Sloane completely from view.

He faced the murmuring crowd, his voice perfectly measured, yet every word drove into their ears like hardened steel nails.

No one dared to argue. Questioning a national honor wasn't an act of bravery; it was an act of sheer stupidity.

Garrison tilted his chin up slightly. His tone remained perfectly calm, but the weight behind his words crushed the room.

"The question you all have is simple—if she was recognized as a fallen hero by the country, why is she standing here today? It's a very valid question."

He paused, his eyes sweeping across the crowd once more. "But I want you all to look at this from a different perspective. Have you ever considered that her 'death' was, in itself, the country's way of protecting her?"