21: make sure I am not disturbed

The conference room buzzed with a subdued tension, the kind that filled the air when the CEO himself was present. Employees, dressed in crisp suits and formal wear, sat straight-backed in their chairs, laptops open and notepads ready, their fingers hovering over keyboards as they prepared to take notes.

The atmosphere was sterile and focused, with only the soft hum of the projector and the occasional rustle of paper breaking the silence.

At the head of the sleek, glass-topped table sat Silas Blackwood, the enigmatic and coldly composed CEO of Blackwood Enterprises. His tailored charcoal suit hugged his broad frame perfectly, and his piercing eyes scanned each speaker with an unreadable expression that made even the most seasoned executives swallow nervously.