When We Were Perfect

CHAPTER 74

One year later...…

Daniel strode into the boardroom with his shoulders square and head held high, the same powerful aura surrounding him as he sat at the head seat. Everyone in the room greeted him and he simply nodded without any smile. The presenter without wasting any time jumped into the presentation, slide after slide giving information about the current market index and increasing profits over the year. Every single person listened carefully as if Daniel would make them stand and repeat the whole discussion again while he sat there with a stoic expression listening to the already known facts.

Soon the presentation was over and every head turned towards Daniel as if waiting for the verdict. With the same hard look, he straightened his posture before starting.

"Seeing the reports and listening to the facts in briefing today I can say that within a span of one year we have progressed far beyond our target. Making Soft tech Corp. successfully expand in the automobile field and attain a name across the globe!" Daniel said in a cold tone. The thing which only changed in Daniel Saritas was that he became even more cold and expressionless with everyone around. Employees would dread doing any assigned work wrong, staying away from him. One cold look from Daniel was enough to make them faint. He wasn't rude, he was just cold without any expression and vibe, no one knew what he would say the next moment. One wrong move and you would be fired, he simply upheld his title of Ice king. The only person exempted from this iciness was Ozan.

Everyone in the room applauded, happy to see their hard work paying off. 

"Sir, you deserve most of the credit for this success, it wouldn't have been possible if you didn't come here to resolve the issues and guide everyone around. Your name is enough to lure people's minds!" Thomas the marketing manager said.

"This is my company and I must make it uphold its strength and status. I don't like to play with people's minds and I would rather not want the same for my company. If people trust our company, we should keep up with their trust and continue to put our efforts." Daniel said in a rather harsh tone. The manager swallowed before nodding.

"We will continue to work hard Sir!" Thomas said.

"It would be good for you and this company. As of now, I have an important announcement to make!" Daniel said making everyone look at each other in confusion and worry.

"Since the issues and problems this branch suffered initially are resolved and everything has been going smoothly according to the required standards, I would like to say that I would be returning to the headquarters soon. My position there could not be left for such a long time and there are meetings and problems that I need to address." Daniel announced rigidly. 

"But this doesn't mean, things would go out of hand. I am appointing Mr Noah as the executive manager here. You will all work under his assistance, I would not be here most of the time but this is my company and I will always be updated. Remember that no negligence and tardiness will be tolerated." He said strictly before rising from his seat and shaking hands with Noah.

"I will put my efforts to not disappoint you and this company sir!" The middle-aged man said appreciatively. Daniel nodded.

"You better not Noah!" Daniel said before giving everyone a stern glance and walking out of the boardroom towards his own office a few steps away.

Stepping inside his office, he took a sigh walking towards the glass window. The sky was getting dark although it was evening indicating bad weather and rain soon, the one thing about New York was its unpredictable weather.

He stared ahead, slightly rubbing his newly formed stubble, the sound of thunder reaching his ears. How many nights he would lie awake thinking about her for hours, thinking of the happy life they could have had together. Hoping in the dark lonely nights to see a fragment of hope but it all got absorbed in the moonlight eventually making him realize that this love only gave him agony, an ache that was trapped within his throat making him unable to speak but he had to let go and he did.

The past year had been hell for him, all he did was work and spend time with Ozan who remained ill for two months getting weaker until he finally started to get better. At the office, he would work like a robot, making his company reach the heights of success. Spending as much time as possible with Ozan and then again work. The nightmares worsened his situation making him take antidepressants, this wasn't easy for him along with these things he had to move on from memories of her. One thing that made him hate himself was the fact that he couldn't feel any hatred towards Amy after what she did. There was resentment but not hate, her image would flash before his eyes and he would quickly drown himself in work to get rid of her thoughts. He had to move on, accept that Amy wasn't even his, to begin with, and he couldn't force her, it was her life and she didn't want him in it. He was tired of hoping and patiently waiting and now he was ready to let go. They say holding on is worse than letting go but Daniel didn't agree to that, at least in holding on you have to hope while letting go is another word to end. Sometimes he would wake up and feel her around him but she wasn't anywhere.

He couldn't take this anymore, this pain and ache would have killed him and he knew he had to live, if not for himself then Ozan. It is what he was doing, moving forward with Ozan. It wasn't easy to didn't think about the person who was part of your every thought but he did it, he buried his feelings for Amy deep within his heart, letting go of every wish and desire he once had.

The ringing of the cell phone brought him out of his reverie as he glanced towards it and pressed the answer, the grinning face of his friend appeared in front of him inciting a small smile on his face as sat on his leather chair.

"Hi, how did the meeting go with the board of directors!

"Yes! My dear friend, I am completely fine and no, those judgmental bitches didn't kill me!" Silas said with a frown.

"Sometimes I can't believe I made you in charge in my presence!" Daniel said subtly.

"That's because I am the best!"

"No, because you were the only one I could choose and trust on such short notice!" Daniel retorted with the rise of his brows. Silas huffed in response.

"Fine! The meeting went smoothly but they need your presence to finalize the new projects, Mr Bossman!"

"Don't worry I will be there in a few days since the problem here has been taken care of, the reviews from the market and investors were exceptional!" Daniel informed nonchalantly.

Silas grinned wider.

"OH MY GOSH! You are coming back. Finally, I would be able to live my life again. You know what, I don't even remember when was the last time I went to parties or slept all night peacefully without the worry of workload the next day!" Even though Daniel didn't exactly express it in words, he was quite impressed by the way Silas handled things behind.

"I didn't attain status and position by going to parties and fooling around. I had to pour my sweat and blood into the roots of this company to make it stand firmly against others!"

"Overconfidence!" Silas coughed.

"Facts!" Daniel corrected.

"Whatever!" Silas said sarcastically.

"Anyways! How have you and Ozan been doing these past days!"

"We have been fine apart from the fact that I didn't get to spend much time with him this past week due to winding up work and all. It makes me feel bad since I don't like neglecting him. If Martha didn't come here with us, I don't know how I would have dealt with these things alone." Daniel sighed.

"Don't blame yourself much Daniel, you have been an amazing father this far and I know it will be the same in the future. Look at yourself, you look tired!"

"It's nothing I am not used to Silas!" He muttered.

"Uhm, Daniel, would you be fine coming back here?" Silas asked warily. 

Daniel knew what he was talking about, a part of him didn't want to go back and face the turmoil again but then he reminded himself that he had moved on. Besides, it doesn't matter there would be just the two of them either it's here or back home and he eventually had to go back, it wasn't like anyone was waiting for him there…...