Chapter 36

Half an hour later, the mall was completely cleared out, and every entrance was locked tight. All the employees had been called up to the fifth floor. Everyone stood in lines, faces tense and uncertain. No one knew what was going on or who was coming, which only made the tension worse. With the whole building now dead quiet, the silence felt eerie. It was so quiet you could literally hear a pin drop. After waiting in nerve-wracking stillness, the elevator finally dinged. Countless eyes turned instantly toward it. The doors slid open slowly. Out walked a man in a slate-grey suit, his face cold and sharp. Each step of his leather shoes echoed crisply through the empty space, steady and dominant, like he ruled the place. Behind him trailed several higher-ups that people barely saw around the office. But right now, those same people were following him closely, looking as respectful as ever. No one recognized him, but from that commanding presence alone, everyone kind of already knew - this