The Price of Redemption

Chapter 5: Boardroom Backstabbing

I smoothed my skirt nervously as I entered the imposing boardroom, feeling like an imposter in my designer suit. The leather chair creaked as I sat down, hyper-aware of Xavier's presence at the head of the table. His steely gaze swept over the room, commanding attention without uttering a word.

"Gentlemen, let's begin," Xavier's voice cut through the tension. I fought to keep my expression neutral, despite the flutter in my stomach. This was my first board meeting as Mrs. Astor, and I was determined not to embarrass myself or Xavier.

As the meeting progressed, I found myself captivated by Xavier's masterful handling of the room. He exuded confidence, effortlessly parrying questions and concerns from the board members. It was a far cry from the cold, distant man I lived with.

"Mr. Astor, these quarterly projections seem... optimistic," a gravelly voice to my left spoke up. I recognized him as Mr. Hendricks, one of the senior board members.

Xavier's lips curled into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Optimistic, Hendricks? I prefer to call it visionary. But please, enlighten us with your concerns."

I watched as Hendricks fumbled with his papers, clearly unprepared for Xavier's challenge. "Well, the Asian markets have been volatile, and with the new tariffs—"

"The tariffs that I've already negotiated exemptions for?" Xavier interrupted smoothly. "Do keep up, Hendricks. Those exemptions will be announced next week."

A ripple of murmurs swept through the room. I felt a twinge of admiration for Xavier's strategic thinking, even as I wondered why he hadn't shared this information with me.

As the meeting wore on, I noticed a subtle shift in the room's dynamics. Glances were exchanged, notes passed discreetly. Something was off, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Suddenly, the boardroom door burst open. Xavier's assistant, a usually unflappable woman named Claire, rushed in, her face pale.

"Mr. Astor, I'm so sorry to interrupt, but there's an urgent matter that requires your immediate attention," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

Xavier's eyes narrowed. "This meeting is confidential, Claire. Whatever it is can wait."

Claire shook her head frantically. "Sir, it's about Project Titan. There's been a breach."

The change in Xavier was instantaneous. His entire body tensed, and for a split second, I saw a flicker of genuine fear in his eyes. It vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual mask of control.

"Gentlemen, my apologies, but we'll need to cut this meeting short," Xavier announced, rising from his chair. "We'll reconvene tomorrow morning."

As the board members filed out, whispering among themselves, I stood uncertainly. Should I leave too? Xavier caught my eye and gave an almost imperceptible nod. Stay.

Once the room was clear, Xavier turned to Claire. "Tell me everything."

"Sir, someone's accessed the sealed files. They've downloaded everything – financials, prototypes, even the confidential investor list," Claire reported, her words tumbling out in a rush.

Xavier's fist came down hard on the table, making me jump. "How the hell did this happen? Those files were supposed to be impenetrable!"

"We're not sure, sir. IT is working on tracing the breach now, but..." Claire trailed off, glancing nervously at me.

"But what?" Xavier demanded.

Claire took a deep breath. "The breach... it came from inside the building. Someone with high-level clearance."

The silence that followed was deafening. I watched as Xavier's mind raced, his eyes darting around the room as if searching for invisible enemies.

"Lock down the building. No one leaves until we get to the bottom of this," he ordered. "And get me Harrison from Legal. Now."

As Claire hurried out, Xavier turned to me. For a moment, his carefully constructed facade cracked, and I saw the weight of worry etched on his face.

"Amelia," he said, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "I need you to listen carefully. Project Titan is... sensitive. If word of this gets out, everything we've worked for could crumble."

I nodded, trying to process the gravity of the situation. "What can I do to help?"

A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "You're already helping by being here. I need someone I can trust, and right now, that's you."

His words sent an unexpected warmth through me. It was the first time since our marriage that he'd expressed any kind of faith in me.

"Tell me about Project Titan," I said, straightening my shoulders. If he was going to trust me, I needed to know what we were dealing with.

Xavier sighed, running a hand through his usually immaculate hair. "Project Titan is... revolutionary. It's a new type of clean energy that could make fossil fuels obsolete. We're talking about reshaping the entire global economy."

My eyes widened as I grasped the implications. "No wonder someone's trying to steal it. The oil companies alone would do anything to suppress this."

"Exactly," Xavier nodded. "And it's not just them. Foreign governments, rival corporations – the list of potential enemies is endless."

A thought struck me. "The board meeting today... was someone trying to distract you while the theft took place?"

Xavier's eyes sharpened, focusing on me with new interest. "Clever girl. I was thinking the same thing. Hendricks' questions were too pointed, too designed to keep me occupied."

As if on cue, Harrison from Legal burst into the room, looking flustered. "Mr. Astor, I came as soon as I heard. How bad is it?"

"Bad," Xavier said grimly. "We need to—"

He was cut off by the sound of breaking glass. Before I could process what was happening, Xavier had tackled me to the ground, shielding me with his body as a small, metallic object rolled across the floor.

"Gas!" Xavier shouted, but it was too late. The canister hissed, releasing a thick, white vapor that quickly filled the room.

I tried to hold my breath, but panic was setting in. Through watering eyes, I saw Harrison slump to the floor, unconscious. Xavier's weight on top of me felt heavier as he too succumbed to the gas.

My vision blurred, darkness creeping in at the edges. The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was a figure in a gas mask stepping through the shattered window.

As my world faded to black, one thought echoed in my mind: nothing would ever be the same after this.