HIS LAST ASSISTANT

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX

Natalie hated boardrooms. It wasn't the polished tables, or the expensive suits, or even the people sitting around them, it was what boardrooms represented.

Power. And power had never been on her side.

The elevator doors opened onto the executive floor, and she immediately felt every eye turn toward her.

Some looked curious, some judgmental, and some, openly hostile.

The article had only been online for a few hours, yet it felt like the entire company had already read it.

Natalie kept her chin up and followed Samantha toward the boardroom.

"You don't have to do this."

Samantha glanced sideways. "Do what?"

"Stand beside me."

Samantha pressed the button beside the conference room doors. "I'm not standing beside you."

The corner of Samantha's mouth twitched. "I'm standing beside the company."

The doors opened and the room fell silent.

There were twelve people seated around the enormous table. Most of them were older, most of them were wealthy, but all of them were powerful.

Victor Lang sat closest to the head of the table, his expression remained unreadable.

Damien's chair was still empty.

Natalie suddenly wished she could disappear.

"Miss Brooks." Victor gestured toward an empty seat.

She sat.

A woman near the end of the table adjusted her glasses. "I assume you've seen the article."

Natalie nodded. "Yes."

"And?"

Natalie frowned slightly. "And what?"

The woman looked unimpressed. "Would you care to explain why our company is being associated with a scandal?"

Natalie stared at her. For a moment, she honestly didn't know how to answer.

Because what was she supposed to say? That she had been punished for refusing a man? Or that she lost everything because someone powerful couldn't accept rejection? The truth sounded ridiculous when spoken aloud.

Victor leaned forward. "The board's concern is simple."

"Our reputation."

Before she could answer, the doors opened.

Damien entered and the atmosphere changed instantly. He walked directly to the head of the table and sat down looking calm, controlled and dangerously unreadable.

Natalie's shoulders relaxed before she could stop herself.

Damien noticed, his gaze lingered on her for half a second then moved away.

The meeting began.

"The media situation is escalating." Victor stated.

Damien remained silent.

"The board has concerns."

Another executive cleared his throat. "Investors are already asking questions."

A third spoke. "Several clients have expressed discomfort."

Natalie clenched her jaw. Not one person had asked whether the accusations were true.

Victor folded his hands. "The solution seems obvious."

The room grew quiet, Natalie already knew what was coming.

"We terminate Miss Brooks' employment." Several board members nodded in agreement.

Natalie felt something inside her sink, not because she expected better but because she was tired. Tired of proving she deserved to exist, tired of defending herself, tired of starting over.

The silence stretched, Victor finally turned toward Damien. "Your thoughts?"

Damien leaned back in his chair, his expression remained completely neutral.

Then he asked. "What exactly has she done wrong?"

The question caught everyone off guard.

"The article—"

"I read it."

Damien's voice was calm, cold and precise. "What has she done wrong?"

Nobody answered immediately. The woman with glasses shifted slightly. "The allegations create risk."

Damien looked at her. "Allegations."

He turned toward another executive. "Do you have evidence?"

"No."

He turned to another. "Evidence?"

"No."

Victor's jaw tightened. "That isn't the point."

Damien's eyes settled on him. "Then explain the point."

For the first time all morning, Victor seemed uncomfortable.

Natalie watched carefully and suddenly realized something.

Damien wasn't defending her emotionally or personally, he was dismantling their argument piece by piece.

Victor exhaled slowly. "The board cannot ignore public perception."

Damien nodded once. "Public perception changes every day."

"Performance does not." He added.

The room went still.

Natalie's pulse quickened because she knew exactly where this was going.

Damien opened a folder in front of him. "Since joining this company, Miss Brooks has identified errors missed by senior executives."

"Improved operational efficiency."

Everyone was silent.

"Resolved scheduling failures."

Victor's expression darkened.

Damien closed the folder. "She's done her job."

Then his voice hardened slightly. "And done it well."

A few people shifted uncomfortably.

Natalie felt heat creep into her face, not out of embarrassment but something else because nobody had defended her like this before.

Victor finally spoke. "So you're refusing the board's recommendation?"

Damien didn't hesitate. "Yes."

He spoke just one word, and it was final.

The tension exploded instantly, several members began talking at once.

Natalie barely heard them because she was staring at Damien.

Damien looked completely unmoved, as if twelve angry executives meant absolutely nothing to him.

The argument continued for nearly twenty minutes, when it finally ended, nobody looked happy, especially Victor. One by one, board members began leaving until only four people remained.

Natalie, Damien, Victor, and Samantha.

Victor stood slowly, his expression was calm which worried Natalie more. He adjusted his jacket, then looked directly at Damien. "You're making this personal."

Damien didn't respond.

Victor's eyes shifted toward Natalie, then he smiled and somehow that smile felt worse than open hostility.

"Be careful who you protect."

Then he walked out, the door shut behind him and silence followed.

Natalie finally released the breath she'd been holding.

Samantha gathered a few documents. "That went well."

Natalie laughed softly. "Did it?"

"Nobody got fired."

"Yet."

A few moments later, she left too, leaving Natalie and Damien alone.

Natalie stared at the polished table. "I didn't ask you to do that."

Damien looked at her. "No."

"You could have ended this."

"Yes."

Natalie swallowed. "Then why didn't you?"

For a moment, Damien said nothing, his expression remained unreadable, then he stood and walked toward the windows overlooking Manhattan.

"Because I don't like bullies." He said without turning around.

Natalie blinked. The answer surprised her, maybe because it sounded honest.

She stood slowly. "People don't usually risk their companies because they dislike bullies."

Damien finally turned, their eyes met. For one strange moment, neither looked away, then his phone rang.

Damien glanced at the screen, his expression immediately changed.

Natalie noticed. "What is it?"

He answered the call and listened.

"I'm coming down." He said.

The call ended.

Natalie's stomach tightened. "What's wrong?"

Damien looked at her. For the first time that day, something dangerous appeared in his eyes. "Richard."

The name hit like ice. "What about him?"

Damien's jaw hardened. "He just walked into our lobby."

Natalie's pulse stopped. Then Damien delivered the real blow. "And he's demanding to speak to you.”