HIS FAKE BRIDE, HIS REAL OBSESSION

Evelyn’s Point of View The boardroom reeked of wealth and war. Expensive cologne. Freshly brewed coffee. And something else — tension. Heavy, cloying, and unmistakable. My fingers curled around the edge of the mahogany table, nails digging into the polished surface like claws. I didn’t care. I kept my eyes on the board members whom I was addressing. Their eyes moved back and forth between the glowing presentation screen and me with expressions of doubts and cautious interest. “As you can see…” I trailed off as I took in all of their expressions. “...AsterCorp isn’t beyond saving. The complaints about quality, production delays and supplier inefficiencies are all real. But panic-fueled decisions won’t save us.” The glowing presentation screen behind me shifted to the next slide — a sharp upward curve in projected growth. Gasps, barely audible, flitted across the table. “My proposal focuses on restructuring to ensure long-term stability rather than short-term panic cuts.” I gestured towards the screen. “If we divert funds from outdated sectors and negotiate fresh partnerships, we’ll regain investor confidence and restructure the company without bleeding it dry—” The boardroom doors burst open with a sharp thud, drawing everyone’s attention including mine, to it. My eyebrows twitched as a man I had never seen before walked inside like he owned the place and came to stand next to me. Chairs creaked as board members sat up straighter, the room suddenly heavier with an unspoken shift. I did a double take once he was next to me and now staring at me. He was a bit taller than a few inches above me, mostly six feet or more with the fabric of his perfectly cut charcoal suit hugging his broad shoulders so effortlessly. His white shirt and black tie were in sharp contrast to his smooth, olive-colored skin. Then, there were his eyes. Icy-blue, sharp and familiar. Too familiar, but I couldn't place my finger on where I had seen them. His gaze suddenly turned from me to the board as if I were no one. I let out a small gasp as though I had been holding my breath the entire time his eyes were on me. Why on earth had I been holding my breath? My eyes widened slightly, darting left and right before coming to rest again on the stranger. His eyes roved over the room without so much as a twitch of feeling passing over his face. I could just hear the air conditioning humming, which indicated that it was still working, but the temperature of the room made me doubt this. A noise in the room distracted me and I saw Mr. Langston, one of the older members of the board, grab his phone. One of my eyebrows twitched badly, wanting to shoot up at his action. I couldn’t believe the same man who had yelled earlier about a phone buzzing in the meeting, was doing the same and no one was saying a word. “I apologize for the interruption.” Mr. Langston spoke up once his call ended, though his tone suggested he wasn’t sorry at all. “But we need to address a major update before proceeding.” A frown pulled at my brow and I highly doubted that at this point it could even be hidden. Langston cleared his throat once again and adjusted his tie. “As of this morning, Mr. Donovan has officially resigned as CEO.” The words dropped like a bomb and murmurs spread across the table. The older executives exchanged uneasy glances, while the younger members leaned forward as though waiting for what was coming next. Langston let out a breath, massaging the bridge of his nose. "It wasn't an easy choice, but considering the company's current situation, we have to move quickly.” He informed everyone. “Mr. Langston, removing leadership during a fragile quarter? The market won’t forgive impulsive chaos.” I shook my head in disapproval. “I would say this is a reckless move.” “Yes, Ms. Evelyn Carter, we hear you.” Langston didn’t flinch. “Which is exactly why a crisis manager has been brought in to take immediate control.” He gestured toward the man who had barged in and was standing right next to me, a fact I may have forgotten just a few seconds ago. “Everyone, meet Damian Wolfe.” Damian Wolfe. The name meant nothing to me, but unease churned in my belly when I looked at him. He had not spoken a word, yet the entire room had reordered itself around him. He moved forward, slipping his hands into his pockets, and exuding effortless control as his eyes swept across the board like they were preys. “I’m not here for introductions.” He said, his voice deep, smooth, and completely devoid of warmth. “I’m here to fix this mess.” A ripple of yet another wave of tension passed through the board. My eyes narrowed. “Fix this mess, Mr. Wolfe?” My voice carried a sharp edge. “You just got here. Do you even understand the complexity of our situation?” His gaze flicked to me, but just as quickly, it moved away from me as if ignoring me. I nearly scoffed but caught myself in the nick of time. “I understand one thing, Ms. Carter.” He said flatly. “This company has been mismanaged, and if drastic measures aren’t taken immediately, it will collapse. My plan ensures that doesn’t happen.” I let out a slow breath as my grip tightened around my pen at the undermining tone he was using on me. “And what, exactly, does your plan involve? May we know what that is?” He moved toward the head of the table, tapping a few keys on the laptop connected to the projector. A new slide replaced mine, one I had never seen before. “Effective immediately.” He said. “We begin cost-cutting. Departmental audits. Layoffs.” Gasps. Protests. Someone swore under their breath. I stood frozen, fury flaring like fire in my chest. “You can’t be serious.” His expression remained unchanged. “I don’t deal in hypotheticals, Ms. Carter.” "We don't need mass firings, that’s not a strategy, that is butchery.” I hissed and leaned forward, my hands clawing into the table once again. “What we need is restructuring, not a slaughterhouse mentality." “Sentimentality is what landed this company in crisis.” His eyes met mine with coldness. "Sentiment doesn't save companies, results do." My voice dropped, low and lethal. “And assuming you can fix it all with bloodletting proves you don’t know a damn thing about us.” A smirk curled at the corner of his mouth. It didn’t reach his eyes. “But I do know something about you, Ms. Carter.” “That is enough Ms. Carter!” I heard Mr. Langston say. “You’ve had your say and the decision will be made by us.” I turned to him, livid. “My say? I am the one holding this company from freefall while you sip scotch and make decisions in cigar lounges.” “You…are you glaring at me right now?” Langston’s face reddened. “You’re out of line.” “I’m the only one in line here!” Before I could throw a word of agreement at his question, a small snort from the man beside me caught my attention. I looked back at him staring at me with amusement, as though I was a defiant subject and he was the king.Then, in just a few more seconds, he turned back to the screen. “You may leave or take your seat now, Ms. Carter.” he said simply. “My strategy isn’t going to change because it’s the only realistic way this company can be saved.” My blood boiled at his words, and I exhaled sharply. My hand shot to the laptop. I yanked my flash drive out with more force than necessary, the plastic creaking in my grip. “I best be on my way, then. Do excuse me.” I said, and left the office. As I walked back to mine, my mind was on only one thing—how to keep this man from ruining the company.