HIS FAKE BRIDE, HIS REAL OBSESSION

The Proposal

Damian’s Point of View

“Did you all see that scandalous article from yesterday evening?”

“It must be Ms. Carter’s doing! She must have been so unhappy that her strategies weren’t taken!”

The board members were already murmuring to one another, eyes flicking nervously toward Evelyn’s picture on the screen in front of them as if she were the source of all their problems. I knew they were itching for someone to blame, someone to save face. And I could already tell where they were going with this. Evelyn, their easy target and most convenient scapegoat.

She’d been reckless. But I’d been more reckless in my silence. Now, I had to fix this, not for her, but for the company, and, naturally, for myself. I rocked back in my chair, arms crossed, and listened as the murmurs grew louder. My eyes met Thomas' briefly, chairman of the board, and he nodded—a silent assurance that I was going to turn this ship in another direction.

I'd spent years studying these people, reading their shortcomings, their drives. I wasn't going to let them just drop Evelyn on the floor like a ragdoll. That would only cause more problems. No, I had something better in mind.

"I believe we can do better than this." I declared, my voice cutting through tension like a knife.

The room fell silent, everyone's eyes on me. I rose to my feet, taking the full force of their glares as I walked to the front of the room. I felt the power in this moment. This was mine to control.

I scanned the room, giving them all a moment to take in the words. "I'm suggesting an alternative plan. Rather than fire Evelyn and let this situation spiral out of control, we need to control the narrative. We need to take charge of the optics, and to do that, I propose a solution.”

“What are you suggesting?” Karen, one of the board members, asked hesitantly, her fingers tapping nervously on the table.

“Let’s announce a fake engagement.” I said coolly. “A public engagement between myself and Evelyn. We’ll say I entrusted her with the documents, and that she acted on my authority. This way, we turn the entire situation into something the media can latch onto—a love story gone wrong. The press will eat it up. Investors will see us as proactive, as controlling the situation. This company’s image will be protected.”

There was a moment of blank silence as the words sank in. I would have sworn to hear the creaking wheels in their heads as they absorbed what I'd just proposed. I let the seriousness of it hang there for a moment before continuing.

“Evelyn will be seen as my fiancée, and the media will assume we’re together. We spin it as though we were both working to protect the company’s best interests. All the accusations about the leak will become a footnote in the media frenzy about our engagement. This will protect AsterCorp’s image, and most importantly, it will make everyone forget about the scandal.”

I could see their faces beginning to shift, uncertainty melting into something else—something like agreement. They were already buying into the idea. Of course they were. It was exactly what they needed to hear, and they were too eager to see themselves as the masterminds of this "brilliant" solution to question it.

Thomas raised his eyebrows, clearly intrigued but cautious. “And what role does Evelyn play in all of this?”

I turned my gaze toward her picture on the screen, once again. “Evelyn plays the role she has already been given. She was the one with the access to those documents. The story will be simple. She had access because she was the one I trusted to protect them. This engagement is merely a formality, a way to solidify our relationship in the eyes of the media.”

I could see them nodding, their lips curling into satisfied smirks. It was working. It was so easy. I could have sat back and let them take full credit, but I knew the real play here, and they were too blinded by their own egos to realize it.

“Of course, the details will remain ours.” I added it smoothly. “We’ll control the narrative. The engagement won’t mean anything beyond the story we create. We can end it once this all blows over.”

Karen looked around the room, checking the reactions of the other board members. They were all nodding now, their collective relief evident. The storm would pass, and they would all come out unscathed.

“We think this is the right move.” Thomas said, finally breaking the silence. “We need to act quickly. The longer we wait, the worse this gets.”

“Exactly.” I said, giving them a satisfied smile. “Now, I’ll go speak with Evelyn and make sure she’s on board with this. After all, it’s in her best interest as well.”

I could hear them agreeing, but their voices blurred into the background as I turned to leave. As I left the boardroom, I found Evelyn standing outside and the second our eyes met, a frown came upon her face.

“Let’s go into the adjoining office, we have something to discuss.” I said and without waiting for her, I made my way into the office.

As soon as I was in, I saw she had followed me and I nodded in approval. I could feel Evelyn’s eyes on me, but I didn’t look back for a few seconds. Finally turning, I saw that she had stood near the door, crossed her arms and set her face in a fierce expression of defiance.

I could see her trying to put the pieces together even without words at first, but tension in the air made my skin crawl. She wasn't stupid, and I was certain of that.

"Something on?" She spat her words hard, and nearly accusatory. "I had only gone at the last minute because I overheard that you were talking about an engagement and I overheard someone say my name, what did it all have to do with, Mr. Wolfe?" I could feel her gaze on me as she grilled me.

I stepped toward her, maintaining my calm composure. “The board agrees that they need to control the narrative, and this is the only way to protect AsterCorp. You’ll play the role of my fiancée, and we’ll make the media believe it. This will shift focus away from the leak and attribute blame to me.

She glared at me, eyes narrowing as if she could look right through the facade I had built. "You want me to be your fiancée? You can't be serious?"

I let my lips curl into the faintest of smiles. “It’s not about us, Evelyn. It’s about the company. I’m doing this to protect both of us. The board is already on board with it. This is the best way forward.”

She clenched her jaw and approached me with a face that warned me she was angry. "I'm not a pawn to be used in your power games, Damian. I’m not playing along with this. You can’t just use me like this.”

I stood my ground and met her fiery gaze without flinching. “I’m not using you. This is the only way out. You’re already implicated, whether you like it or not. The company card was used under your name. You don’t have a choice here. The media will eat you alive unless we present a united front.”

Evelyn’s hands balled into fists. “I won’t do it.”

I leaned in closer, my voice low and steady. “You will. Because if you don’t, you’ll be fired. You’ll be the one left holding the blame for the entire scandal. Think about it, Evelyn. This is your only way out.”

Her lips trembled as the weight of my words hit her. I knew she did not want to comply, but I also knew that she was trapped. And however angry she was, she could not help herself out of this.

“Fine.” She spat. "But don't even for a second think that I'm doing it because I trust you."

I gave her a small, knowing smile and let out a chuckle. “It doesn’t matter why you’re doing it, Ms. Carter, what matters is that you’re doing it. For your sake, and for AsterCorp’s. We’re in this together now.”

She didn't answer anything else, and as I turned to leave, I sensed her fuming behind me. It didn't matter as now I had her where I needed her, and now the game was on.