Bound by the Billionaire’s Debt

Chapter 7: The Boardroom Battle

Vivian’s POV

The ride to Blackwood Enterprises was completely silent.

I sat in the back of the town car, watching the New York streets blur past. Damian sat next to me, tense and quiet, his jaw tight. He hadn’t looked at me since his grandfather showed up. He was focused on getting ready for the boardroom showdown.

"Damian," I said softly, breaking the quiet.

"Don't speak, Vivian," he cut me off, his voice flat and freezing. "I need to think clearly and fix this disaster."

"I am trying to help you," I replied quietly. "You are walking into a trap. Your grandfather wants to see if we break under pressure. If you look hostile, the board will immediately suspect our marriage is not genuine."

Damian finally turned. His gray eyes looked tired and bloodshot. He glanced at me, his eyes lingering on my cream dress.

"They do not just want to see us look happy, Vivian," he whispered, leaning closer. "They will scrutinize you. They will ask about your family's bankruptcy and why my ex-girlfriend is staying with us. Can you handle your reputation being questioned for my company?"

"My pride ended the day I signed your contract, Mr. Blackwood," I said, meeting his gaze. "I am here to protect my father. If I must act as the devoted wife to a man without compassion, I will do so flawlessly."

For a moment, something unreadable flickered in his eyes. He started to say something, but the car stopped in front of his headquarters.

Flashing lights from outside cut through the tinted windows.

"Sir, the paparazzi have bypassed the security barricades," the driver warned anxiously from the front. "There are hundreds of them."

Without hesitation, Damian reached across the seat and gripped my hand. "Stick to the script," he instructed. "Smile. Do not stop walking."

The driver opened the door, and the crowd's roar greeted us.

"Damian! Is your marriage a scam?" "Vivian, how much did he pay you to stay?" "Is Chloe Mercer back in his bed?"

The questions were harsh. Insults and camera flashes surrounded us as we stepped onto the sidewalk. Panic started to rise inside me.

Before I could stumble, Damian’s arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me close, shielding me from the reporters. His presence kept me steady in the chaos. We walked through the glass revolving doors, and security closed them behind us, shutting out the noise.

Inside the marble lobby, Arthur Blackwood waited by the executive elevator. He noticed our joined hands and Damian’s arm around my waist, then gave a brief nod.

"The board is waiting on the fiftieth floor," Arthur said coldly. "Don't disappoint me, Damian."

As the elevator doors opened, we entered a spacious, quiet boardroom where twenty of New York’s leading investors were seated around a long mahogany table. The atmosphere was tense.

As we sat at the head of the table, Henderson, a board member, slammed a morning tabloid down.

"Explain this, Blackwood," Henderson demanded. "We backed your chairmanship with billions because you were stable. Now your old flame is in your marital home on your wedding week? The media says your marriage is a fraudulent stunt to keep your stock prices up."

Damian leaned forward and put his forearms on the table. The vulnerability I saw last night was gone. Now, he spoke with total authority.

"Chloe Mercer is a family friend who required immediate emergency protection from a security breach," Damian stated smoothly. "My wife and I opened our home to her out of basic human decency. There is no story here, Henderson. Only tabloids desperate for clicks."

"Is that so?" Henderson sneered, turning his sharp, judging eyes directly onto me. "Then let's hear from the bride. Your family business was bankrupt three days ago. Suddenly, you marry a man who hates commitment, and your debt is erased. Now his beautiful ex-girlfriend is living in your house."

Henderson leaned in, a cruel smile on his face. "Tell us the truth, girl. Are you really his wife, or just a paid actor in that chair?"

Everyone looked at me. Damian tensed next to me, gripping his pen tightly. He couldn’t step in now; defending me would look suspicious.

I looked down, took a deep breath, and then met Damian’s eyes instead of Henderson’s.

"I know what everyone thinks of me," I said, my voice quiet but carrying clearly through the silent room. "They think I married Damian for his money. They think a girl from a failing logistics company could never interest a man like him."

I put my hand over Damian’s tense knuckles. He froze, his eyes meeting mine in silence.

"But the truth is, I love Damian," I lied, keeping my gaze steady, letting a soft, vulnerable smile touch my lips. "I’ve loved him since long before my family’s crisis. And when my father got sick, Damian didn't act like a cold businessman. He acted like the man who wanted to save the family of the woman he loved."

I turned to Henderson, my voice firm. "Chloe Mercer is his past. I am his present and his wife. If the board wishes to jeopardize our stock over a houseguest, that is your decision. But do not insult my marriage or my husband."

The boardroom went quiet. Henderson was speechless, and the other members exchanged glances as their hostility faded into quiet approval.

Next to me, Damian’s breath caught. He stared at me, completely focused.

"Well," Arthur Blackwood’s voice boomed from the end of the table, a proud smile breaking across his old face. "I believe that settles it. The marriage is valid. The chairmanship remains with Damian."

Twenty minutes later, the meeting ended. The investors shook Damian’s hand before leaving.

After the room cleared, I let go of Damian’s hand. The adrenaline faded, leaving me weak. I stood up to grab my purse and get ready to leave.

"Vivian," Damian called out.

I turned around. He was standing up, his tall figure casting a shadow over the table. He approached, stopping close enough that our clothes touched, his eyes filled with confusion. "You almost had me believing you."

As I said, I do my job," I replied quietly, hiding my nerves. Your company is secure, Damian. You may return to Chloe now. He pulled me hard against his chest, his grip tight, his eyes wild with a sudden, possessive fury.

"Do not push your luck, Vivian," he whispered, his face close to mine. "You played the devoted wife, but remember who controls your father's future. You do not leave until I allow it."

Before I could reply, his secretary’s panicked voice burst through the boardroom intercom speaker.

"Mr. Blackwood! I am so sorry to interrupt, but you need to come down to the lobby immediately! Miss Chloe just arrived at the building, and she collapsed in front of the live television cameras!"