Power Play

CHAPTER 4

DAMIEN'S POV

When I pushed open the doors to the conference room, the buzz of conversation ceased instantly. Every board member turned to look at me.

And there she was. Seraphina Duval, sitting at the far end of the table with a smirk on her face, perfectly poised in her designer suit.

“Mr. Sterling,” she drawled, her tone dripping with faux sweetness. “How nice of you to join us. We were just discussing you.”

I didn’t take the bait. “Miss Duval,” I said coolly, stepping forward. “I wasn’t aware this meeting was necessary. Care to enlighten me?”

She leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs. “Oh, I think the board members can explain that better than I can.”

One of the older members, Mr. Finch, cleared his throat. “Damien, there’s been… concern,” he began hesitantly.

“Concern?” I repeated, arching an eyebrow. “About what, exactly?”

“About your judgment,” another member, Ms. Albright, chimed in. “Particularly regarding your engagement—or lack thereof.”

I folded my arms, my gaze sweeping the table. “I wasn’t aware my personal life was a matter of boardroom discussion.”

“When it affects the company, it is,” Finch said firmly. “You were engaged to Ms. Duval, a reputable woman from a respected family. And now, suddenly, you’re parading around with…” He trailed off, clearly searching for the right words.

“With someone from the street?” Seraphina supplied helpfully, her smirk widening.

The room tensed, and I fought to keep my expression neutral. “Careful, Miss Duval,” I said, my tone deceptively calm. “You’re treading on thin ice.”

She shrugged, clearly unfazed. “I’m just voicing what others are thinking. The board deserves to know if the man leading this company is making reckless decisions.”

The board murmured in agreement, and I felt my temper flare. “Reckless?” I repeated, stepping closer to the table. “Do you think the success of this company has been the result of recklessness?”

“No,” Finch admitted. “But this sudden… shift in your personal life raises questions about your priorities.”

“And about her,” Albright added. “Who is she? What qualifies her to be in this position?”

“She’s my fiancée,” I said sharply, cutting off further discussion. “That’s all you need to know.”

“Fiancée?” Seraphina echoed, her voice dripping with disbelief. “How convenient.”

I ignored her, turning my attention back to the board. “If any of you doubt my ability to lead, I suggest you review the quarterly reports. Our numbers speak for themselves. My personal life doesn’t affect this company’s performance, and it never will.”

The room fell silent, and I let the weight of my words settle before continuing. “Now, unless there’s something else, I suggest we end this farce and get back to work.”

An hour later, the board members were trooping out of the conference room.

I leaned against the table in the now-empty conference room, my head pounding. The audacity of Seraphina was astounding. She wasn’t just trying to ruin my reputation—she was gunning for control.

“Damien?”

I turned to see Seraphina standing in the doorway not leaving, that same infuriating smirk on her face.

“You’re seriously doing this?” she asked, crossing her arms as she stood before me.

I didn’t bother straightening, didn’t even look at her fully. “Doing what?” I asked flatly, though I already knew where this was headed.

“This,” she said, gesturing around the room. “Telling me to back off in front of the board? Publicly humiliating me?”

I finally looked up, my gaze icy. “You humiliated yourself, Seraphina. You had no business calling that meeting.”

She scoffed, her lips curling into a sneer. “I have every right to call a meeting. I’m a shareholder, remember? Or did you forget that little detail?”

“I didn’t forget,” I replied, my voice sharp. “But I also didn’t think you’d stoop this low.”

Her eyes flashed with anger, but she covered it quickly. “You think this is low? This is just the beginning, Damien. You can’t seriously expect me to stand by while you throw everything away for… her.”

My jaw tightened. “Leave Rose out of this.”

“Why should I?” she snapped, stepping closer. “Do you even know what people are saying about you? About her? About the company? You’re throwing away your reputation—our reputation—for some nobody!”

“She’s not a nobody,” I said coldly, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

“Oh, please,” she sneered. “You think this little act of rebellion is going to last? She’s not fit for this life, Damien. She’s not fit for you.”

I straightened, towering over her as I met her gaze. “You don’t get to decide that, Seraphina. You don’t get to decide anything about my life.”

She laughed bitterly. “Your life? What about the company? What about everything we’ve built together? You’re throwing it all away for a woman you barely know!”

“Get out.”

She froze, blinking at me. “What?”

“I said, get out.” I repeated, my voice cutting through the air like ice.

“You’re fucking doing this?” she asked, her voice rising. “You’re seriously telling me to get out?”

“Yes,” I said, stepping closer. “Get the fuck out.”

Her jaw dropped, and for a moment, she looked genuinely stunned. But then her expression hardened, and she tilted her chin up defiantly. “Fine,” she hissed. “But don’t come crawling back when she ruins you. Because she will, Damien. She will.”