Page 85 of Falling for the Grump Billionaire

“They’ll push back,” she says finally, breaking the silence. “The board isn’t going to accept this without a fight.”

“Then we make them understand what’s at stake,” I reply. “If they want this company to survive, they’ll have no choice but to back us.”

Eva looks up, her gaze meeting mine. “And if they don’t?”

I hold her stare, the weight of her question pressing down on me. “Then we move forward without them.”

Her lips press into a thin line, but she nods. “I’ll be ready.”

The quiet moment stretches between us, and for the first time in hours, the chaos feels manageable. She reaches across the table, her hand brushing against mine. “Dominic, we’ll get through this. Together.”

Her touch is grounding, a reminder of what I’m fighting for. I nod, my voice softer now. “Together.”

The boardroom is already buzzing with tension when Eva and I arrive. The members of the board sit around the long table, their expressions a mix of concern and suspicion. Whispers ripple through the room, but they die down the moment I take my seat at the head of the table.

“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” I begin, my voice steady despite the weight of the moment. “I won’t waste your time with pleasantries. We’re here because Kane Enterprises is under attack.”

The room falls silent, all eyes on me. I glance at Eva, who gives me a small nod before I continue.

“Reyes and Conrad have been orchestrating a campaign to undermine this company, using leaks and sabotage to destabilize our operations. But we’ve uncovered their network, and we’re taking steps to neutralize the threat.”

One of the board members, a sharp-eyed man named Marshall, leans forward. “And what about the allegations against Ms. Hayes? The message we received implied she’s complicit in these attacks.”

Eva straightens in her seat, her voice calm but firm. “Those messages were designed to create doubt and division. They’re false, and they’re part of Reyes’s strategy to weaken us from within.”

Marshall’s gaze shifts between us, his skepticism clear. “And how can we be sure of that?”

I meet his gaze head-on. “Because I trust her. And because we have evidence to prove otherwise.”

Adrian, standing at the back of the room, steps forward with a tablet. “These are the emails sent from Harper’s account—emails we now know were authored by Conrad. They confirm his direct involvement in the leaks and his connection to Reyes.”

The board murmurs among themselves, the tension in the room shifting. Marshall sits back, his expression unreadable. “If what you’re saying is true, then we need to act quickly.”

“We already are,” I reply. “But I need the board’s full support to see this through.”

There’s a moment of silence, and then Marshall nods. “You have it.”

As we leave the boardroom, my phone buzzes with another message. The words are simple, but they hit like a sledgehammer:

“This is your last warning. Walk away, or she’ll suffer.”

I hand the phone to Eva, her expression hardening as she reads the message. She looks up at me, her green eyes blazing with determination. “Let them try.”

Her defiance is unwavering, but the threat feels heavier now. Reyes and Conrad are escalating, and tomorrow’s meeting is no longer just a confrontation. It’s a battlefield.

Tomorrow, it all comes to a head. And I’ll be ready.

23

______

Eva

The office feels like it’s holding its breath. Harper sits across from me, her hands wringing together, faint streaks of tears still marking her face. Dominic stands near the window, his back rigid, his silhouette tense against the skyline. Adrian leans against the desk, his expression unreadable, though his sharp eyes miss nothing as Harper speaks.

“It started six months ago,” Harper begins, her voice trembling. “At first, I thought it was just an innocent meeting. Conrad said he wanted to discuss some ideas for streamlining operations. Then he started talking about... me.”

Dominic doesn’t turn. His voice is low, but it cuts through the air like a blade. “Be specific. What exactly did he know?”

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