Page 4 of Worship Him

I lock eyes with her. "And give credence to these baseless accusations? Not a chance in hell."

The room falls silent.

I can see the doubt in their eyes, but I'm not about to let that shake me.

I stand up, placing my hands on the table.

"Listen up. We're not lying to our investors. We never have, and we never will. This company was built on integrity, and that's how it'll continue to run."

"But the investigation-" Marcus starts.

I cut him off. "Let them investigate. They won't find shit because there's nothing to find."

I pace around the room, my presence commanding their attention. "We're going to weather this storm. Our tech powers half the damn world’s apps. We're not some fly-by-night operation that's going to crumble at the first sign of trouble."

"What about Destiny's company?" Sarah asks hesitantly. "The rumors are affecting her too."

My jaw clenches at the mention of her name. "That's not our concern right now. We focus on our company, our reputation. It takes priority over everything else until I decide otherwise."

"And the divorce?" Marcus ventures. The way he shifts around papers in front of him make it obvious he didn’t really want to ask.

I shoot him a glare that could freeze hell. "That's personal. It has nothing to do with this company or its operations. Are we clear?"

A chorus of "Yes, sir" echoes around the room.

"Good."

I walk back to my chair and let my gaze travel of my team once more. I make a point of pinning each of them in their chairs for a few seconds before moving on. They should be able to tell that their leader is without fear in this storm.

"Let's be clear about one more thing," I say, my voice cutting through the tension. "This company isn't just a paycheck for me. It's my legacy. We revolutionized the tech industry, and I won't let some half-assed rumors tarnish that."

Marcus shifts in his seat again, eyes darting around the room. "We get that, Adam, but perception is reality in this business. If people think there's something shady going on, it doesn't matter if it's true or not."

I sit down lean forward, locking eyes with him. "Perception can be managed. Facts can't be denied. We have nothing to hide. By not backing up or groveling, we’ll let everyone see that for themselves."

Sarah speaks up, her tone cautious but firm. "Adam, we need a strategy that addresses both the public’s perception and the facts. If we don't control the narrative, someone else will."

I nod slowly, appreciating her pragmatism even if it grates on my nerves to think of playing into anyone's hands. "Fine. We will come up with a statement that reaffirms our commitment to transparency and innovation. Highlight our recent successes, the partnerships we've secured."

"And the investigation?" Marcus asks again, not letting it go.

"Let them dig," I say, my jaw set like granite. "We'll cooperate fully because we have nothing to fear. But we're not throwing open our books for a witch hunt."

Sarah scribbles notes on her tablet. "We can organize a press conference for tomorrow afternoon. Give us time to get our talking points in order."

"Make it happen," I command.

There's a knock on the door, and one of our assistants peeks in nervously. "Mr. Ryder, you have a call from Senator Green's office."

I raise an eyebrow but don't let it show how much this could mean. "I'll take it in my office." Turning back to the room, I give one last directive. "Everyone stay focused and stay calm. We're handling this on our terms."

As I stride out of the conference room, Sarah calls after me. "Adam, about Destiny's company?—"

I pause but don't turn around. "Not now, Sarah."

Her silence tells me she's biting back more questions.

The hallways hum with activity as I make my way to my office. Conversations buzz around me—snippets about app updates and design tweaks—but they barely register.

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