Page 33 of Knocked Up By the Silver Fox

My chest squeezed and I hated the idea that she would pull away from me. "I love you, Beth. That is enough for me. Nothing else should matter."

Tears welled up in her eyes and she nodded. "I have to go," she whispered and then she walked out my office door. The last I saw of her was when she picked up her things from her desk and walked out her office door. I knew she needed a bit of space to think, but I didn't want space.

What I wanted was answers and peace. I had to speak to Allen, and I was on a warpath.

I stormed through the corridors, ignoring the surprised glances of passing staff. The buzz of the office blurred into white noise, my focus narrowing on one thing: Allen. He stood by the corner window, deep in conversation with the chairman of the board, both of them wearing the self-satisfied expressions that came with making decisions they wouldn't have to personally endure.

"Allen!" I barked, my voice cutting through the hum of polite dialogue and polished pleasantries. Heads turned. The chairmanraised an eyebrow but didn't look particularly surprised. Allen, on the other hand, flinched like I'd caught him with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Will," he said, his tone cautious, "this isn't the place?—"

"Save it," I snapped, stepping closer. "What do you think you're doing?"

The chairman adjusted his tie but remained silent, letting Allen take the brunt of my anger. Coward.

"Will, it's not what you think?—"

"It's exactly what I think. You're transferring Beth." I pointed a finger at him. "After everything she's done for this company, you're throwing her under the bus because she talked to Nevil? Nevil, for God's sake! You know well and good she didn't do anything wrong."

Allen sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if I were the unreasonable one. "Beth confessed, Will. She admitted to speaking with Nevil. What were we supposed to do? Pretend it didn't happen? Look the other way? We have to protect the company."

"Protect the company," I repeated bitterly, the words tasting like bile. "That's what this is about? Protecting yourselves, you mean. It's always about your precious optics, isn't it? Screw loyalty. Screw fairness."

The chairman finally spoke, his voice measured. "Will, we understand your frustration, but this isn't personal. It's a matter of policy. She knew the risks when she stepped into that conversation. We can't afford for the appearance of impropriety, especially not with someone as high-profile as Nevil involved."

"And what exactly do you think you're achieving here?" I challenged. "Transferring her isn't going to stop the rumors. If anything, it'll stoke them."

Allen shook his head. "It's either a transfer or termination. You know how this works. If we don't take action, it reflects onall of us. And Will…" He hesitated, glancing at the chairman. "You need to think about your position too. If people find out you're still seeing her, the board will have no choice but to take action. That includes voting you out if it comes to it."

I stared at him, feeling like the ground beneath me had shifted. I'd known the risks, of course, but hearing it laid out so bluntly was a different kind of gut punch. They weren't just going after Beth—they were holding a knife to my throat, forcing me to choose.

"You'd really do that," I said quietly, my voice shaking with controlled fury. "You'd push me out?"

Allen's expression softened, but not enough to make him look less like a snake. "It's not what anyone wants, Will. But we all have a responsibility here. You included."

My jaw clenched so tightly I thought my teeth might crack. I wanted to tell him to go to hell, to tell the chairman to shove his policies where the sun didn't shine. But I couldn't. They had me boxed in, and they knew it.

"Fine," I said finally, the word like poison on my tongue. "But don't pretend this is about the company. This is about cowardice. Both of you should remember that."

I turned and walked away before they could reply, my fists balled and my chest heaving. For all my anger, for all my indignation, there was nothing I could do. They'd won. And Beth…

Beth would pay the price for it.

I stormed back to my office, past the desk where Beth should've been seated. Sarah was already making herself happily at home again and earned a glare from me. I locked my office door and paced for a few moments.

My thoughts zeroed in on Nevil. That snake. His quiet maneuvering, the subtle plots, all designed to undermine me. He'd been circling like a vulture for months, trying to gainenough shares to strong-arm his way onto the board. He thought he could weasel his way to control, that he could own my company.

He couldn't. I owned 51 percent of the shares. That was my lifeline, the one thing standing between Nevil and his delusions of grandeur. But even so, he was dangerous. He didn't need to own the company outright to cause chaos. If he gained enough leverage, he could shape the board, twist their loyalty, and chip away at the foundation I'd built. I couldn't let that happen.

The sharp trill of my phone pierced through the haze of my frustration. I glanced at the screen: Abby. My heart did a strange flip, part relief and part apprehension. I swiped to answer, softening my tone as best as I could manage.

"Abby," I said, trying to sound steady. "Everything okay?"

"Hey Dad," she said, her voice light but slightly hesitant. "Just wanted to let you know I'm coming home early. Aunt Carol's been great, but…I just feel like it's time. My flight lands tomorrow morning. Can you pick me up?"

"Of course," I said immediately, my anger taking a back seat. "I'll be there."

We exchanged the flight details, and when I hung up, I stared at the phone in my hand. Abby coming home early was unexpected but not unwelcome. Still, it added a new layer of urgency to everything spiraling around me.

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