Page 34 of In A Mood For Mr. Wrong

Eleanor smirks. "Exactly. You made them feel obsolete. And now, they’re returning the favor."

Eleanor offers him a slow, almost indulgent smile. "You won’t have a choice. The board has been building their case against Margot for months, her 'erratic' decisions, her refusal to play the game their way. If you think you can waltz into that meeting and stop them, you’re more naïve than I thought."

I swallow the lump rising in my throat. "And let me guess, you were more than happy to help build that case."

"I simply guided things along," Eleanor replies smoothly. "Encouraged the right people to see things from a more… traditional perspective."

Grayson’s fingers flex at his sides. "If you think I’m going to let you takePerfectly Matchedfrom her, you clearly don’t know me at all."

Eleanor exhales, standing from her seat and smoothing her blouse. "I know you better than you think, Grayson. I know that you hate losing. But I also know that in order to win, you have to besmarterthan your opponent." She tilts her head toward me. "And right now, Margot’s outnumbered."

I grit my teeth, forcing my voice to stay steady. "If they think I’m going to roll over and let them push me out, they don’t knowmeat all."

Grayson glances at me, something fierce flashing in his eyes. "Then we don’t give them the chance. We go on the offensive."

Eleanor gives us one last, unreadable look before picking up her teacup again. "Good luck with that. You’ll need it."

Grayson grabs my hand, pulling me toward the door. "We’re done here."

I don’t look back as we leave. Because right now, there’s only one thing on my mind, how to take back what’s mine before they steal it from me. As we step outside, Grayson pulls me to a stop. "We’re not walking into this blind. We need a plan."

I cross my arms, nodding. "And I assume you have one."

His lips twitch, but there’s no humor in his expression. "Of course I do. First, we need real leverage. Something that ties the board’s actions back to corruption, backroom deals, anything we can use to turn the tide."

I arch a brow. "And where exactly do we find that?"

Grayson’s smirk sharpens. "I have a few ideas. Eleanor wasn’t the only one with access to board secrets. I know where the bodies are buried, and it’s time we start digging."

Margot narrows her eyes. "You’re being cryptic, King. Spill."

He exhales, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. For starters, the board isn’t as clean as they like to pretend. I know for a fact that at least two of them have funneled company funds into personal investments, and one of them, Gerald Wright, helped approve a shady deal last year that almost led to an SEC investigation."

I blink. "And you’ve just been sitting on this information?"

He shrugs. "It wasn’t useful before. But now? We dig deeper, find proof, and make it clear that if they want to come for you, we’re more than capable of coming for them."

I cross my arms. "And how exactly do we get this proof?"

A slow, confident smile spreads across his lips. "We set a trap. We make them think they’ve won, let them get comfortable and while they’re celebrating their victory, we expose them for the frauds they are."

Margot tilts her head, her sharp blue eyes scanning his face. "And how exactly do we go about that? Are we talking about agrand expose? A dramatic boardroom takedown? Because if so, I’d like a front-row seat."

Grayson chuckles, but his expression remains serious. "We need something ironclad, undeniable. First, we go to my place. I have files, contacts, people who owe me favors. We start putting the puzzle together."

I cross my arms. "And what about me? You don’t expect me to sit on the sidelines, do you?"

His smirk returns, slow and knowing. "Not a chance, Evans. You’re going back to your place. You’re going to act like none of this is happening, like you don’t have a clue about the coup they’re trying to pull. Let them believe you’re oblivious. The more confident they get, the sloppier they’ll be."

I narrow my eyes. "So I play dumb while you do the heavy lifting?"

Grayson shakes his head. "No. You play smart. And when the time is right, we take them down together."

The air between us crackles with something electric, something deeper than just the fight we’re gearing up for. We’re still standing close, the tension thick between us, his blue eyes locked onto mine, intense and unreadable. I should step back. I should focus on the plan. But then his hand brushes against mine, lingering, deliberate.

"Evans," he murmurs, voice rough, as if he’s holding something back.

I swallow, but I don’t move away. "Yeah?"

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