CHAPTER 7 – THE BOARD'S ULTIMATUM
CHAPTER 7 – THE BOARD'S ULTIMATUM
The emergency board meeting began at exactly 2:00 p.m.
Every director of Leprince Corp was present.
Andrew walked into the boardroom alone.
Outside, I sat in a private waiting area, my hands wrapped around a cup of tea that had long since gone cold.
Every minute felt like an hour.
Inside the room, accusations came immediately.
"You've compromised the company's reputation."
"You've exposed us to legal liability."
"An intern?"
"What were you thinking?"
Andrew remained standing at the head of the table.
"I met Miss Smith before she was employed by this company."
One of the older directors scoffed.
"Can you prove that?"
Andrew slid a receipt across the table.
Then another.
Hotel security records.
Restaurant payment records.
A timestamp from the bar.
Every document dated three days before Elila's employment officially began.
The room fell silent.
"So," another director said carefully, "you didn't violate company policy."
"No."
"But public opinion won't care."
Victoria finally spoke.
"What matters is perception."
She looked directly at Andrew.
"You have two choices."
"Step down as CEO..."
"...or distance yourself from the intern completely."
The room waited.
Andrew didn't hesitate.
"I'm not abandoning the mother of my child."
Several directors exchanged shocked glances.
"So it's true."
"Yes."
"I intend to acknowledge the child publicly after the paternity test."
"And if the test confirms what we already know..."
He paused.
"...I will marry her if that's what she wants."
The room exploded.
Outside, I heard shouting through the closed doors.
My heart pounded.
Minutes later, Andrew walked out.
His tie was loosened.
His face looked exhausted.
"They want you to resign, don't they?"
"They gave me forty-eight hours."
"What are you going to do?"
He looked at me quietly.
"What do you want?"
The question caught me off guard.
"This isn't only my decision."
I stared at him.
"You'd really give up everything?"
"If protecting you and our child costs me this company..."
He smiled sadly.
"...then I built the wrong company."
For the first time...
May you like
I realized the man I'd met in that crowded bar wasn't pretending.
He really was that kind.
