Page 96 of Claimed By The Other Brother

"Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Blackwell. Your eleven o'clock with the legal team is ready in Conference Room B."

"Thank you, Emma. I'll be right there."

I don't wait for dismissal. I turn and head for the door, my heart pounding so hard I'm sure everyone can hear it.

"Ms. Bradford," Dax calls after me.

I pause at the door but don't turn around.

"Yes?"

"Welcome to the team."

I nod once and walk out, Emma still standing there reviewing something on her tablet. I make it back to my office, close the door, and lean against it. My hands won’t stop shaking.

Chapter Nineteen

Dax

THE FIRST 100 DAYS…

DAY2

The conference room fills with the core media relations team. Karen, Daniel, Brad, Melanie, John, Mike. Scarlett sits near the middle, notebook open, professional and focused. I stand at the head of the table.

"Before we dive into today's agenda, I want to clarify the reporting structure for this crisis. Moving forward, Scarlett is the main point of contact for all PR strategy related to the MediaLink situation. Everything goes through her first, then to me."

Eyes shift to Scarlett. She doesn't flinch,just nods once.

"Any questions about messaging, media outreach, timeline—Scarlett coordinates," I continue.

"She reports directly to me. This ensures we're moving quickly and staying aligned."

Karen speaks up.

"Makes sense. Keeps the chain clear."

"Exactly." I glance at Scarlett.

"I'll need daily check-ins. End of day briefings on progress and next steps."

Her eyes meet mine, and I see the flicker of understanding there. She knows this isn't just about efficiency. This is about keeping her close, accessible, within my reach.

"Understood," she says evenly.

The meeting continues—strategy updates, media coverage analysis, timeline adjustments. Scarlett participates with the same polished professionalism she showed in our first meeting. Smart, direct, unafraid to challenge assumptions. When the meeting wraps, everyone files out. Scarlett gathers her things, but I catch her before she reaches the door.

"Scarlett."

She turns. "Yes?"

"I meant what I said. I need you accessible for this."

Her chin lifts slightly. "For work."

"Of course." I hold her gaze.

"For work."