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“Are they still in there?”
“Yes. They were having a very heated discussion.”
“Did they vote?”
“I couldn’t tell. I thought about walking in there and interrupting them, but I figured it was best if I stayed out of it.”
“Wise decision. It’s best if you can be my eyes and ears without everyone knowing your intentions.”
“That’s what I assumed.”
“Take my wife and friends to my office. I’ll take care of this.”
“Yes, sir.”
I stormed down the hallway, taking off my coat as I walked. I adjusted my tie and was just about to toss my coat onto a nearby chair when it was snatched out of my arms. I figured it was Alisha, but instead, it was my wife.
“What are you doing?”
“Hey, this is just as much my company as it is yours. Maybe I’m just the wife, but I’m still here to support you, whether you’re being an ass or not.”
I couldn’t exactly stand there and argue, so I walked up to the conference room and yanked the doors open. Jerry turned to me in surprise, but the rest of the board was a mixture of angry and relieved.
I turned to Jerry with a grin. “It’s a little late for a board meeting, Jerry.” I made a point of looking at my watch. “And you didn’t invite me.”
“I thought you were already gone for the day,” he stammered.
I nodded. “Yet, you called all of them here, when most of them were gone hours ago. So, how about this time, you tell me the truth. As CEO of this company, I am guaranteed to sit in on any board meeting…especially if your purpose is to call a vote to replace me.”
Now Jerry sat up taller, clearing his throat. “Yes, but in the instance that the CEO is hurting this company’s image with damning evidence, a meeting may be called so the board may review the material without being swayed one way or another.”
“I think they’re actually being steered,” I said, watching the board’s reaction, “by you.”
A few of them nodded, while others looked around for who would speak up. Jerry pushed back his chair, but I interrupted him before he could speak.
“If you think I’m damaging this company so much, prove it to me.”
“This is a board meeting for—”
“I’m right here, Jerry. If you want to accuse me of hurting the company, then show me something to prove it. I think I have the right to defend myself.”
His nostrils flared and he tossed down a paper on the table. It was dated for tomorrow. I picked it up, immediately noticing the image on the cover was me with Rose. It was taken from our time on the island. Except, in this picture, her face was replaced by another woman’s. Jerry had obviously gone to some lengths to get the image altered. I tossed the paper down on the table.
He pointed at it, trying to appear angry. “This is going out in tomorrow’s paper. We needed damage control. You obviously can’t be trusted to be discreet in your actions, and now they’ll sink the company.”
I laughed at that. “Jerry, CEO’s all around the world screw around and it never affects the stock prices. You think a picture of me in the paper is going to ruin us?”
“The fact that you were sleeping with another woman after just getting married weeks before? Yes, I think that would make people think twice about our company.”
I smirked, thinking about how true this would be, if Rose weren’t actually my wife. She stepped forward and picked up the paper, looking it over with a smile. She was remembering that night as much as I was, and if the look on her face was anything to go by, she was getting turned on.
“Gentlemen, I’m afraid you’ve all been duped. This picture was altered. I remember this night very well. I was with my wife on our honeymoon.”
Jerry scoffed as the rest of the board started whispering. “That’s ridiculous. This woman is straddling you like a whore in a nightclub!”
“Yes, it was like that, if I remember correctly,” Rose smiled up at me. “It was a night I’ll never forget.”
I did my best to control my expression, but a smirk took over before I could stop it. “This picture is a lie, and it would be a very good lie if only you didn’t miss one thing.”
