Secret Strangers in Love novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: The Board

The boardroom on the thirty-fifth floor had a table long enough to land a plane on.

Nine directors sat along it in dark suits.

Stanford Ashworth sat at the foot with a half-peeled orange in front of him.

The heir sat halfway down the left side, wearing a wounded face.

Mr. Stanhope walked in beside me and did not let go of my elbow until we reached our chairs.

I wore my mother's gray blazer and the expression of a woman at her own hanging.

"Thank you for coming," said the board chair, an elderly woman with a voice like dry toast. "We have a complaint concerning the chief executive."

"I filed it," the heir said, standing.

He slid a tablet to the middle of the table, and the still glowed on the wood.

Mr. Stanhope's hand in my hair.

My mouth on his.

Nine faces turned to me, and I stared at the orange peel.

"The chief executive is conducting an affair with an intern," the heir said.

"A subordinate, three weeks into her job, whom he promoted over my head."

"Over your head?" said a director.

"To his personal staff."

"Did you have her in mind for your own?"

The heir's smile faltered.

"I mean that this company has policies."

"We do," said the board chair. "Mr. Stanhope?"

Mr. Stanhope stood.

He did not look at the tablet.

He looked at the directors one by one.

"Yes," he said.

A rustle went down the table.

"Yes, I'm in a relationship with Miss Dunne. She is the finest analyst I have worked with, and she is the woman I care about."

I did not breathe.

"At eight fifty-five this morning, before anyone showed me a photograph, I transferred her out of my chain of command."

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