The boardroom is intimidating by design.
Thirty feet of mahogany table. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. Twenty-two board members in suits that cost more than most people's monthly salary. And at the head of the table, Dominic Ashford—commanding, controlled, absolutely untouchable.
I'm seated at the far end, laptop open, taking notes. Professional. Distant. His assistant documenting the meeting.
No one would suspect that four hours ago, I was in his shower with his hands in my hair while he whispered about how much he loves taking care of me.
"The Singapore acquisition is proceeding as planned," Dominic is saying, his voice perfectly professional. "We've negotiated favorable terms, and the closing date is set for—"
The door opens.
Richard Chen from HR steps in, his expression apologetic but firm. Behind him is Jennifer Walsh from Legal. And behind her—
My stomach drops.
Marcus.
He's wearing a suit that looks slept in, his hair disheveled, dark circles under his eyes. He looks like a man who's been broken and is determined to take everyone down with him.
"I apologize for the interruption," Richard says to the room. "But we have an urgent matter that requires the board's immediate attention."
Dominic's expression doesn't change, but I see the subtle tensing of his jaw. "This is a closed board meeting, Mr. Chen. Unless this concerns a legal emergency—"
"It concerns allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of power involving you, Mr. Ashford." Jennifer's voice is professional but firm. "We've received additional evidence that requires immediate board review."
The room goes silent.
Every board member is staring at Dominic, then at me, then back to Marcus. Calculating. Assessing. Wondering if the rumors are true.
"What evidence?" Dominic's voice is ice.
Marcus steps forward, pulling out his phone. "Photographs. Text messages. Witness statements. All documenting your inappropriate relationship with your secretary."
My heart is racing so fast I feel dizzy.
"Mr. Bennett," one of the board members—an older woman named Victoria—speaks up. "You're not authorized to be in this meeting. This is highly irregular—"
"What's irregular is a CEO using his position to coerce a young employee into a sexual relationship." Marcus's voice is raw with emotion. "What's irregular is everyone in this company turning a blind eye while it happens."
He looks directly at me. "Bella, tell them. Tell them what he's been doing to you. Tell them about the late-night texts. The touching. The way he's isolated you from everyone else."
Every eye in the room is on me now.
Dominic's expression is completely neutral, but I can see the subtle warning in his eyes. Remember the rules. Remember what we agreed.
"Mr. Bennett and I recently ended our engagement," I say, keeping my voice steady. "He's making allegations based on jealousy and false assumptions—"
"False?" Marcus's laugh is bitter. He swipes on his phone and projects an image onto the boardroom screen.
It's a photograph. Taken through the office window last night. Dominic and me, silhouetted against the city lights, his hand on my face, our bodies close together.
The room erupts in murmurs.
"That was taken yesterday evening," Marcus continues. "Around 9 PM. When you were supposedly 'working late.'"
My mouth goes dry.
Dominic stands slowly, his presence commanding immediate silence. "Mr. Bennett, you're describing surveillance and stalking. You've been photographing my employees without consent—"
"I've been documenting abuse of power." Marcus is shaking now. "I've been trying to protect Bella from a man who's been manipulating her for months—"
"Enough." Victoria stands, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Mr. Ashford, Mr. Chen, Ms. Walsh—my office. Now. The rest of you, this meeting is adjourned."
The board members file out, their whispers loud in the sudden silence. Marcus is escorted out by security, but not before he looks at me one more time—a look of such devastation and betrayal that I have to look away.
Dominic walks past me without a word, following Victoria.
I'm left alone in the boardroom, staring at the photograph on the screen. The evidence of everything we've been trying to hide.
VICTORIA'S OFFICE
I'm called in twenty minutes later.
Victoria Mills is Sterling Corp's longest-serving board member. She's in her sixties, sharp as a razor, and completely intolerant of bullshit. She's also the one person Dominic actually respects.
When I enter, Dominic is seated across from her desk. Richard and Jennifer flank him like prosecutors. Victoria gestures to the empty chair beside Dominic.
"Sit, Ms. Chen."
I sit, careful to maintain distance from Dominic. Professional. Appropriate.
Victoria studies us both for a long moment. "I'm going to ask you this once, and I expect the truth. Are you two in a romantic relationship?"
The question hangs in the air.
I can feel Dominic's presence beside me—the warmth of him, the intensity, the unspoken command to lie.
But Victoria's eyes are on me, and they're too knowing. Too intelligent. She already knows the answer.
"Yes." The word comes out before I can stop it.
Richard and Jennifer both straighten. Dominic's hand twitches, but he doesn't move.
"How long?" Victoria's voice is calm.
"It's... recent. Very recent." I'm trying to minimize. "Nothing inappropriate happened while I was still engaged—"
"That's not what the photograph suggests." Jennifer pulls up more images on her tablet. "We have several photographs from the past two weeks showing intimate contact. Hand-holding. Him touching your face. You in his office after hours."
"Those were—" I start.
"Ms. Chen." Victoria's voice is gentle but firm. "I've been watching Dominic Ashford for fifteen years. I know when he's obsessed with something. Or someone. And I've been watching him watch you since the day you were hired."
She turns to Dominic. "You made a mistake, Dominic. Not in having feelings for her. But in pursuing them while she reported directly to you. That's abuse of power, no matter how consensual you claim it is."
"It was consensual," I say immediately. "He never forced—"
"Power dynamics don't allow for true consent, Ms. Chen." Jennifer's voice is professional but sympathetic. "When someone controls your employment, your income, your career prospects—they control too much for the relationship to be truly equal."
"Then transfer me." The words come out desperately. "Put me in a different department. Make it so he's not my supervisor. We can make this appropriate—"
"It's too late for that." Richard shakes his head. "The damage is done. The perception exists. Other employees have complained about favoritism. About inappropriate conduct. We have to address this formally."
Victoria stands, walking to the window. "Here are your options. Option one: Mr. Ashford steps down as CEO during an internal investigation. If the investigation finds wrongdoing, he's terminated. If not, he can return to his position."
Dominic's jaw tightens, but he doesn't speak.
"Option two: Ms. Chen resigns. You sign an NDA. You receive a generous severance package. And this incident is swept under the rug with the understanding that Mr. Ashford will face no further consequences."
The room goes silent.
They're asking me to sacrifice my career to save his.
"No." Dominic's voice is absolute. "She doesn't resign. If someone needs to step down, it's me."
Victoria turns. "You're willing to give up your company for her?"
"Yes." No hesitation. "Without question."
Something shifts in Victoria's expression. "Well. That's unexpected."
"Dominic, you can't—" I start.
"I can." He looks at me for the first time since we entered the office. "I won't let you sacrifice your career for my mistakes. This is my responsibility. My consequence to face."
"How noble." Jennifer's voice is dry. "But it doesn't change the fact that a power imbalance was exploited. Ms. Chen, you have agency in this decision. What do you want?"
What do I want?
I want to protect Dominic. I want to save his company. I want to undo every choice that led us here.
But most of all, I want to be honest.
"I want to tell the truth." I meet Victoria's eyes. "The truth is that Dominic has been obsessed with me since I was hired. The truth is that he pursued me inappropriately. The truth is that there was a power imbalance that made refusing him complicated."
Dominic's eyes close briefly, like I've just stabbed him.
"But the truth is also that I developed feelings for him. That I chose him. That I broke my engagement because I wanted to be with him, not because he forced me." I turn to look at Dominic. "The truth is that I love him. And I'm choosing him again, right now, even knowing what it costs."
Victoria studies us both. "Ms. Chen, you understand that by admitting this, you're confirming every allegation Mr. Bennett made?"
"Yes."
"You understand that this will likely result in Mr. Ashford's termination?"
"Yes."
"And you're willing to accept those consequences?"
I look at Dominic—really look at him. At the man who held me this morning. Who washed my hair with careful hands. Who admitted he doesn't know how to love without obsessing.
"Yes. I'm willing to accept the consequences."
Victoria sits back down. "Then here's what's going to happen. Mr. Ashford, you're taking a voluntary leave of absence. Three months. During that time, the board will conduct a full investigation into the allegations. Ms. Chen, you're being transferred to our London office. Effective immediately."
"London?" My voice cracks.
"You need distance. Both of you. We need to see if this relationship survives separation. If it's real or if it was entirely based on power dynamics." Victoria's expression is surprisingly sympathetic. "Three months apart. Different continents. No contact beyond professional necessity. If you're still together after that, then maybe—maybe—we can find a path forward."
"No." Dominic's voice is harsh. "She stays here. I'll go to London—"
"This isn't negotiable, Mr. Ashford." Victoria's voice is firm. "Ms. Chen goes to London. You stay here. Those are the terms."
Dominic looks at me, and I see something I've never seen in his eyes before.
Fear.
Real, genuine fear of losing me.
"Bella—"
"I'll go." My voice is stronger than I feel. "Three months. If that's what it takes to prove this is real, I'll go."
"You can't—" He reaches for me before remembering we're being watched.
"I can." I stand, maintaining professional distance even though every part of me wants to go to him. "We'll survive three months apart. And then we'll figure out the rest."
Victoria nods. "Meeting adjourned. Ms. Chen, HR will arrange your relocation. You leave next week."
THE ELEVATOR
I leave Victoria's office in a daze.
Dominic catches up with me at the elevator, his hand gripping my arm, pulling me into an empty conference room.
The moment the door closes, his control shatters.
"You're not going to London." His voice is rough. "I'll quit. I'll sell the company. I'll do whatever it takes, but you're not leaving—"
"Dominic." I cup his face in my hands. "This is the consequence. This is what happens when we choose each other. We have to prove it's real."
"It is real." His hands grip my waist almost painfully. "You know it's real. Why do we need to prove anything?"
"Because everyone else needs to know it too." I lean my forehead against his. "Three months. We can survive three months."
"I can't." His voice breaks. "I can't go three months without touching you. Without seeing you. Without knowing you're safe."
"You'll have to." My own voice is shaking now. "And so will I. But maybe... maybe we need this. Maybe we need to know if we can exist separately."
"I don't want to exist separately." His arms wrap around me, holding me like I might disappear. "I want you here. Where I can see you. Where I can protect you."
"You can't always protect me, Dominic." I pull back to look at him. "And I need to know if I love you or if I'm just addicted to being possessed by you."
Pain flashes across his face. "They're the same thing."
"No. They're not." I touch his cheek. "And three months apart will prove which one it is."
He kisses me then—desperate and possessive and full of fear. His hands are in my hair, his body pressed against mine, trying to memorize every inch before I go.
When we break apart, we're both breathing hard.
"Three months," he says against my lips. "But I'm calling you every day. I'm texting you constantly. I'm making sure you don't forget what we have."
"I could never forget." I kiss him one more time. "Even if I wanted to."