Chapter Two: Ghosts in the Boardroom
The conference room was cold — sterile white walls, glass panels that made every word feel like it echoed into eternity. Ava sat at the head of the table, heart steady, hands folded neatly on the polished surface. Around her, the board members waited, expectant and sharp-eyed.
She could feel Damon's gaze from across the room, quiet but relentless.
"Ms. Bennett, we've reviewed your proposal," said Harold Jameson, the company's CFO, voice thick with skepticism. "It's ambitious. Risky. Not the kind of strategy Wolfe Enterprises has leaned on before."
Ava met his gaze evenly. "Change is the only way to grow, Mr. Jameson. If we stay where we are, we'll fall behind."
A murmur of agreement—and dissent—rippled through the room.
Damon finally spoke, voice smooth but carrying weight. "I support Ava's vision. Wolfe Enterprises needs innovation, and she's the person to deliver it."
The room quieted. Damon's endorsement was a powerful shield.
Harold scoffed. "And yet, some of us question whether Ms. Bennett's personal history with you might cloud her judgment."
Ava felt her skin prickling. She caught Damon's eyes again — the flicker of guilt or protectiveness was fleeting, but it was there.
"History doesn't dictate the future," she said firmly. "I'm here to prove my worth on merit alone."
The meeting dragged on, debates circling like vultures, but by the end, Ava's proposal was approved—for a six-month trial.
As the room emptied, Damon approached her, close enough for just them.
"You held your own."
"Thanks to your vote."
He smirked. "Don't get cocky."
She laughed softly. "Old habits die hard."
A moment passed, heavy with unspoken memories.
Then Damon's expression softened. "We can't let the past ruin this."
"Agreed."
But as Ava gathered her things, a new voice cut through.
"Looks like you're back in the lion's den."
Marissa — sharp, polished, and as much a fixture in Wolfe Enterprises as Damon himself — stepped into the room.
Her eyes locked onto Ava's, thinly veiled challenge in every glance.
"We'll see how long you last."
Ava didn't flinch. "I'm not here to play games."
Marissa smiled — and it wasn't kind.
As she walked away, Damon's hand brushed Ava's briefly.
"We face the same storm," he murmured.
"And we weather it together," she replied.
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