𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐑 || 𝐋.𝐌 ✓

➢Chapter 20- Liars and Backstabbers

THE MALFOY COMPANY NAMES LUCIUS MALFOY CEO.

The headline in the Daily prophet wasn't as splashy as what the gossip rags had been writing about him, but that large black print may well have been a golden road leading straight to heaven.

The board had taken nearly as long to announce as it took them to reach the damn decision. It'd been two weeks since his father told him the news and the article appeared in the paper just today.

He'd been desperate when he'd concocted the idea of marrying Y/n. Fully prepared to prove to the board he could settle down and be viewed as responsible enough to run the company he'd already been running at his father's side for years. Six months, and he knew he could convince them.

But it didn't take that long.

Because he and Y/n delivered Oscar-worthy performances? Or because of something much scarier: They were no longer performing.

The article was full of encouraging phrases like Abraxas Malfoy's son was born for this and Naysayers will now be forced to take a backseat and watch, and Lucius's personal favorite, a unanimous decision by the board of directors. Still, the win felt bittersweet. Even paired with an ass-kissing quote by Phineas and Marlene praising Lucius's hard work, which he couldn't have imagined her saying unless she had a loaded gun to her head.

The bittersweet part was that he'd arrived at CEO sooner than expected, and it was the right thing to do to sign over the hotel to Y/n and quietly divorce. The board may have taken their sweet time announcing who was CEO, and Lucius knew why. They didn't want a ripple of doubt on the surface of their decision. They were a careful and proud bunch, representing stockholders who were twitchy. A divorce, especially a quiet one, would not throw them into a search for Lucius's replacement. Hell, at this point, Lucius doubted anything short of a scandal involving him and a few farm animals would threaten his position.

But he didn't want a divorce. Not yet. He preferred to stick to the original plan—the six-month plan. His being appointed to CEO was accelerated, yes, but no reason to cut things short prematurely with Y/n.

Because you aren't ready to let her go.

He frowned down at the article that should have him popping champagne.

He didn't like the feeling uncertain. Y/n staying had never been permanent—not for her, not for him. He had everything he wanted...everything he needed.

His schedule turned blue, reminding him of a lunch with the president of Strategies, who wanted to upgrade every keycard entry in every Malfoy Hotel across the country. It was Lucius's first big decision as head of this company, and despite the potentially bland content—keycards didn't exactly turn him on—he was jazzed.

This was it.

Everything he'd wanted for nearly a decade, here for the execution. He turned his focus to his upcoming meeting and mentally curbed thoughts of Y/n and his marriage. This was his destiny. His legacy.

He was going to nail it.

* * *

"Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Malfoy is here," came Emily's voice over the intercom.

Lucius blinked up from the letter he was writing to check the time. It was eight? At night? The day had flown and for much of it, he'd been in the zone. Busy, handling his current position as well as delegating work since they hadn't yet found anyone to take over his former position as COO.

"You don't have to announce she's here, Emily. Just let her in." Good Lord. That woman was a robot.

"Yes, sir."