Whispers In The Boardroom

Chapter 23: Damage Control

After the reporters had finally dispersed from the building, Alexander insisted that Emma go home and get some rest. She needed space to process everything that had happened. He watched her leave, his heart heavy with the knowledge that the storm was far from over. Once she was out of sight, Alexander retreated to his office, shutting the door behind him. The silence was deafening as he sank into his chair, his mind racing with the consequences of the scandal.

He knew he had to act quickly. The longer this dragged on, the more damage it would cause—not just to Emma, but to his career and his company. But how could he fix this without hurting her even more? The answer came to him suddenly, a plan forming in his mind that made his stomach churn with dread. The only way to make these allegations disappear was to deny everything, including Emma. It was the last thing he wanted to do, but after seeing how much the situation had already affected her—especially after the hurtful blows from his parents—he felt he had no other choice.

He called his assistant into his office, his voice steady but cold as he instructed her to arrange a press conference for the next morning. "I need to set the record straight," he said, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut. "Make sure every major outlet is there. This needs to be handled quickly."

His assistant nodded, sensing the gravity of the situation, and left to carry out his orders. Alexander leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling as he considered the gamble he was about to take. This plan would either salvage his career and his biggest project or destroy his relationship with Emma. But which outcome would it be? And what exactly was he going to say when the cameras started rolling?

Emma finally reached her apartment, her face streaked with tears as she stumbled through the door. The events of the day played over and over in her mind, a whirlwind of emotions that she couldn't seem to escape. How had things spiraled so quickly out of control? Who had leaked the details of their relationship? And why had it been twisted into something so ugly and demeaning?

She felt utterly shattered, the foundation she'd worked so hard to build in New York crumbling beneath her. Her career, her relationship with Alexander, her sense of self—they were all in ruins. And as she thought about it more, the pain only grew. She wanted to scream, to cry, to do anything to release the agony that had taken root in her chest.

But instead, Emma chose to suppress it. She needed something—anything—to distract herself from the mess her life had become. She picked up the phone and ordered a pizza, deciding to drown her sorrows in food and mindless love stories. Maybe if she watched enough happy endings, she could trick herself into believing that things might still turn out okay.

As she curled up on the couch with her pizza and a stack of movies, Emma tried to push away the fear gnawing at her insides. She told herself that she had to trust Alexander, that whatever plan he had would work. But the question loomed large in her mind: was she ready to see everything unfold?

The next morning, Alexander dressed with meticulous care, his hands shaking slightly as he adjusted his tie. He wasn't nervous about speaking in front of the press—he'd done it a thousand times before. But today was different. Today, he had to do the unthinkable, and the thought of how Emma would react made his stomach twist in knots. Would she be able to forgive him for what he was about to do? Could he forgive himself?

As he entered the conference room, the air was thick with anticipation. Reporters crowded the space, their cameras trained on him as he took his place at the podium. The murmur of voices quieted as he cleared his throat, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Good morning," Alexander began, his voice calm and controlled. "I've called this press conference to address the rumors and allegations that have been circulating over the past twenty-four hours."