Chapter 3: The Boardroom Battlefield

Chapter 3: The Boardroom Battlefield

The morning passed by in a blur of preparation and anticipation. I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my blouse one last time before heading out. My reflection stared back at me: a woman caught between two worlds. On the one hand, I was Sophia Carter—the daughter of a once-powerful business mogul, now struggling to regain what had been lost. On the other hand, I was the wife of Alexander Knight, a man whose empire could either crush me or propel me to heights I could never have imagined.

I didn’t know which one I feared more.

The meeting with the board was set for noon, and it was clear that Alexander had every intention of using my presence to assert his dominance. As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of nervousness. Today would be my first real test in this new world, and I needed to make an impression—whether I liked it or not.

When I stepped out of my bedroom, Alexander was already waiting in the living room, his tall frame relaxed but exuding an air of authority. He looked every bit the part of the ruthless CEO—the dark suit, the perfectly tailored shirt, the cold eyes that seemed to calculate every detail. But there was something else beneath that calculated exterior: a quiet, almost possessive energy that I couldn’t quite place.

He glanced up as I entered the room, his gaze flicking over me briefly before nodding in approval. “You’re ready.”

I nodded stiffly. “I’m ready.”

With that, he led me toward the elevator, his presence so commanding that it made the entire penthouse feel like it was shrinking around us. I felt as though I were standing on the edge of a cliff, unsure of whether I was about to fall or soar.

The ride to Knight Enterprises’ headquarters was short, but the silence in the car was thick with unspoken tension. Alexander didn’t speak a word, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. I could feel his mind working, strategizing for the upcoming battle. The boardroom would be a battlefield, and I had no idea what role I was meant to play in this game.

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When we arrived, the building’s grandeur struck me once again. Knight Enterprises wasn’t just a company; it was a monument to power, wealth, and influence. The sleek glass façade reflected the clouds above, and inside, the air felt charged with the energy of billion-dollar deals being struck every minute. This was where Alexander truly thrived—the heart of his empire. And today, I was about to step into it, not as a mere assistant or business partner, but as his wife.

I followed him into the elevator, and we rode in silence to the top floor. The moment the doors opened, I was greeted by the cold, sterile environment of the boardroom. A long glass table stretched before me, surrounded by polished black chairs, each one occupied by the members of Alexander’s board. They were all men—men whose eyes followed me as I entered, their expressions unreadable, calculating.

And at the head of the table, sitting in the seat of power, was Alexander. He didn’t even need to speak to command attention. His presence was enough to silence the room.

I took my seat beside him, my back straight, hands clasped in my lap, trying my best not to feel out of place. The atmosphere in the room was oppressive, thick with the weight of high-stakes business decisions. But I wasn’t just here as an observer. Alexander had made it clear that I had a role to play in this world.

“Gentlemen,” Alexander began, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “As you know, this is my wife, Sophia Carter. From now on, she will be involved in all major decisions concerning Knight Enterprises.”

I stiffened at his words, but kept my face impassive. His wife. Even though it was a business arrangement, the weight of those words carried a certain power. I could feel the eyes of the board members shifting from Alexander to me, assessing me with silent scrutiny.

One of the men, a tall, broad-shouldered figure with dark hair and piercing blue eyes, leaned forward. “Alexander, with all due respect, we need to discuss the upcoming acquisition. We can’t afford to have distractions.”

Alexander’s gaze didn’t waver. “There will be no distractions, Richard. Sophia’s involvement will only strengthen this company’s position.”

I was surprised by his unwavering confidence. I had expected him to dismiss me, to show that I was merely a pawn in his game. But instead, he was putting me at the table as an equal, a decision that made the blood in my veins run cold. Was he testing me? Or did he actually believe that I could contribute in some way?

I could feel the pressure mounting. Alexander was throwing me into the fire, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to fight.

Another board member, an older man with salt-and-pepper hair, looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “I’m curious, Miss Carter. What exactly do you bring to the table?”

His words hung in the air like a challenge, and for a brief moment, I felt my pulse quicken. All eyes were on me now. I had to respond, and I couldn’t afford to falter.

Taking a deep breath, I met his gaze with steady resolve. “I bring fresh perspectives. The company needs to evolve, to modernize. Alexander and I share the vision of revitalizing this business, and I believe my background in strategy and operations can help us do that.”

The room fell silent. For a moment, I wasn’t sure if they were convinced, but Alexander’s sharp nod told me that he was.

Richard spoke again, this time with a hint of reluctance. “If Alexander believes it, then we’ll move forward. But make no mistake—business decisions will always come first.”

I nodded in agreement, silently acknowledging the unspoken rules of this world. I wasn’t here to play by anyone’s rules but my own.

And as the meeting continued, I realized that this contract marriage, this so-called business arrangement, wasn’t just about saving my family’s company. It was about power—the kind of power that I had never known but was quickly becoming addicted to.

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The meeting dragged on for hours, but by the time it ended, I had survived. And despite the tension in the room, I felt a sense of triumph. I had proven myself capable of holding my own in the boardroom, even if only for a brief moment.

As the board members filed out, Alexander turned to me, his expression unreadable. “You did well,” he said, his voice low and calm. “Better than I expected.”

I wasn’t sure if he meant it as a compliment or a mere observation, but I chose to take it as the former. For the first time since this whole arrangement began, I felt like I had made a small victory.

But I also knew that this was just the beginning. There were more battles to fight, more games to play. And the one thing I had learned today was that in Alexander Knight’s world, nothing was ever as it seemed.

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Chapter 4 Preview:

Sophia begins to feel the weight of her marriage as her role in the company becomes more significant.

Tensions rise between Alexander and his rivals, and Sophia realizes that her involvement in the business world will come with even higher stakes.

As the power dynamic shifts, Sophia starts questioning what she truly wants from this arrangement—and what Alexander wants from her.

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