Page 57 of Vows In Corruption

And a year before Elliot earned his seat on the board.

This was planned. It had to be. The guidelines have been the same for the past fifty years, there was no reason to change them, unless there was someone you wanted to keep out of the office on the top floor.

“I don’t remember ever voting on something like that.” I state through clenched teeth. When it comes to changes to the guidelines it has to be voted on, and I sure as hell wouldn’t have said yes to something like this. More so because it affects me.

“Neither do I.” Henry states from next to me.

Peter’s smirk gets deeper. “Interesting. It might have been during a meeting the both of you were out of town, and had a proxy vote.”

Motherfucker.

He knew.

This fucker knew that I would be vying for Gerald’s seat from the second I turned thirty. He fucking knew and decided to interfere years before it happened.

I knew this fucker had something up his sleeve, I just didn’t think that it would be this.

“Well,” Peter claps, gathering everyone’s attention. “Since Gerald’s choice of CEO doesn’t meet the requirements to hold the title, should we reconvening in two weeks, to hear who is Gerald’s second choice for a replacement?”

Every one around the room, and without thinking, a plan comes to my head and before I know it, words are flowing out of my mouth.

“There is no reason to reconvene. The vote will happen tonight.” I announce, stopping everyone in their track as they start leaving the room.

“You don’t meant the requirements Mr. Lane to become the head of this company. There is no reason to hold a vote.” Peter snarls out, frustration written all over his face.

“I may not met the requirements now, but I will next week.” The words flow so easily out of my mouth that even I believe them.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the fact that I’m getting married next Saturday.” Gasps ring through out the conference room.

I don’t take my eyes off Peter as I say the words, but from my peripheral I see both Elliot and Henry stiffen up at my proclamation. And I’m sure more than a few people in the room have their mouths popped open in shock.

“Like hell you are.”

I throw him a shrug, trying to remain as emotionless as I possibly can. “I’ll be sure to send you a copy of our marriage license.”

Peter goes red, but I can’t really tell if it’s from anger or embarrassment.

“Who the fuck are you marrying? The last time I checked you were single.” I will bet a good million that Peter here stalks social media and all the news outlets to find out personal information on me.

“Given who I am, I didn’t let this piece information slip. I wanted to protect her privacy. But if you must now, I’ve been with my girlfriend for over a year and I proposed in January. This wedding has been planned for months, but if I had know you were going to pull this shit, I would have walked down the aisle sooner.

I’m a bit shocked at how easy the lies flow out of me, and how believe they sound.

As I look away from Peter and take everyone in, I can see that everyone in this room is believing me. Including Ella.

“I don’t fucking believe you.” Peter snarls, drawing my eyes away from my shocked assistant and back to him.

“Then don’t. But it’s true. If you want, we can hold off the vote until then. I’ll bring the proof that I’m indeed married and then we get let the board deicide if I should be CEO. How does that sound?”

There’s a cockiness to my voice that shouldn’t be there. Especially when all I’m doing is spewing lies and there isn’t even a woman in my life that would be willing to help me with something like this.

How the actual fuck am I going to pull this off.

The vein in Peter’s neck looks like it’s going to explode with all the anger rolling through him. More so when I just stand here like I didn’t create a mess for myself and created a web of lies that I can’t come back from.

I did say that I would do anything to get Gerald’s title, I just didn’t think that I would go this far, what with my stance on marriage and all of that.