Page 66 of In A Mood For Mr. Wrong

Grayson tilts his head, his expression unreadable. “And by ‘smooth transition,’ you mean what, exactly? Handing you the keys to the company we built?”

Eleanor exhales, feigning disappointment. “Grayson, I understand this is difficult for you. But we all must acceptreality when it is presented to us.”

I straighten. “And what reality is that?”

She turns to me, her eyes gleaming.

“That Grayson King is not a King.”

A weighted silence falls over the boardroom. And just like that, the war continues.

46

GRAYSON

The silence in the boardroom is suffocating. Eleanor’s words still hang in the air like a guillotine, the weight of them pressing down on me, heavy and final.

"Grayson King is not a King."

Margot shifts beside me, her body rigid, her hands folded tightly on the table as if she’s physically restraining herself from launching across the room and strangling Eleanor with her own silk scarf.

Cassian exhales loudly, leaning back in his chair with an amused smirk. “Ah, sothisis the part where things get interesting.”

Isabella, still stewing from their disastrous date, barely glances at him before turning her gaze to Eleanor. “You know, for someone who acts like they have all the power in the world, you really do love a dramatic reveal.” She pops a mint into her mouth. “What’s next? Are you going to dramatically slide a file across the table? Show us a paternity test in a manila folder?”

Eleanor smiles, her favorite, condescending,I always winsmile. “There’s no need for theatrics. The truth is the truth.” She turns back to the board, carefully arranging her features intoa look ofdeep concern. “Grayson’s claim toPerfectly Matchedis based on a lie. While he has done an admirable job up until this point, the board must now face the reality that he is not, in fact, a rightful heir to the company. His leadership was never meant to be permanent.”

I grip the armrests of my chair so tightly that my fingers ache. “And let me guess…youarerightful leadership?” My voice is level, calm, but beneath it, a rage I have never quite experienced before simmers just beneath the surface.

Eleanor doesn’t even bother hiding her amusement. “I’m simply suggesting thatPerfectly Matchedneeds stability, something that cannot be guaranteed with someone who no longer has a legal claim to it.”

Margot, who has been silent up until this point, finally speaks. Her voice is sharp and cutting, every syllable laced with fury she barely keeps in check.

“This is the mostpatheticpower grab I’ve ever seen.” She tilts her head, her blue eyes gleaming with dangerous amusement. “Did yourehearsethat little monologue in the mirror, or do you just naturally sound like a corporate Bond villain?”

Cassian lets out a low whistle. “I do love it when she’s mean.”

Eleanor’s expression doesn’t flicker, but I know Margot got under her skin. She smooths an invisible wrinkle on her blouse before responding. “Margot, I know this must bedifficultfor you.”

“Oh, don’t patronize me, Eleanor.” Margot leans forward, resting her elbows on the table. “Let’s not pretend this is aboutstability. If you cared about that, you wouldn’t have been lurking in the shadows for the past year, waiting for the perfect moment todestroyGrayson.”

Eleanor sighs dramatically. “I’m doing no such thing. I’m simply ensuring the company remains in capable hands.”

Cassian lifts his coffee cup in a mock toast. “Translation:I have been plotting this coup for years, and it is finally my moment to shine.”

Isabella, now fully engaged in the drama, leans toward me. “Do you want me to throw my drink in her face? Because Iwill.”

Margot bites back a smile, but I can tell she’s considering it.

Eleanor clears her throat, visibly annoyed now. “The decision, of course, will not be madehere. This is simply a discussion.”

I scoff. “You mean an ambush.”

She ignores me, continuing in that sameI am superior to all of youtone. “The formal vote will take place in forty-eight hours. Until then, the board will have time to consider the best course of action.”

I don’t miss the way she phrases that.Best course of action, as if my removal is already a foregone conclusion. She believes she’s already won but she hasn’t. Margot straightens, her gaze flicking toward me in silent communication. We aren’t just going to sit back and let this happen. We are going to fight and we are going to win.

The momentwe step out of the boardroom, Olivia is waiting for us, her tablet in hand, a look of absolute fury on her face.

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