Page 58 of Silver Fox's Christmas Scandal
But by the time the meeting was over, I still felt like putting my fist through the wall. I felt blindsided by the whole thing, especially as the meeting was wrapping up and a few of them gave me salty stares.
I left the meeting feeling like I'd been punched in the gut, and CFO Daniel Mercer caught up with me in the hallway. "Lucian, do you have a minute?"
I gestured him into my office and closed the door, already knowing I wouldn't enjoy whatever he had to say. If the meeting hadn't been bad enough, I knew he was here to give me another lecture.
"I wanted to give you a heads up about something," Daniel began, and I could tell by the look on his face that something worse than the meeting topic was going on. "Viktoria's been making calls."
My jaw tightened. "What kind of calls?"
"To board members' wives. She's having casual conversations about you, asking questions about your personal life. Specifically, whether you've been seen with anyone new." His voice hovered just below a professional tone, but I sensed he was trying to warn me. "She's being subtle about it, but the intent is clear."
The frustration that had been simmering all morning exploded into white-hot fury.
Viktoria was weaponizing her social connections, using her network of wealthy wives to spread gossip about my private life.
She knew exactly how much damage she could do through strategic whispers and she didn't care what fallout came of it for me.
No doubt, Blake and Elena had reported to her their suspicions, which they'd both made painfully clear to me. I was giving "the help" too much leash.
"How do you know this?" I asked.
"My wife mentioned it. Apparently, Viktoria brought up your 'new interests' during a museum fundraiser last week. Asked if anyone had noticed you seem more… personally invested in certain staff members lately."
So that was what the whole board fiasco was about just now. Viktoria wasn't just spreading rumors—she was targeting Tessa specifically, painting her as someone who'd seduced me for professional gain. Tessa was being characterized as a gold-digger by people who'd never even met her.
"She's protecting Elena and Blake," Daniel continued. "Making sure their inheritance stays secure by discrediting any woman who might threaten their position. I'm sure she thinks she's just being a good mother to them, but…" His eyebrows rose as he let his words trail off.
This was humiliating. Viktoria had no right to do what she was doing. Blake and Elena's inheritance was fine.
Their trust funds were secure. I was in no place to lose my position here or the millions I had stashed away in accounts with their names on them.
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to process the full scope of what I was facing.
Viktoria was actively working to destroy Tessa's reputation—which was the leading reason the board was suspicious.
Otherwise, no one would've said a thing. My children were convinced Tessa was manipulating me. And it felt like the walls were closing in from every direction.
"What's your recommendation?" I asked, though I already knew the answer would tear my heart out.
"Distance yourself. Publicly, at least. Transfer her to another department, maybe. Put some space between you and her professional development until this dies down."
The suggestion felt like a knife to the chest.
Transfer Tessa away from me, watch someone else mentor her, pretend that she meant nothing more than any other employee? The thought of seeing her across the office made me want to destroy something.
"But I'm mentoring her. She has promise, Dan. She's really good…" I tried my hardest to keep my emotions out of it so he'd see reason, but he shook his head.
"Is she good enough to risk a scandal and flush your career down the toilet?" One eyebrow perked up and he said, "Because that's where this is going if your ex-wife keeps pushing buttons."
Daniel was right. The alternative was watching Viktoria's campaign succeed, seeing Tessa's reputation destroyed along with mine.
I couldn't let that happen to her. She deserved better than being collateral damage in my ex-wife's vindictive games.
"I'll handle it," I said finally, and although I hated every single second of it, and myself for not standing up for her, I had to follow through. I sent Tessa a message that we had to meet and gave her an address of a small dive bar across town where no one would recognize us.
Two hours later, I was seated in a corner booth waiting for her with two glasses of bourbon already swirling in my veins.
"Your message was strange," she said, sliding into the booth across from me. "Is everything all right?"
