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Ivonnes pov So what was I supposed to do now? How was I supposed to make them acknowledge my right at this table? I took a deep breath and forced myself to speak calmly. “I may not know why he did it,” I said, “but I do know that I’m capable of handling responsibility. Before Mr. Archibald acquired my parents’ company, I helped them run it for years. I worked with suppliers, clients, and staff—” Clarkson’s lips curved into a cold smirk. “Ah yes,” he said smoothly, cutting me off. “The same company that went bankrupt and dragged your family name through the mud so badly that you had to marry Lincoln just to save what was left?” I felt the blood drain from my face. My nails dug into my palm. He wasn’t wrong. But the way he said it—the deliberate cruelty of it—made my stomach twist. I opened my mouth, ready to answer back, when Lincoln sighed beside me. “Enough,” he said quietly. “Ivonne, drop it.” I turned to him, frowning. “What?” He leaned back, still perfectly calm.
Ivonne’s POV The sound of my palm hitting the table cracked through the boardroom much louder than I expected. The men jumped. Even Lincoln froze and looked at me with wide eyes . For one second, there was nothing but stunned silence and the faint hum of the air conditioner. I slowly straightened my fingers, letting the sting in my palm fade. Then I smiled.. it was a calm, deliberate and a little cruel smile. “Well,” I said, my voice cutting through the quiet. “It’s good to finally have your attention.” Every face around the table hardened. A few exchanged quick, angry looks. But I didn’t care. For the first time since this meeting started, I felt like I was in control. I leaned forward slightly, letting my gaze sweep over every one of them. “If any of you have a problem with me,” I said coolly, “say it now. To my face. Because I’m not going to sit here and be ignored like some pet that Lincoln needs to ‘control.’” The words landed the way I wanted it to and I immediately felt
Ivonnes Pov They just stared at me with cold hard and unflinching eyes and It immediately became clear to me that this meeting would not end well for me. The awkwardness was so suffocating. I could practically hear my own breathing which felt too loud in the quiet room. For a second, I wasn’t sure what to do with my hands or my whole body actually. Thankfully, Larry stepped forward quickly, pulling a chair out beside Lincoln’s. “Here you go, Miss Ivonne,” he said gently. “Thank you,” I whispered, grateful. I sat down beside Lincoln as he took his seat at the head of the table, his movements calm and deliberate, as if the tension didn’t touch him at all. I tried to mimic his composure, sitting straighter, folding my hands neatly on the table. The meeting began. One of the older men... Mr. Clarkson, if I remembered right—cleared his throat and started reading from a document. “Mr Lincoln, As of last quarter, revenue is up 3.4 percent compared to projections. Our investmen
Ivonne’s POVThe air in the building immediately turned ice cold the moment we stepped into the main offices. And no, it was not from the undoubtedly ultra expensive air conditioners.It was from all the eyes glaring at me.I could feel every single eye on me. They were all sharp, judgmental, and anything but welcoming. Every person we passed stopped what they were doing just long enough to greet Lincoln and glare at me. I could hear some Some whispering about me while Some didn’t even bother pretending to hide their sneers. Their gazes trailed over me with open disgust, like I was some kind of stain that didn’t belong in this pristine place.But I kept my chin up and pretended not to notice. It wasn’t an easy task at all. The women behind the reception desk muttered something to each other and smirked when I glanced their way. One of the men by the glass doors actually looked me up and down before shaking his head in disappointment. My pulse thudded in my ears, but I forced mys
Ivonne’s POV Soon after, Denise convinced me to wear the outfit. “You absolutely have to wear this suit,” she’d insisted after Lora brought it over.Denise thrusted it into my hands before I could even say good morning. “It’s sharp, elegant, and screams power. Exactly what you need to look like.” I’d raised an eyebrow at her then. “Denise, it’s a meeting, not a coronation.” She’d ignored me completely, holding up the white suit to my reflection. “Look at this cut. The color brings out your skin tone perfectly, and the jewelry—oh, don’t even start with me—it’s from his family collection, right? Then it’s perfect.” I’d frowned at the mention of the jewelry. The Archibald family heirlooms weren’t just accessories. They carried weight, history, and a bit of arrogance in every gleaming piece. Still, Denise had that determined look in her eyes that told me resistance was futile. “Fine,” I’d sighed. “But you’re coming to the office later. I’ll need you to gather as much info as possibl
Ivonne’s POV The soft hum of the car engine filled the silence as I sat beside Lincoln, my hands folded neatly on my lap, eyes fixed on the blur of the city outside the tinted window. He hadn’t said much since we left the manor—just the occasional clipped instruction to the driver—and honestly, I was fine with that. I had enough on my mind already. After what had happened earlier… I still couldn’t shake it off. My mind drifted back to earlier that morning—back to them. After Solenne and Viera had walked away, their mocking laughter still echoing faintly in my ears, I just stood there in the same spot for what felt like forever. My hands had been clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palms, but I barely noticed the sting. I was too shocked—too furious—to feel anything properly. How dare they talk to me like that? Threaten me so openly in my house? It took me a few seconds to snap out of it, to remind myself that standing there like a stunned idiot wasn’t going








