Chapt 23: Emergency Board Meeting

Hailey's POV

I spent the next two hours buried in work, trying to pretend that the morning hadn't happened. Emails. Reports. Anything to stop replying Maxwell's voice or the way Gio had looked at us like he knew something had fundamentally shifted.

My phone buzzed at noon.

Christina: There's an emergency board meeting, it was called by Denison Walden. It's in an one hour.

My stomach dropped.

Denison, of course it was Denis. He'd been trying to take me down since the day I'd walked into Ramsey Industries, fighting every decision, questioning every move. He was definitely the kind of man who believed women belonged in supporting roles, not CEOs.

And now he was calling an emergency meeting the day after the custody hearing.

I texted Maxwell: Did you get the board meeting notice?

His response was instant: Already heading there. Meet you in the boardroom.

I got there as soon as I could. Fifteen board members sat around the conference table. Denison sat directly across from where I'd have to stand, his face practically giving satisfaction.

Maxwell was already there, seated to the right of my chair, his expression unreadable.

We still hadn't talked. Hadn't looked at each other properly since this morning's disaster.

But he was here.

I took my seat at the head of the table, forcing my spine straight. "Denis. You called this meeting. What's the emergency?"

"Thank you for coming on short notice." Denis's tone was fake polite. "We need to discuss recent developments and how they're affecting the company's public image."

"Recent developments." I kept my voice as calm as it could be. "You mean my custody hearing."

"Among other things." He shuffled papers deliberately. "The media coverage has been relentless. The stock's all over the place. Several big investors are whispering concerns about leadership stability, during this.... difficult times."

"Our stock's up by 3% from last week, " I countered immediately. "Q3 earnings crushed targets by 12% Every project I've launched is surpasses expectations. What exactly is unstable? "

"Your personal situation." Denis leaned forward. "The public sees alot of chaos, Hailey. A hidden child. A rushed marriage. A bitter custody battle playing out in tabloids. It doesn't exactly motivate investors."

"The public sees a mother protecting her son." My voice hardened. "Last I checked, that wasn't grounds for questioning my abilities."

"No one's questioning your abilities as a mother." His tone suggested otherwise. "We're questioning whether you can effectively lead a multi-billion dollar company while dealing with significant personal legal battles."

"I've been leading this company through 'personal battles' since day one." My hands pressed flat against the table. "My father's death. Media drama. Board members who've underestimate me at every turn. And yet here we are, record profits, successful expansion, reputation intact."

"Intact?" Denis laughed. "Have you seen the headlines? 'Billionaire Heiress in Custody Battle.' 'CEO's Secret Child Scandal.' This is a PR nightmare."

"PR nightmares are manageable." Maxwell's voice cut through the room like a blade. "What's your point, Denis?"

"My point is that perhaps Hailey should consider stepping back temporarily. Let the board appoint an temporary CEO until this situation stabilizes. For the good of the company."

The room went completely silent.

"You want me to step down." I said it slowly, making sure I understood correctly. "Because I'm fighting for custody of my son."

"Temporarily," Denis emphasized. "Just until the legal issues resolve and the media attention dies down. It's not personal, it's practical."

"That's bullshit." The word came out before I could stop it. "This is exactly what you've wanted since I inherited this company. You've questioned every decision, tried to bring me down, and now you're using my son as a way to stage a coup."

"A coup?" Denis's eyebrows rose. "That's too dramatic. I'm proposing a reasonable solution to protect shareholder value."

"You're proposing I abandon my company because being a mother makes me unfit to lead." My voice rose despite my efforts to control it. "Tell me, Denis, when Mich Whitworth dealt with his divorce a year ago, did you suggest he step down? When Damon Raven daughter was hospitalized six months ago, did you question his capability?"

Denis's jaw tightened. "Those situations were different."

"How? Because they're men?" I leaned forward. "Or because you actually respected them?"

"This isn't about gender..."

"Then what is it about?" I stood, and the room seemed to shrink. "Because from where I'm sitting, this is about you never accepting that a woman half your age inherited the company you thought you deserved. This is about you waiting for any excuse to push me out. And now you're using my five-year-old son to do it."

"The board has legitimate concerns..." Denis began.

"The board can voice those concerns directly instead of hiding behind you." I looked around the table. "Anyone else want to suggest I'm too unstable to do my job? Too emotional? Too distracted by being a mother?"

Silence. Most members looked uncomfortable. None spoke up.

"Exactly." I turned back to Denis. "So here's what's actually happening. I'm not stepping down. Not temporarily, not permanently, not ever. This company is mine. And so far I've earned my position through results, not connections. And if you can't accept that, you know where the door is."

"You're making a mistake." Denis's voice went cold. "Your personal life is bleeding into our operations. This rushed marriage, this custody battle, the constant media circus, it's affecting shareholder confidence."

"My marriage is none of your concern." My voice came out sharper than I wanted.

"It becomes our concern when it raises questions about judgment and stability." He leaned back, his smile sharp. "The timing of your marriage raises legit questions. Whether it's a genuine partnership or a calculated legal plan to protect your inheritance and custody claim. And if it's the the other, we need to prepare for the fallout when it collapses."

I slammed my hands on the table hard enough that everyone jumped.

"My marriage is real." The words came out steady. "Whether you believe that or not doesn't matter. What matters is that I've led this company through unexpected growth. I've exceeded every bar you set. I've proven myself repeatedly while you've done nothing but block and undermine."

I looked directly at Denis, letting every ounce of rage show.

"So here's what's actually going to happen. You're going to stop using my personal life as leverage. You're going to stop questioning my abilities. And you're going to either support this company's leadership or find somewhere else to invest your energy."

"Are you threatening me?" Denis's face got red with anger.

"I'm stating reality." I leaned forward. "This board works for the company, not against it. And if you can't do that, then maybe you should consider whether you still belong here."

"You can't force me out...." Denis was barely keeping himself composed.

"Can't I?" My smile was sharp. "I own fifty-one percent of this company. Which means I can absolutely force you out if your actions are affecting our interests. Attempting a coup during a custody battle doesn't exactly scream 'best interest of the company'."

Denis face went from red to purple.

"This isn't over," he said quietly.

"Yes it is." I gathered my things. "This meeting is over. Unless anyone else wants to question whether a mother can run a company?"

No one spoke. I walked out without looking back, my spine straight, my head high.

Only when I reached the hallway did my hands start shaking.