Chapter Four

                       Chapter Four

After Damian said those words, there was absolute silence. The words made Ryan's face go pale immediately. Emily could hardly breathe because Damian's words made her heart beat fast. Everyone around them in the ballroom kept quiet and watched what was happening. 

Waiting. Ryan tore his gaze from Damian and looked at her in disbelief and confusion.

“Emily,” he called her calmly, “Tell me what he meant by that” She wanted to say something but she did not know what she couldn't find the right words, she opened her mouth to reply but no words came out. She kept thinking what her answer would be. After catching my spouse red-handed in bed with my best friend, I went downstairs and had sex with his worst enemy. She felt ashamed.

Damian rose smoothly to his feet beside her, one hand still steady at her waist. That touch caught the attention of everyone in the room including Olivia. Emily saw it immediately. The slow rolling of her eyeballs, the ruthless assessment. Olivia moved forward and closer to Damian, this time, she pecked him on the cheek and made a possessive claim. “That was very dramatic” she said jokingly, although her smile seemed fake. Ryan didn't seem to care about all that. His focus remained on Emily. “Say something.” Emily was now standing erect. “I am walking away.”  Ryan didn't want her to leave without giving him the answer he deserved so he grabbed her wrist. “Don’t take another step” Damian's countenance changed suddenly, and you could see it in his face. “ Leave her immediately”

Ryan looked at Damian sharply. This has absolutely nothing to do with you. I am married to her and it is not your business. Damian was now filled with anger.

“You should have thought of that before embarrassing her in public” Ryan let go of her hand suddenly. Not because he wanted to, but because caution in Damian's voice sounds familiar. Emily who is now filled with worry, moved away from Ryan and Damian. She wanted to flee the ballroom as cameras and paparazzi were already turning towards them. There was murmuring all over the ballroom as people could now feel that something was going on. The microphone of the ballroom came alive as the chairman of Carter Holdings stood on the stage calling on Mr Damian Knight to give a brief speech to the investors and board members. This was it. Damian adjusted his cufflinks calmly, as though the confrontation moments ago had never happened. He looked at Emily for a few quick seconds and said “Stay.” That one word made Emily more uneasy. He didn't wait for Emily to reply before walking to the stage and Olivia quickly followed him. Ryan was now alone with Emily and he kept a straight face. “ Tell me, elat did you do? He asked in a low voice. Emily looked at him in shock. “You were nowhere to be found last night and Damian comes in and tells everyone that he knows who you are. “You have no moral standing to ask me that, after all, I caught you in bed with my best friend. With a hardened face, Ryan said “That is a different situation.”  Emily laughed hard because she couldn't believe his guts. Before she could answer, Damian reached the stage. The ballroom fell silent.

Under the crystal lights, he looked completely untouchable. He started by saying a smooth “Good Evening” to everybody. Everyone in the ballroom looked at nothing else but him. “As you all know, Knight Global in the last six months has multiplied its investment in Carter Holdings” And immediately, there was widespread murmur across the room. Damian resumed speaking, calmly this time. “As I speak to you, Knight Global currently has 34 percent voting shares in Carter Holdings.” A wave of shock spread around the ballroom as investors began to whisper and members of the board looked at one another worriedly. Emily looked at Ryan whose face is now pale. 34 percent, that was intentional, he is out for war. The chairman of the board who is now perplexed said “This acquisition wasn't made known to the board.” Ryan left where he was standing and went to the stage. “This has been going on for months now, you planned it out meticulously.”

Damian looked at him and said “Yes.” The word cut through Ryan like a knife. “You son of a gun” Some of the guests expressed shock. Damian never responded to Ryan's insult. He smiled for the cameras and said “Carter Holdings wouldn't be exposed to acquisition if it were stronger.” At that point, Ryan was ready to tear him apart but Damian wasn't done yet. “As a result of the disparity uncovered inside Carter Holdings, Knight Global has hereby asked for an official board inquiry beginning from now.” The room burst out. Emily's eyes twinkled. Financial disproportion. Ryan looked surprised. “What on earth do you mean?” Damian's appearance was still indecipherable. “Why are you afraid of scrutiny?” Ryan left the stage hurriedly. “This is revenge.” “This is just business” Damian responded in a calm voice. Fear exploded within the ballroom as security moved around indistinctly. This attempt was clearly personal as opposed to being just a business rivalry. Ryan pointed at Damian furiously. “This is what you have been trying to do since the start. You have been looking for a way to bring me down.” “ That is not true, Ryan.” The use of his first name silenced the room. “You will not be standing right here in this room if I wanted to destroy you now, would you?” Everyone in the room including Ryan heard the threat behind those words because it was striking. That was when Emily grasped something fearsome. Damian was not just making empty threats, he really had control over Ryan's whole world. The ballroom was now in disarray, as reporters came closer, people’s phones were all over the place as the story had started going viral online. CATER HOLDING IS FACING SERIOUS ATTACK

Public confrontation: Damian Knight versus Ryan Carter. 

Olivia moved graciously and stood next to Damian. She collected the mic and tried to calm the situation. “ Regrettably, this wraps up tonight's official publication.”

Her smooth smile came back. “ We are grateful to everyone who attended.” Emily scowled to a small degree. All Olivia did was damage control in order to protect Damian's image. She moved beside him with so much grace and it tightened Emily's chest. Emily hated that she felt that way. Ryan turned toward her again. He was calm and direct this time. “Did you sleep with Damian?” The explicitness of the question made Emily freeze for seconds. Investors whispered angrily around them so no one noticed what was going on except Damian. Emily caught his gaze across the ballroom as he waited and watched. Ryan moved closer as he demanded an answer. Emily didn't know what to say, a part of her wanted to tell him a lie while the other half thought she should pay him. back with the truth. The same way he hurt her. Vanessa came from nowhere and stood next to Ryan before Emily could answer and Vanessa sharpened immediately. And for the first time since Vanessa and Ryan's affair was brought to light, she looked agitated. She whispered to Ryan gently “ The press is already asking questions.” Emily burst out laughter “ It seems as if your little secret is out in the open.” Vanessa blenched while Ryan didn't pay her any mind. He was still fixated on Emily, demanding to know the truth. The room became hot suddenly.

Too crowded. Too suffocating. Emily ignored Ryan and looked at Damian straight in the eye. When he caught her eyes, they looked at each other for a while. And in that moment she realized that Damian was not looking at her like a mistake he made but like something he planned to keep for a long time. That was more threatening than the takeover of Carter Holdings. She felt her phone vibrate from inside her purse, she reached for island it was an unsaved number. A message came up on the screen. And when she looked at it, she became perplexed.

I know what you did when you left Ryan’s hotel room. The message was accompanied by a photo attached to it. Her heart almost stopped when she opened it. The picture captured her going into Damian Knight’s penthouse the previous night.