Chapter 5: The Boardroom Surprise

My stomach dropped when I heard him on the phone.

“Yes, move the board meeting to ten,” Alexander said through the office wall. “And make sure Emma sits in. I want her to see exactly what she married into.”

I stood outside his door, fists clenched. He wanted to humiliate me in front of his people. Fine. I’d sit there and take it.

Next morning came too fast. I chose a plain navy dress, nothing flashy. Alexander barely looked at me during the silent car ride to Voss Global Tower.

We stepped into the glass elevator. “Don’t speak unless I tell you to,” he said without looking at me.

“I’m not stupid,” I muttered.

The doors opened on the top floor. Marcus waited outside the boardroom, coffee in hand. “Morning, power couple. Ready to dazzle them?”

Alexander shot him a look. “Just do your job, Marcus.”

We walked in. Ten men and two women sat around the long table. All eyes turned to me. Victoria Voss sat at the far end, her sharp eyes studying me again.

“Everyone, this is my wife, Emma,” Alexander said, voice smooth like nothing was wrong. “She’ll observe today.”

I took the seat he pointed to, right beside him. My hands stayed folded in my lap.

The meeting started. A guy named Mr. Reynolds droned on about the merger numbers. “The European division is stalling. If we don’t fix the supply chain issue by next quarter, we lose another forty million.”

Murmurs went around the table.

Alexander leaned forward. “Solutions. Now.”

One woman suggested cutting costs. Another man wanted to delay the launch. Voices rose.

I listened, biting my tongue. But then Reynolds flipped to a slide with warehouse locations. Something jumped out at me.

“Excuse me,” I said quietly.

The room went silent. Alexander’s head snapped toward me.

I pointed at the map on the screen. “That warehouse in Chicago. You have it listed as backup storage, but look at the dates. It’s the same one my father’s company used last year for the same parts. They switched suppliers because the manager there takes kickbacks. Check the delivery logs from March. Half the shipments came in damaged.”

Reynolds blinked. “How would you know that?”

“My father’s company dealt with them,” I said. “I helped with the audit reports. If you use that warehouse, you’ll lose more money than you save.”

Victoria leaned forward, a small smile on her lips. “She’s right. I remember that mess.”

Alexander stared at me. His face stayed blank but his fingers tightened on the table edge.

Mr. Reynolds cleared his throat. “We can pivot to the new facility in Ohio. It’ll cost a bit more upfront but saves us long term.”

The room agreed fast. Numbers changed on the screen. The tension dropped.

Alexander didn’t say a word to me for the rest of the meeting. He just kept glancing my way.

When it ended, everyone filed out. Victoria stopped by my chair. “Well done, Emma. Not many people speak up on their first day.”

“Thank you,” I said softly.

She patted my shoulder and left.

Marcus grinned at me. “Damn. You just saved us a headache. Nice catch.”

Alexander stood up. “Marcus, out. Now.”

Marcus raised his hands and backed away. “See you later, Emma.”

The door clicked shut. We were alone in the big boardroom.

Alexander turned to me slowly. “What the hell was that?”

I stood too. “I saw a problem and said something. Isn’t that what you wanted? For me to see what I married into?”

“I wanted you to sit there and shut up,” he said, voice low. “Not play hero and show off.”

“Show off?” I stepped closer. “I helped. You should be thanking me instead of glaring like I ruined everything.”

He laughed, but it sounded angry. “Thank you? The wrong bride swoops in and fixes what my team missed? That makes me look weak.”

“It makes you look smart for marrying someone useful,” I shot back.

Alexander moved fast. He backed me against the table edge. “Useful? You’re a mistake, Emma. Don’t start thinking you belong here.”

My heart pounded but I didn’t look away. “Then why did you bring me? To watch me fail? Sorry to disappoint you.”

He put one hand on the table beside me. “You don’t get to win points. Not after what you did.”

“I wasn’t trying to win anything,” I said. “I just didn’t want to watch your company bleed money because of one stupid warehouse.”

His eyes searched my face. “You really think you’re helping?”

“I know I helped,” I said. “Even you can’t deny that.”

Alexander stayed quiet for a moment. Then he straightened up. “Don’t do it again.”

“Or what?” I asked.

He didn’t answer. Just adjusted his tie and headed for the door. “We’re leaving.”

I followed him out. In the elevator he kept his distance, staring straight ahead.

Back in the car, the silence felt heavier than before.

“You’re irritated,” I said finally. “Because the wrong sister actually knows something.”

Alexander looked out the window. “I’m irritated because you keep surprising me. And I don’t like surprises.”

I almost smiled but stopped myself. “Get used to it. We have five years.”

He turned to me then. His voice dropped. “Five years of you trying to play wife. We’ll see how long you last.”

The car pulled up to the penthouse.

I stepped out first. My legs felt shaky but I kept my head high.

Inside, I headed straight for the paints in the living room. I needed something to do with my hands.

Alexander watched me from the doorway. “Don’t get comfortable, Emma.”

I picked up a brush. “Too late. I already am.”

He didn’t reply. Just went to his office and shut the door.

But later that evening, when I came back from the kitchen with water, I saw it.

One of my sketchbooks lay open on the coffee table. A page I had drawn yesterday — a quick portrait of the city skyline.

It wasn’t there this morning.

Someone had moved it.

And Alexander’s office door stood slightly open now.

I froze, heart racing.

He had been looking at my drawings.