Chapter 10

Diane's POV

The meeting room empties slowly, one board member after the other leaving with stiff backs and uneasy expressions.

Murmurs follow them out, low and cautious whispers that cling to the walls even after the door shuts behind the last person.

I remain seated, lips folded in.

My fingers are still curled tightly around the edge of the table, my heart thudding painfully against my ribs.

Proceed as planned.

The words echo again. Not once, not twice; they keep echoing like music on play, and as they echo, my anxiousness increases.

I can't understand why Conrad said we would proceed as planned. It isn't meant to bother me no matter what, given the fact that Conrad is a freak.

But I'm a secretary after all. Whatever goes wrong, I think 80% of the blame will be on me.

I slowly tilt my head to his side. He hasn't moved. He sits at the head of the table, jacket still on, sleeves crisp, gaze fixed on nothing in particular.

Is he lost in thought? I don't know. But he's calm, too calm for a man whose company stands on the edge of scandal.

I stand slowly, attempting to leave the hall, but...

"Diane," he says eventually, his voice cutting through the silence. "Stay."

I swallow hard, my throat bubbling in the process.

Just as I stood slowly, I sit down slowly, staring at his face to see if I can figure out any expression.

Blank.

His expression has always been blank, with nothing to figure out.

My thoughts linger on only one thing; is he going to vent on me?

The door finally clicks shut, leaving just the two of us in the oversized room.

The air feels heavier, thicker, like something unspoken is pressing down on my chest.

"Sir..." I start, then hesitate. Carefully, I choose my words. "Proceeding as planned; won't that make things worse?"

He finally looks at me.

Not annoyed. Not angry. Just... assessing.

"Sit properly," he says.

I straighten immediately, smoothing my dress over my knees.

"If we change the design," he continues calmly, standing up now, "we look guilty. If we move the date forward, we look desperate. And if we pull out entirely..." He scoffs lightly. "...we hand Reney exactly what they want."

I frown slightly. What is he saying?

"But they already exposed theirs first. Society will assume..."

"Society assumes whatever it's fed," he cuts in smoothly, voice firm and commanding. "And I don't intend to feed them fear."

He walks toward the glass wall, hands slipping into his pockets as he stares out at the city below.

"Our design didn't appear overnight," he goes on.

"It passed through approvals, revisions, and internal reviews." He turns slightly, his gaze locking onto mine. "You know most of that, you went through everything last night."

My breath catches in my throat.

"You've seen the drafts," he continues. "The timestamps. The mails. The revisions dated months before Reney made their move."

Understanding dawns slowly; he's right.

"They copied us," I whisper softly.

"Yes." His lips curve into something sharp. "And they were arrogant enough to think we'd panic."

My pulse quickens. "So proceeding as planned is..."

"Proof," he finishes. "Confidence. Leverage." He pauses, his voice tinged with something I can't place my finger on. Reney has no idea what they've done.

"If they accuse us after the launch, we respond with evidence. If they stay silent, their exposure becomes an unspoken admission."

I stare at him, something shifting quietly in my chest.

He isn't reckless. He really isn't. He's in fact five steps ahead.

He's being strategic.

"But sir," I say carefully, "what if things don't go as expected?" The question rolls out of my tongue because I can't stop being curious.

I need answers. I want to make sure we're on track.

His gaze darkens slightly as he studies me.

"Then," he says calmly, "we fight it the proper way." he declares sharply.

Silence settles between us again, different this time. Heavier and charged.

My phone vibrates suddenly in my purse.

I stiffen, fear crawling in.

Conrad notices. His eyes flick briefly to the bag before returning to my face. "Is something wrong?"

I shake my head too quickly. "No. Just... nothing important."

But even as I say it, the words from the anonymous message replay in my mind again.

This won't be the end, Diane.

Conrad moves back toward the table, stopping a little too close. My breath hitches as he leans in.

"Are you sure there's nothing?" His gaze pierces into mine as he inquires.

A chill runs down my spine. I gulp twice.

"No... No... Nothing." I stammer.

Of course I'm lying. I know I am, but I can't mix my personal problem with work. This is my business to sort out.

His brows squint, like he doesn't believe what I said, like he knows as much as I do.

"Nothing?" he repeats, narrowing his gaze at me.

I nod.

He shrugs. "What's next on my schedule?" he queries.

A short gasp spills from my throat as I step back sharply, bowing my head. "The schedule is clean for now, but there are piles of proposals waiting for your approval. We should start with that first." I rush my words.

He nods, then stands straight once more. "Let's leave."

"Yes, sir."

As I gather my things and turn to leave, one thought burns at the forefront of my mind:

This isn't just about stolen designs anymore.

Something far bigger is unfolding... and somehow, I'm right at the center of it.

***

The rest of the day drags on, and as soon as the clock ticks 6pm, I gather my stuff, ready to leave.

Just as I'm walking out, I see Conrad leaning against the wall, hands folded.

I halt. "Sir?"

"Are you leaving?"

I force a smile. "Do you need my help with anything?" I question back instead.

He nods, then lifts his weight from the wall and stands straight.

He takes a step forward. Subconsciously, I step back, my heart picking up the race.

"Did you get my email?" he asks, still walking robotically towards me.

My breath pauses as realization hits hard.

The... the event.

I open my mouth to speak, but I gulp down air instead.

"I... I... I..."

"Planning to leave?" he cocks his head with a frown.

"No... No... I thought maybe, because of what happened at work today, the event had been cancelled and you needed time to collect your thoughts." I mutter with a smile.

He smirks, then grabs my arms. My eyes widen as a sharp gasp spills from my throat.

"You must have forgotten something important, Diane..." He lifts my chin sharply, his breath hot against my face.