Chapter 4 - The Shadow of the Board
News of Maya’s miraculous recovery spread through the Calloway estate like wildfire.
Mrs. Gable’s strict posture melted into rare smiles, and the staff treated Lily not as an employee, but as the saving angel of the household.
However, outside the stone gates of the Evanston mansion, storm clouds were gathering over Calloway Hospitality.
Three weeks after Maya spoke her first words, a high-profile corporate gala was scheduled at the Grand Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago. It was the annual board meeting and charity fundraiser for the empire, attended by city elites, major investors, and international hotel partners.
In his study, Grant stood before his tall mirror, struggling with the cufflinks of his tuxedo.
A soft knock sounded on the door.
“Come in,” Grant said.
Lily stepped into the room, wearing a simple, breathtaking navy silk gown that Grant had secretly ordered for her from a boutique on Michigan Avenue. The dress fitted her slender frame perfectly, its dark blue color accentuating her golden hair and clear, pale skin.
Grant stopped, staring at her through the mirror. His breath hit his chest like a physical blow.
“You look... incredible, Lily,” Grant said, his voice deep and raspy.
Lily blushed, stepping closer to him. “I’m not sure I belong at a corporate gala, Grant. I’m used to serving the food at these events, not eating it.”
“You belong wherever I am,” Grant said firmly. He turned around to face her, holding up his unbuttoned cuff. “Help me with this?”
Lily stepped close, her delicate fingers working the silver cufflink through the stiff white linen. Their proximity was intoxicating—the scent of rain and sweet vanilla clung to her skin, while his dark, woodsy cologne enveloped her senses.
Grant looked down at her bent head, his heart pounding in his chest. He reached out his hand, his thumb gently resting beneath her chin, lifting her face until her eyes met his.
“Lily,” Grant murmured, his gaze dropping to her soft, rosy lips. “After tonight... after this gala is over... I want to take you away for the weekend. Just you, me, and Maya. To the cabin in Michigan.”
Lily’s heart did a joyful, terrifying flip. “Grant... are you sure? What will your board say? What will the press say about a billionaire dating his child’s nanny?”
“Let them say whatever they want,” Grant said, echoing the fierce conviction she had shown him on their first night at Table 17. “I don't care about their opinions. I care about you.”
Before he could lean down to kiss her, his private cell phone buzzed loudly on the desk.
Grant broke his gaze reluctantly, picking up the phone. “Speak, Victor.”
Victor Hale’s frantic voice erupted through the speaker. “Grant! You need to get to the Drake immediately! Julian Vance is here!”
Grant’s jaw hardened instantly into iron. “Julian Vance is a disgraced former VP who was ousted from the board two years ago.”
“He bought up twelve percent of the secondary preferred shares through a shell company in the Caymans!” Victor reported, his voice shaking. “He’s standing in the ballroom right now with press reporters, claiming he has evidence that you are incompetent, emotionally unstable, and squandering company assets on personal staff!”
Grant’s eyes turned to cold flint. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
He ended the call and looked at Lily. The warmth of the moment was replaced by the razor-sharp focus of a man preparing for war.
May you like
“It seems,” Grant said softly, holding out his arm for her, “that someone needs to be reminded who owns this empire.”
Lily slid her hand into the crook of his elbow, her eyes blazing with protective resolve. “Then let’s go remind them.”
