37. Margot
37
MARGOT
T he last time I walked into a boardroom with Eleanor, I had Grayson by my side, today, I walk in alone. My heels click against the polished marble floors as I enter the conference room at Perfectly Matched . The weight of a dozen stares settles on me before I even take my seat. Eleanor is already at the head of the table, poised like a queen addressing her court. She’s dressed for victory. Crisp white suit. Pearl earrings. A picture of cool, untouchable elegance. I hate that I admire how calculated she is. I set my bag down and fold my hands on the table, meeting her gaze head-on. “Let’s not waste time. You wanted to see me.”
A slow, knowing smile spreads across Eleanor’s lips. “You’re here alone.”
She says it like she’s already won. I refuse to let her see my nerves. “What do you want, Eleanor?”
She exhales dramatically, as if this is allsoexhausting for her. “Margot, darling. This isn’t personal.”
I resist the urge to laugh. “It’sentirelypersonal.”
She tilts her head slightly, studying me like a puzzle she’s already solved. “Fine. Have it your way.” She folds her hands neatly on the table. “The board has concerns. Understandable, given the…unfortunate revelationsabout Grayson’s parentage. Perfectly Matched is built on credibility, trust, and legacy. Right now, we’re in the middle of a media firestorm questioning all of those things.”
I keep my expression neutral, but inside, my pulse hammers.
She leans forward slightly. “The truth is, the board is looking for stability. For someone who isn’t tied to a scandal. Someone theytrustto lead.”
I already know where this is going, but I let her say it.
“I want you to take over Perfectly Matched ,” she says smoothly. “As interim CEO.”
I blink.
I expected her to cut me out completely. To rip Perfectly Matched from both of us. But this? This is worse. She’s not offering me power. She’s offering me betrayal on a silver platter. If I say yes, I keep Perfectly Matched . I keep the company Grayson and I built, the dream we shared, but I losehim.
Eleanor must see my hesitation because she smiles, as if she’s already won. “This is temporary, of course. Just until we can stabilize public confidence. You wouldn’t bereplacingGrayson. You’d beprotectingthe company.”
I don’t miss the way she carefully phrases it. Protecting. Not taking. Not stealing. Not betraying. It’s a lie wrapped in a pretty bow, and she knows it.
I lift my chin. “And what happens to Grayson?”
Eleanor gives me a sympathetic look. “Oh, Margot. Grayson’s position is already gone. He may not realize it yet, but there’s no future for him at Perfectly Matched .” She leans back, crossing her legs elegantly. “But you? Youcouldhave one. And you could ensure this companysurvivesthe fallout.”
The board members murmur amongst themselves. I can feel them watching me, waiting. My heart pounds. I need to buy time. I need to find another way, but Eleanor isn’t giving me another way. She’s backing me into a corner and handing me the knife.
I take a slow breath. “I need time to think.”
Eleanor smiles, knowing she’s already got me halfway there. “Of course. But don’t take too long, darling. The board is meeting again soon, and if you don’t step up… someone else will.”
I force a nod, gather my bag, and push to my feet. Every step toward the door feels heavier. I shouldn’t even be considering this. Grayson would never forgive me. Hell, I might not forgive myself. But if I don’t take this deal, Eleanor wins, and that might be even worse.
I barely make it into the elevator before I feel my entire body deflate. My hands shake as I press the button for the lobby, my mind racing. I need a plan. I need to get ahead of this. I need…
The elevator doors slide open.
Grayson is standing there. My breath catches. His suit jacket is slightly wrinkled, his tie absent, and his jaw is tight with frustration. His blonde hair is slightly disheveled like he’s been running a hand through it repeatedly, and his blue eyes lock onto mine the second the doors open. For a moment, neither of us moves. Then, he steps in. The doors close, trapping us in the small space.
I swallow hard. “Grayson…”
“What did she offer you?” His voice is quiet, but there’s a sharp edge beneath it.
I grip my bag tighter. “It’s not what you think.”
His gaze darkens. “Tell me.”
I inhale slowly. “She wants me to take over Perfectly Matched , just for now. Just until…”
Grayson exhales sharply, shaking his head with a humorless laugh. “So that’s how she does it.”
I frown. “What?”
“She makes you think you’resavingsomething when really you’re just handing it over.” He steps closer, his voice low. “You think this is about keeping the company safe? It’s not. It’s about gettingyouto do the one thing she’s been trying to accomplish for a while now.”
I lift my chin. “And what’s that?”
His blue eyes burn into mine. “Turning you against me.”
The words hit harder than I expect. I shake my head. “That’s not what this is.”
Grayson exhales, his jaw tightening. “You say that now. But what happens when Eleanor tightens the leash? What happens when she pushes you further and further until you don’t even realize you’ve becomeher?”
I press my back against the elevator wall, my heart racing. “I wouldn’t let that happen.”
His gaze searches mine. “Wouldn’t you?”
The elevator slows as we reach the lobby. I part my lips to say something, anything, but the doors open, and suddenly, we’re not alone.
Cassian and Isabella are waiting, both watching us with raised brows.
Cassian smirks. “Well. This looksintense.”
Isabella tilts her head. “Are you two fighting? Or is this some kind ofweird, sexual tension thing?”
Grayson steps out without answering, his expression unreadable.
I hesitate for half a second before following.
Cassian slides his hands into his pockets, still watching us with amusement. “Hate to interrupt whateverthatwas, but we have a problem.”
I rub my temples. “Please tell me it’s not about your love lives.”
Isabella pouts. “Unfortunately, no.”
Cassian smirks. “Though wearemaking your jobs impossibly difficult.”
Grayson crosses his arms. “What kind of problem?”
Cassian’s grin fades slightly. “Eleanor is moving faster than we thought.” He exhales. “And if we don’t counter her by the end of the day, she wins.”
Grayson’s jaw tightens. I glance at him, my chest tightening. We may be fighting, we may be broken, but we both know one thing: if we want to take down Eleanor, we have to do it together.