18. Kyle The Real Enemy Revealed #2
I shake my head, my pulse hammering. “You really think I’m that blind?
” I gesture between us. “You were the only one who rolled in on me immediately after I kissed Leslie at the awards. The only one who made that little comment to her in my house during Theo’s scandal meeting that got her tensed.
” I pause, letting the weight of my words sink in.
“What is it with you and me and Leslie, Amanda?”
Her jaw tightens. “Oh, I see what this is now.” Her lips curl slightly, like she’s just figured out some great joke. “You’re looking for someone to pin your girlfriend’s problems on.”
“My relationship has nothing to do with this,” I say coldly. “This is about you, Amanda. So why don’t you tell me exactly what you’ve been up to?”
For the first time, I see something crack in her confidence. A small shift. A breath too sharp.
Then, she straightens. Her shoulders square. And just like that, the crack seals itself shut.
She tilts her head, her expression unreadable. Then, she scoffs.
“Kyle, listen to yourself.” She leans forward, clicking through the files. “You think I’d be dumb enough to leave all this in a USB and drop it on Daniel’s desk? Please.”
“You’re the only one with the skills to manipulate these emails,” I counter.
“Am I?” she asks, arching a brow. “What if Leslie planted this? What if someone is setting me up?”
I slam the laptop shut. “Leslie didn’t frame herself.”
Amanda’s lips curl into a smirk. “But I bet you can’t prove that.” She leans back, crossing her legs, her gaze sharp. “You’re awfully defensive,” she muses.
“Because I know what you did,” I say coldly.
She clicks her tongue. “And yet, you are the one under fire.”
Before I can respond, she reaches into her bag, pulls out her phone, and taps the screen.
A recording plays. My voice.
“Leslie didn’t frame herself.”
“My relationship with her has nothing to do with this.”
I freeze.
Amanda watches me, triumphant. “Oops. Did I forget to mention I record all my meetings?” She smirks, slipping the phone back into her bag, as she turns on her heel and walks toward the door. “You should really be more careful, Kyle.”
I push to my feet. “Amanda—”
She doesn’t stop.
She reaches for the handle, then throws me a look over her shoulder. “This isn’t over.”
And then she’s gone.
I stay frozen for a second, my pulse hammering.
Then I start pacing.
Shit.
I don’t even know what just happened. Did I push too hard? Was this her plan all along—to make me react, to trap me?
I rake a hand through my hair. This is getting out of control.
The minutes drag. An hour passes. Two.
Then my office phone rings.
I snatch it up. “What?”
Sharon’s voice is tense. “Sir, the board just arrived for an emergency meeting. They want you in the conference room.”
I freeze.
The board?
A cold sense of dread settles in my gut.
I inhale sharply, straighten my tie, and head for the conference room.
***
I step into the conference room, and the air is thick with tension.
Mr. Lancaster watches me from the head of the table, his fingers steepled. “Kyle,” he says smoothly, “have a seat.”
I lower myself into the chair, muscles tight.
“What is this about?”
Lancaster slides a folder across the table. I flip it open.
My stomach drops.
A transcribed conversation—my conversation with Amanda.
“Leslie didn’t frame herself.”
“My relationship with her has nothing to do with this.”
A bead of cold sweat rolls down my back.
“Where did you get this?” I ask, my voice flat.
“Ms. Clarke brought this to our attention,” Lancaster says. “She claims you harassed her and attempted to frame her for Leslie’s misconduct.”
My pulse spikes. Amanda played me.
Another board member leans forward. “Kyle, do you deny that you’re in a relationship with Leslie?”
Silence thickens the air.
I grip the armrest of my chair.
Amanda planned this. She baited me. And I walked right into it.
“This is serious,” Mr. Lancaster adds, his voice edged with finality. “The company’s reputation is on the line, especially when the CEO cannot respect his own policies and is accused of harassing employees.”
His eyes lock onto mine.
“We need to discuss your possible resignation.”
The words slam into me like a punch.
Resignation?
A sharp ringing fills my ears. I glance around the table, pulse spiking. A few board members shift uncomfortably, but none of them speak up for me.
They've already made up their minds.
I clench my jaw. I’m losing control of this. Of everything.
“This isn’t what it looks like,” I say, keeping my voice steady. “Amanda has fabricated evidence—”
“The evidence is damning, Kyle,” Lancaster cuts in. “And your behavior isn’t helping.”
My fingers tighten into a fist beneath the table.
I need proof. I need leverage. I need to act.
I push back my chair, standing abruptly. “If you’re going to discuss my future, you’ll want all the facts first.”
Lancaster narrows his eyes. “And what are you suggesting?”
“I’ll prove Amanda is lying.” My voice is cold, measured. “Give me twenty-four hours.”
Silence. Then—
“You have until tomorrow morning,” he says, unimpressed. “Then, we’ll make our decision.”
I nod once, sharp. Then I turn and stride out of the conference room.
The moment I’m outside, I yank out my phone and dial Leslie.
Ring. Once. Twice.
No answer.
I try again. Still nothing.
My heart pounds as I switch to Daniel. “Find Amanda. Now.”
“She’s already gone,” he says grimly. “Sharon saw her leave an hour ago.”
I curse under my breath.
“Kyle . . .” Daniel hesitates. “This isn’t looking good.”
“I know,” I mutter, my grip tightening on the phone.
Leslie. I have to warn her.
I call again.
Straight to voicemail.
My throat tightens. I might lose my company.
And I might have already lost her.