Bound by Power: 17. The Boardroom Seige

The glass doors of Hale Industries’ boardroom gleamed like a battlefield, reflecting the tension that simmered inside.

Dominic stood at the head of the table, the edges of his tailored suit crisp, his eyes smoldering with the dark, magnetic authority that had earned him both fear and desire. Investors, board members, and lawyers filled the room, whispering, shifting, nervously tapping pens against the mahogany table. Ava stood slightly behind him, dressed in a fitted blazer and pencil skirt, hair pulled back—a vision of professional elegance—but Dominic could feel the faint tremor beneath her poised exterior.

Langford’s latest maneuver had escalated beyond whispers and leaks. He had secretly lobbied the board, planting doubt, questioning Dominic’s leadership, dangling the scandal like a blade over their empire. And now, they were here.

“Dominic,” one senior board member began, voice clipped, trying to mask uncertainty, “we’ve received reports—rumors, really—about