Grayson’s POV

The conference room at Sinclair Enterprises had never felt this hostile.

Board members sat stiffly around the polished oak table, their gazes shifting between Grayson and Isla as if deciding which of them was the bigger problem. The fallout from the scandal still loomed, and damage control wasn’t going as smoothly as he had hoped.

Eleanor Sinclair sat at the head of the table, her expression unreadable but her presence commanding.

“This situation is unacceptable,” one of the senior board members finally said, his voice laced with irritation. “Investors are concerned. Our stock took a hit. We need to rectify this.”

Grayson clenched his jaw. “We already released a statement. The allegations are baseless.”

The man scoffed. “That doesn’t erase the perception. If you expect us to believe there’s nothing going on between you two, then prove it.”

Beside him, Isla stiffened. He didn’t have to look at her to know she was fighting to maintain her composure. She had spent years building her career, only to have it reduced to a headline.

Eleanor finally spoke, her voice cutting through the tension. “The damage is already done. The question now is—how do we move forward?”

Silence.

And then, Victoria Langley’s smooth voice filled the room.

“Perhaps Isla stepping down would be the best course of action.”

Grayson’s fingers curled into a fist beneath the table. He turned to Victoria, whose expression remained poised, but there was a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes.

“No,” Isla said firmly before he could speak. “I won’t step down.”

A murmur rippled across the table. Grayson allowed himself a small smirk.

She wasn’t backing down.

“I was brought in to fix Sinclair Enterprises,” Isla continued, her voice strong. “And that’s exactly what I intend to do. I won’t let a manufactured scandal derail that.”

Victoria arched an eyebrow. “And how do you expect to gain back credibility?”

“By delivering results.” Isla met Victoria’s gaze head-on. “Numbers don’t lie. If I turn things around, then this scandal becomes irrelevant.”

Eleanor studied Isla for a long moment before nodding. “You have two months.”

The meeting ended, but the war had just begun.

---

Isla’s POV

The moment they stepped out of the conference room, Isla whirled on Grayson.

“She tried to get rid of me,” she said through clenched teeth. “And you just sat there.”

Grayson exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “If I’d argued, it would have made it look like I was protecting you.”

“Maybe because you should be.”

His gaze darkened. “You don’t need me to fight your battles, Isla.”

That stopped her.

Because he was right.

She had built her career on being strong, independent, and unshakable. But for the first time, she wasn’t just fighting for herself—she was fighting against forces more powerful than she had ever faced.

And Grayson?

She wasn’t sure where he stood.

“Two months,” she murmured.

Grayson smirked. “I’d start working if I were you.”

She glared at him.

He chuckled, stepping closer. “I’ll be watching, Isla. Let’s see if you can win.”

She tilted her chin up. “Oh, I plan to do more than win, Sinclair.”

Game on.