Chapter 78 The Queen’s Gambit.
Evelyn avoided Roman’s stare as she broke the seal.
The sound of tearing paper was unusually loud in the quiet room.
Her fingers trembled slightly, unsure if it was nerves or anticipation. She walked back to her chair and slipped into it, pulling the documents out steadily.
She skimmed through the papers in silence, then exhaled softly.
“Well…” she began, still not looking at him. “A few months ago, I applied for a role at Sinclair Industries.”
She paused, gathering her words. “Senior Strategic Analyst. In the corporate strategy division.”
Roman’s brows lifted slightly.
“I wanted to get in without anyone’s help,” she continued. “I knew how hard it was to get in—everyone knows that. The tests are brutal.”
A small, humorless laugh escaped her.
“But I… I tried anyway. At the time, Nathan was set to officially resume at the company. I thought…” She swallowed. “I thought it would be nice to work together. It was supposed to be a surprise.”
Roman’s expression didn’t change, but his gaze sharpened.
Her lips pressed thin.
“I received the final interview confirmation and wanted to share the news with Nathan. That day, I went to his apartment… and found he was cheating.”
Her chest tightened. The words felt heavier than she expected.
Silence filled the dining room.
Roman knew those tests. He’d designed some of them personally. They were ruthless, meant to weed out anyone without both sharp intellect and creative problem-solving skills. Candidates from top universities across the country failed them regularly.
And Evelyn had passed. All the way to the final stage. Without using her connections.
A faint, unreadable glint flickered in Roman’s eyes.
He looked at her differently now. Not just his wife, but as someone capable.
"And now... you're on sabbatical."
The word landed between them.
Her eyes finally lifted to meet his. “You didn't tell me.”
Roman stiffened. “Evelyn—”
She cut him off.
“It’s fine.” Her voice was calm.
“The interview deadline is tomorrow. I’m not prepared. And you’re no longer there.” She folded the documents carefully. “So I won’t be going.”
The front door opened.
Both of them turned toward the sound.
Leo walked in, boxes in his hands, oblivious to the tension in the dining room.
“Madame!” he called cheerfully. “I got everything you left at the villa—and the necklace you forgot!”
Evelyn smiled, taking the gift boxes and necklace to put them safely aside. She'd almost forgotten about that necklace.
"Thank you, Leo." She said warmly. "I'll take these upstairs.”
She cast one last glance at Roman before disappearing up the stairs.
As soon as she left the room, Leo hesitated.
“Boss…” he began.
Roman, lost in thought, finally turned his attention to him. “Speak.”
“Well…” Leo stammered. “After the rest of the executives returned, your elder brother managed to rope in almost half of them. The other half are... wavering. Some are still loyal to you, but they're getting nervous.”
Leo paused. “The company stocks are dropping. The news about the old master collapsing leaked somehow, and investors are panicking.”
Roman’s jaw tightened; his fist
clenched slightly.
“The executives are complaining,” Leo continued, “since you’re on sabbatical, they expect you to step down, like a normal sabbatical. They don’t understand why you created your own rules. They say someone capable should take over.”
Leo clenched his fists. “The same people who sang your praises six months ago. Marcus must have bribed them well.” he said in indignation.
“And what's their plan?” Roman asked calmly.
“Right now… the only solution they see is for you to fully step down so a decision can be made, or return now.”
Leo knew Roman couldn't just go back. The old master had made his decision, and challenging it openly would mean challenging his father's authority. The board would see it as power-hungry, and the executives would use it against him.
They wanted him to step down fully, and permanently.
"Boss..." Leo's voice grew desperate. "What are you going to do? Should we alert the family elders? Get them to intervene? With the old master—”
Roman waved a hand dismissively. “Executives turning against me was expected. You never truly know loyalty until you test it. Most people follow profit first, principle second.”
He tapped his fingers against the table. Continuously.
Seeing that, Leo relaxed quickly. Roman tapping his fingers against a surface was a habit of his whenever he was deep in thought. Somehow, that reassured him.
After a pause, Roman finally spoke. “I need someone to step in… without me stepping in myself.”
Leo blinked. “Boss… how do we find someone capable and loyal for that now? It’s urgent—”
His eyes suddenly lit up. “Oh… you mean… for me to go?”
Roman cast him a disdainful glance. “Not you. You’re already my assistant.”
“Ohh,” Leo said, finally realizing how foolish he sounded.
At that moment, the soft sound of flip-flops descending the stairs caught their attention.
Roman’s gaze lifted slowly, and the tension in the room shifted instantly.
His eyes lit up as they fell on Evelyn, a bright smile spreading across his face.
“Bingo,” he murmured.
Leo blinked. "What?"
Roman ignored him completely. He waved a hand dismissively toward the door.
"Leave. I need to discuss something with my wife first. I'll fill you in after."
Leo looked thoroughly confused, but he knew better than to question his boss. "Uh... yes, sir.”
He gave Evelyn a brief nod before leaving.
Evelyn nodded with a small smile, watching him go. Then she turned to Roman, her brow furrowing.
"I thought you two were discussing something important?”
Roman’s lips curved into a slow smile. “Well… not as important as you,” he said calmly.
Her face reddened slightly. She ignored the comment, walking to the dining table. She picked up a glass of water and took a slow sip, trying to calm the flutter in her chest.
Roman watched her. The way the afternoon light caught her hair. The casual grace in her movements. The sharpness behind her eyes that he'd always admired, even when she didn't see it in herself.
She was perfect.
He waited until she lowered the glass.
"What do you think," he said calmly, "about taking on the role of CEO at Sinclair Industries?"
Pfttt—
Water sprayed everywhere—across the table, Roman's shirt, and across his face. Evelyn choked, coughing, her eyes impossibly wide.
"WHAT?!"
Roman didn't flinch, or move. Water dripped from his chin onto his already soaked shirt, but his expression remained utterly composed.
He pulled a napkin from the table and calmly wiped his face.
"I'll take that as a surprise rather than a refusal."
Evelyn stared at him, mouth opening and closing like a fish. Her brain had completely short-circuited.
Her hands flew to her mouth, seeing the water from her mouth sprayed all over him. “I—I didn’t mean—oh my God!”
She blushed furiously, scrambling to grab a napkin also. “I just… I didn’t expect… you… CEO?! Me?! That’s insane!”
Roman chuckled, leaning back slightly, letting the water drip from his hair. “Insane, maybe. Impossible? Not for you.”
Evelyn froze, her pulse quickening. “Me? CEO?”
"Yes, you."
"But I—I just applied for an analyst position! A senior level analyst position! I wasn't even sure I'd get that! I have no experience whatsoever.”
Roman's lips curved. "And you passed my tests. All the way to the final round. Without anyone's help."
She sputtered. "That's—that's completely different from being CEO!"
"Is it?"
"Yes! A thousand times yes!" She set the glass down with a clatter, her hands shaking. "Roman, I'm twenty-three. I just graduated. I have no experience running a multinational corporation. I don't know the first thing about—"
"You know more than you think." He stood, moving closer. "You're brilliant. You're sharp. You see things others miss." He stopped in front of her, close enough that she had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes.
"And most importantly—I trust you.”