Nicholas POV
THE NEXT DAY
NICHOLAS'S POV
The tension in the boardroom was noticeable. Mr. Benjamin's incessant drumming on the table echoed in the silence. The other directors watched me expectantly, their eyes boring into me with thinly veiled impatience.
"So where is she?" Mr. Benjamin repeated, his tone laced with irritation. The sternness in his voice made it clear that he wouldn't tolerate much more delay.
I forced a calm smile and stood, trying to hide my own growing anxiety mixed with anger "A minute, please," I said, excusing myself. I walked to the far side of the room, my back turned to the directors and pulled out my phone. Monica should have been here twenty minutes ago. I had made it clear how crucial this meeting was, but there was no sign of her. Sweat began to bead on my forehead as I imagined the repercussions of her not showing up.
I dialed her number, my fingers trembling slightly and that was when it dawned on me. I haven't given her a phone yet. "Monica, where are you? You need to be here now," I whispered urgently to no one, trying to keep my voice steady.
I took a deep breath, glancing back at the board members. They were watching me, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. I couldn't let them see my fear.
As I returned to the table, I tried to think of a way to stall for more time. "Gentlemen, I apologize for the delay. Monica had an urgent matter to attend to, but she will be here shortly," I lied, hoping to buy a few more minutes.
Mr. Karl raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "This better not be another one of your stunts, Nicholas. We're not here to play games. You said you've found someone you were willing to get married to and we all agreed to this meeting but here we are with no one present"
Just as I was about to respond, the door to the boardroom opened, and Monica walked in. My heart lifted with a mix of relief and surprise. She looked stunning in a bodycon blue cooperate gown, yet an elegant outfit that exuded confidence. Her eyes met mine, and I could see a flicker of apology in them.
"Sorry I'm late," she said, her voice steady. "There was an unexpected delay."
The director's eyes followed her as she moved to stand beside me. I saw their expressions shift from skepticism to intrigue and I couldn't help but feel proud of how things were going.
Monica had a natural presence that commanded attention, and I knew this was our chance to turn things around. Monica plastered a kiss on my cheeks and I couldn't help but stare at her in shock but I was quick to regain my composure. That wasn't part of the plan but I knew she was doing this to convince the directors.
"Monica," I said, placing a reassuring hand on her waist "This is Mr. Karl, the head of the board, and our other esteemed directors."
She nodded respectfully to each of them, her demeanor professional. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. Thank you for your patience."
Mr. Paul gave a curt nod. "Nice to meet you too dear. You look stunning" I glared at Mr paul who couldn't take his eyes off Monica's body as I felt possessive of Monica.
We took our seats, and I could feel the tension easing slightly. Monica's presence seemed to have a calming effect on the room.
"So what do you do dear?" Mr Paul's question caught us both off guard as I and Monica looked at each other, waiting for the other to utter a word.
"Nothing sir" Her reply didn't go well with the directors and I felt like slapping my forehead.
"Nothing? What do you mean by nothing? How do you take care of yourself if you don't do anything?" Monica bit her lips as she anxiously played with her finger under the table.
"She isn't employed because she relies on me full time. She is one of my playthings"
"Oh, I see" Mr John raised an eyebrow as she looked intently at Monica whose face was down.
"So you couldn't find any other woman. You decided you wanted to be with a whore? Do you think that is what your father would want? To have a whore as a daughter-in-law or are you just doing this just so you could keep the company?" Mr. Benjamin's voice was dripping with disdain, each word laced with a venomous mix of contempt and incredulity.
I felt a surge of anger rises within me, but I forced myself to remain calm. "Mr. Benjamin, please show some respect," I said through gritted teeth. "Monica is not what you think she is and she is pregnant with my child. She's intelligent and capable of being the next first lady of this company" I instantly regretted saying Monica was my whore. I never thought they were going to ask these many questions.
"Pregnant?" Mr Paul asked in shock.
"Yes. She is pregnant with my child. I had planned on making things work with Angela when Monica told me that she was expecting my child and I knew this was my father's way of letting me know that this company is meant to be mine"
Mr. Benjamin scoffed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. " I can't believe my ears. you've brought this... this disgrace into our midst? Your father built this company from the ground up, and you're tarnishing his legacy by getting married to one of your playthings." His words made me realize once more that I should have thought of a better way of introducing Monica than saying she was one of the women I randomly slept with.
Monica, sitting beside me, remained stoic, her eyes fixed on Mr. Benjamin. I could see the hurt and anger flashing in her eyes, but she didn't flinch.
Mr. Benjamin's gaze shifted to Monica, his expression hardening. "And what about you, Monica? What do you have to say for yourself? Do you think you're fit to be part of this company, let alone this family?"
Monica lifted her chin, meeting his gaze head-on. "I'm not here to justify my worth to you," she said, her voice clear and unwavering. "I'm here because I am carrying the future heir of the Sterlings group. I never wanted this to be my fate but as soon as I figured out that I was pregnant, I knew the man responsible had to know about his baby"
"And how do we know you're not making all these up? We are talking about the richest and youngest billionaire in the country and women will kill to have his baby. How sure are we that the child is his? How sure are we that you aren't just here for his money" Mr John questioned, his piercing gaze not leaving Monica as he stared at her like an investigating officer.
Mr. Benjamin snorted, clearly unimpressed. "We'll see about that. But know this, Nicholas: if anything goes wrong, it won't just be your reputation you're destroying. It'll be your father's legacy, too."
I felt a pang of guilt at his words, but I pushed it aside. "I won't fail," I said firmly. "We won't fail."
With a final disgusting look at Monica, Mr. Benjamin turned on his heel and walked out of the room, leaving us standing there in the aftermath of the discussion. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves.
"Are you okay?" I asked Monica, turning to her.
She nodded, though I could see the strain in her eyes. "I'm fine," she said softly. "But we have a lot of work to do."
"We do," I agreed.
"Nicholas " Mr Karl called and I shifted my gaze to him. He stared at me deeply and then shifted his gaze to Monica "Are you sure this is the woman you're willing to spend your life with?"
"Yes, uncle. She is already carrying my child and I can't just leave her like that. You all said I should find someone to get married to and have a child with and here she is"
Mr Karl sighed and looked once more at Monica "Don't make us regret this Nicholas " he uttered, his eyes not leaving Monica.