Chapter 76: Chapter Seventy Five

The morning sun poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting angular shadows across the polished marble floor of my office. Damon Kline stood near the entrance, hands clasped neatly behind his back—a man accustomed to silence, precision, and invisibility.

I didn’t look up right away. “Close the door, Damon.”

The soft click of the door echoed like a subtle shift in power. Without a word, Damon moved across the room and stopped in front of my desk.

“It’s been two days since Athena started,”  I said, my tone clipped and direct. “She’s competent. She stays. She’s good enough for the position.”

Damon remained unreadable. “Understood, sir.”

I studied him. “You don’t have to pretend it doesn’t sting,” I added, watching the slight tension in his jaw.

His jaw tightened just barely before he gave a slight nod. “It’s your call. Always has been.” Damon replied.

I set my tablet aside and leaned back, assessing him the way one might study a strategic piece on the board—not yet ready to let it go.

“You’ve been by my side for six years. I know what you’ve given up—the hours, the sacrifices, the fires you put out before they ever reached me.”

He offered a small smile, the kind that didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s been an honor.”

“And now, it’s time for something more.”

I stood and walked around the desk, pulling a sleek black folder from the cabinet. The Belmonte Group crest was stamped in silver on the cover. I handed it to him.

“Effective immediately, you’re heading the Special Projects Office.” I said.

Damon’s brow lifted, but his hands stayed at his sides. He didn’t reach for the folder right away.

“You’re serious?” he asked, voice low.

“As serious as a bullet to the chest,” I replied with a smirk. “You’ll have your own floor, a handpicked team, full autonomy. You report only to me. Think of it as cleaning up the messes I can’t afford to touch publicly.”

Damon finally took the folder, flipping it open. His eyes scanned the contents in silence.

“This means a lot,” he murmured. “You didn’t have to—”

“I wanted to,” I cut in, voice quiet but firm. “Athena will handle the front—the press, the meetings, the logistics. You’ll manage the shadows.”

He met my gaze, a flicker of understanding passing between us. “And if she messes up?”

My expression didn’t change. “Then I’ll handle it.” Athena Carmichael was my responsibility—and mine alone. No one else's.

A knock tapped gently at the door.

I already knew who it was. “Come in.”

Athena stepped through the door, iPad in hand, her dark green blouse catching the morning light. She paused when she saw Damon, sensing something unspoken in the room.

“I can come back,” she said, already beginning to retreat.

“No need,” Damon replied smoothly, stepping aside. “It’s your seat now.”

Their eyes met—a fleeting moment. Hers curious. His unreadable.

As Damon turned to leave, I spoke again. “Damon.”

He paused, looking back. “Sir?”

“Make sure the first file on your desk is the Castellano account. I want eyes on every move they make.” I commanded.

His mouth curved into a knowing smirk. “Already ahead of you.”

With that, he left—silent, as always. But now, his stride held power.

Athena stepped forward, slowly approaching the desk. She watched the door close behind him, then turned to me.

“Do you trust him that much?” she asked, her voice measured as she stopped behind one of the guest chairs.

I met her gaze without hesitation. “With my life.”

She nodded once, absorbing that. She didn’t press the matter. “It’s time for the board meeting.”

I studied her. “Am I allowed to assume you’re ready for your first one?” I asked coolly.

“I am,” she said without hesitation.

“Good.” I nodded once. Without another word or glance at her, I walked out of the office. She followed, heels clicking softly behind me.

\~~~~~

The boardroom thrummed with quiet tension as the executives settled into their seats, murmuring behind polished smiles. Men in bespoke suits and women with practiced poise turned their eyes toward me as I entered—Athena trailing a single step behind, tablet and slim binder in hand.

I said nothing until I reached the head of the table and sat down. Athena took the seat directly beside mine—not tucked away at the end where assistants were usually stationed, but right next to me. That was deliberate.

Director Moreno cleared his throat. The man had been with the finance division since the company’s inception—sharp-tongued and sharper still when provoked. “I see you’ve brought… fresh help.”

Athena didn’t so much as blink. “I prefer assistant." She corrected smoothly. "But yes.”

“Ah,” Moreno chuckled dryly. “Let’s hope she’s better than the last one. That girl couldn’t even pronounce EBITDA.”

He was referring to Susanna—Leonardo’s airheaded secretary, whose only credential was warming my father’s bed. She was the first one I dismissed after returning from the shareholders' meeting in Brussels, the one where my grandfather named me CEO of Belmonte Group.

I didn’t offer a smile, keeping my expression neutral. “Athena graduated top of her class. She doesn’t need to pronounce it—she can correct your model with a single glance.”

The smug expression faded from Moreno’s face. A ripple of silence passed over the table.

Athena slid a document toward me. “Here’s the updated Q2 projection,” she said calmly.

I flipped it open, scanning the highlighted lines. “She caught a 2.4% discrepancy in the Beltek merger documents—someone inflated the risk line.”

My gaze landed on Moreno, who shifted uncomfortably. “I’d suggest a full review of the acquisition team. Don’t you agree?”

Moreno looked like he wanted to argue. Instead, he swallowed his pride. “Of course.”

Athena passed the next folder across the table. “And your talking points for the Blue Ridge expansion, Mr. Belmonte.”

I gave a single nod, scanned the document, and looked back up. “Now, as I was saying before the interruption…”

Two hours later, the door clicked shut behind us. I tossed the meeting notes onto my desk and loosened my tie with a sigh.

“You undercut Moreno,” I said without turning to look at her.

“You were already going to,” Athena replied, approaching the desk. “I just made it easier.”

I paused, considering her words.

“I should be annoyed,” I murmured as I took my seat.

“But you’re not,” she said, a faint trace of amusement in her voice.

I looked at her, arms folded. “You didn’t flinch. Not even when they tried to get under your skin.”

“I’ve been through worse,” she said softly. “And I’ve survived worse.”

I leaned back in my chair, eyes narrowing slightly. “You handled the meeting better than I expected.”

“Surprised I’m competent?”

“No,” I admitted after a moment. “Just surprised I didn’t mind watching you take control.”

The air between us shifted—something charged settling in the silence.

“You want honesty, Mr. Belmonte?” she asked, stepping closer, gaze steady. “I didn’t take this job for the salary. Or the prestige.”

“Then why?” My brows furrowed in confusion.

“To see if the man I once knew still exists behind the title.”

My jaw clenched. “That man’s been dead a long time.”

“Then I suppose we’ll see if he can be brought back to life,” she said quietly.

A long pause stretched between us.

I reached for the coffee she’d brought in earlier and took a slow sip. It had gone cold, but I didn’t mind. It hit right.

“You were right,” I said finally.

Athena raised a brow. “About what?”

“The coffee,” I muttered. “It’s perfect.”

She offered a faint smile—her first genuine one of the day.

“Good,” she said, heading for the door. “Because so am I.”

And just like that, she was gone—leaving me alone with cold coffee, a quiet room… and the unsettling realization that—for the first time in years—I wasn’t entirely in control.