Chapter 61 Chapter 61
DOMINIC’S POV
There’s a moment that happens right before your entire world shifts beneath your feet. It's like the air changes, thickens, and your lungs forget how to work properly. That was what it felt like as I held that envelope in my hands, reading line after line of dirty linen inked in the black and white language of corporate sabotage.The room was absolutely quiet, every breath, every glance sharpened into something unbearable. Everyone had copies, I couldn't deny something so obvious. It was a contract I had signed months ago, when I decided to do it, I thought it would be buried in the background noise of power plays and business risks like it always was. But this… this time ot backfired. They wound me out. This was about exposure. Who exposed me?
My fingers tightened on the edge of the document. I looked at the faces of everyone at the table, wondering who had sold me out. But i hadn't exactly told anyone at the table about it so how do I know who to suspect? Whoever could dig the chain of messages, the rerouted approvals, the quiet override I made to compliance protocols was definitely a big shot.They had all of it. The proof of my misconduct and negligence was staring right at my face. It was a proof that I, Dominic Smith, had carelessly violated a cornerstone of our corporate policy and worse, it was out in the open. I am doomed.
I looked up slowly. My voice was low, dangerously still. “Where did you get this?”
No one answered. The room was full of shadows pretending to be people. Colleagues I’d worked beside for years, people I’d toasted champagne with, shared visions of the future with. Now they looked like strangers hiding behind polite silence. Eyes flickered, some glanced at their hands, some at the floor, but none of them met my gaze.
Gavin finally spoke, his voice somber. “That’s not the point right now.” Gavin had never really taken a liking to me, I am sure he was happy, maybe even had a hand.
“The hell it isn’t,” I said, my voice rising as I stood. The chair behind me screeched across the floor. “You blindsided me. This? This is a witch hunt. I am sure I'm not the only one with secrets. Why come at me?”
“It’s not personal,” Gavin said, though the twitch in his jaw told me it was. “It’s about the integrity of the company. Dominic… this isn’t just about this one incident. It’s the string of bad press, the investors pulling out, the employee dissatisfaction. The board has lost confidence in your ability to lead.”
I wanted to laugh, but it caught in my throat. A sour, choking sound.
“So you all sat here and plotted behind my back?” I snapped, sweeping my gaze across the room. “Is this what we’ve come to? A mutiny?”
“Call it what you want nobody plotted,” said another board member who barely spoke unless numbers were involved. “But we have to make a decision. Coupled with the fallout from your… you know what. The personal controversies have made this unavoidable.”
Unavoidable.The word echoed like a gunshot in my head. I turned to Gavin. “You think this is how it ends? You think I’ll just bow out because you dug up some paperwork and decided to act like saints?”
“No,” he replied. “We think it’s time you faced the consequences of your actions.”
I laughed then, bitter and cold. “You really think you can vote me out?”
Gavin nodded. “We already have the numbers. But if you want to make it official…”
He turned to the others. “Those in favor of Dominic stepping down as CEO effective immediately, raise your hand.”
Time slowed. I watched them exchange looks, then slowly, hand after hand rose.
Almost everyone. A clean sweep. Even those I thought were loyal. Even the ones I’d mentored. Even the ones I’d given second chances. My knees felt weak. My mouth was dry. I didn’t know if I was breathing anymore.
They had turned on me. Every single one. Well except for Mr Roland and Mr Benson, probably because I had made promises to them I was yet to fulfil. I scanned the room again, looking for any signs of hesitation. Any flicker of guilt, maybe someone will drop a hand. But their eyes were cold. Focused. Determined.
My voice cracked through the thick air. “Where did you get the documents?”
No one answered.
“…it came from me.”
My whole world collapsed.
“Answer me!” I barked. “Who the hell gave you this?”
Suddenly, the door to the boardroom creaked open. And that voice, that damn voice that I hadn’t heard in weeks cut through the silence like a blade.
“That’s not the focus of this meeting,” she said. “But if you must know…”
I turned around coming face to face with my worst enemy. She stood there, head held high, coat draped over one arm like a general arriving at a war she’d already won. Her eyes were calm. Steady. Vicious in their clarity.