Chapter 6 Power and Love's Choice

# Chapter 6: Power and Love's Choice

The next morning, I woke to the sound of Kane's shower running and the scent of coffee brewing. Sunlight streamed through his floor-to-ceiling windows, casting the penthouse in a golden glow that matched my mood. Last night had changed everything—we were no longer hiding, no longer pretending our relationship was just physical. We had chosen each other, completely.

I slipped out of bed, wrapping myself in Kane's discarded shirt from the night before. In the kitchen, I poured myself coffee, smiling at the domesticity of the moment.

"I could get used to this view," Kane said from behind me.

He stood in the doorway wearing only a towel slung low on his hips, water droplets still clinging to his chest. Even after all our nights together, the sight of him still made my breath catch.

"The apartment or me in your shirt?" I teased.

"Both." He moved closer, pulling me against him. "Especially you in my shirt. Though I prefer you out of it."

His kiss tasted of mint and promise, his hands already working at the buttons when his phone rang. He ignored it until the third ring, sighing against my lips.

"It's Helen," he said, checking the screen. "Must be important for her to call this early."

I sipped my coffee, watching his expression change from relaxed to tense as he listened.

"When?" he demanded. "Who called it?" Another pause. "I'll be there in thirty."

He ended the call, his jaw tight.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Emergency board meeting. This morning." His eyes met mine. "Max requested it."

A chill ran through me despite the warm coffee in my hands. "About us?"

"Helen doesn't know. But the timing..." He ran a hand through his damp hair. "Get dressed. I'll drop you at your place on the way."

The drive was tense, both of us lost in our own thoughts. Outside my apartment, Kane took my hand.

"Whatever happens, remember what I said last night. We'll face it together."

I nodded, trying to believe him. "Call me when it's over?"

"The minute I leave the room." He kissed me quickly, then pulled away. "I love you, Ava."

"I love you too."

The words still felt new, precious—and now threatened.

Inside my apartment, anxiety propelled me through a quick shower and change of clothes. I was due at work in an hour, but the thought of facing curious colleagues while the board discussed my relationship was unbearable. I called Marcus, claiming a migraine, and received a distracted acceptance of my sick day.

The hours crawled by with excruciating slowness. I cleaned my already tidy apartment, reorganized my bookshelf, anything to keep my hands busy while my mind raced with worst-case scenarios. By noon, I'd worn a path in my carpet from pacing.

When my phone finally rang, I lunged for it. "Kane?"

"It's Lisa." Her voice was tight with concern. "Are you really sick, or are you hiding?"

"Both," I admitted. "What's happening there?"

"Chaos. The board meeting has been going for three hours. Max and Kane came out shouting at each other about twenty minutes ago, then went back in."

My stomach twisted. "Have you heard anything specific?"

"Just rumors. But..." she hesitated. "Annabelle Winters is here. She went into the meeting about an hour ago."

The room seemed to tilt. "Annabelle? Why would she—"

"I don't know. But Ava, whatever's happening, it's big. Security's been called to stand by."

After we hung up, I resumed pacing, jumping at every notification on my phone. When the doorbell rang at 2:30, I nearly tripped rushing to answer it.

Kane stood in the hallway, his tie loosened and hair disheveled from running his hands through it—a habit I'd learned indicated extreme stress.

"Can I come in?" he asked quietly.

I stepped aside, heart pounding. "How bad?"

He moved past me, pacing my small living room like a caged animal. "Max presented the board with evidence of our relationship. Photos from the club, hotel receipts, timestamps of our comings and goings."

"How did he get those?"

"He hired someone to follow us. And Annabelle helped him—apparently they've been working together for weeks."

I sank onto the couch. "What does the board want to do?"

Kane stopped pacing, his expression grim. "They've given me an ultimatum. Either you're transferred out of the company with a generous severance package, or they'll review my position as CEO."

The words hit me like a physical blow. "They want to fire me."

"Not fire. Transfer to a subsidiary with a promotion and raise." His voice was bitter. "A golden parachute disguised as an opportunity."

"Because I'm the expendable one."

"No." He knelt before me, taking my hands. "Because they think I am. The board values stability, not the man who provides it."

"What did you tell them?"

His thumbs traced circles on my palms. "I told them I needed time to discuss it with you."

"There's nothing to discuss," I said firmly. "I'll take the transfer."

"No."

"Kane, be reasonable. You've worked your whole life for this position. I can find another marketing job."

His grip on my hands tightened. "I won't let them dictate our lives. I won't let them push you out for loving me."

"Then what's the alternative? You lose everything you've built?"

He smiled slightly. "Not everything. Not what matters most."

The conviction in his voice stunned me. This was Kane Richardson, the ruthless businessman who never compromised, willing to risk his career for me.

"There has to be another way," I insisted.

"I've been thinking about that." He moved to sit beside me. "What if we turned the tables on Max?"

"How?"

"He's been after my position since before I arrived. This moral crusade is just his latest angle." Kane's expression hardened. "But he's made mistakes. Documented ones."

"What kind of mistakes?"

"Financial discrepancies I've been quietly investigating. Conflicts of interest with competitors. Nothing I could prove definitively until now." He pulled out his phone, showing me emails. "But this morning, he got sloppy. Used his company email to coordinate with Annabelle."

Hope flickered. "That's something, but is it enough?"

"Combined with what else I have, yes. But using it means war." His eyes searched mine. "Are you ready for that?"

I considered the question carefully. The easy path would be to accept the transfer, to walk away from the conflict. But looking at Kane—at the man who was willing to fight for us—I found my resolve strengthening.

"Yes," I said. "Whatever it takes."

The next morning, we arrived at the office together, deliberately. Whispers followed us through the lobby, but Kane's hand remained steady at the small of my back.

"Remember the plan," he murmured as the elevator doors closed.

The board reconvened at nine. This time, I was invited to attend—or rather, summoned to hear my fate. The conference room was tense, directors seated around the massive table with Max at one end looking triumphant and Annabelle beside him, elegant in a designer suit.

Kane and I entered together, his posture radiating confidence despite the gravity of the situation.

"Mr. Richardson, Ms. Mitchell," the chairman began, his expression severe. "Have you reached a decision regarding our proposal?"

Kane remained standing, his hand on my shoulder. "We have. We reject it entirely."

Murmurs rippled around the table. Max leaned forward. "That's not how this works. The board has made its position clear."

"Based on information obtained unethically and presented without context," Kane countered. He placed a folder on the table. "Before you make any decisions, I suggest you review these documents."

The chairman opened the folder, his expression shifting from annoyance to concern as he scanned the contents. "What is this?"

"Evidence of Mr. Thompson's financial misconduct, collusion with competitors, and abuse of company resources for personal vendettas." Kane's voice was cold. "Including using company funds to hire private investigators to follow employees."

Max's face reddened. "That's absurd. This is clearly a desperate attempt to—"

"It's all documented," Kane interrupted. "And there's more. Ms. Winters, perhaps you'd like to explain why you accessed confidential company information through Mr. Thompson's credentials? That's corporate espionage, a criminal offense."

Annabelle paled, her perfect composure cracking. "I did no such thing."

"The digital trail suggests otherwise." Kane nodded to the folder. "Page twelve shows the access logs."

The board members were now passing the documents between them, expressions darkening. Max stood abruptly.

"This is a fabrication. Richardson is trying to save his own position by discrediting me."

"Unlike your evidence against us, mine comes with independent verification." Kane turned to the chairman. "Call the security team. They've been briefed on the findings and can confirm the digital trail."

For two excruciating hours, the board reviewed the evidence while Kane and I waited outside. We sat side by side in the reception area, not speaking but drawing strength from each other's presence.

Finally, Helen appeared. "They're ready for you."

Back in the boardroom, the atmosphere had shifted dramatically. Max and Annabelle were conspicuously absent.

"Mr. Richardson," the chairman began, "the board has reviewed your evidence and finds it... compelling. Mr. Thompson has been suspended pending a full investigation."

Relief washed through me, but Kane's expression remained guarded. "And what about our situation?"

The chairman exchanged glances with the other board members. "While the company does have policies regarding relationships between executives and their direct reports, we recognize that this case has... extenuating circumstances."

"Meaning?" Kane pressed.

"Meaning that given your exemplary leadership and Ms. Mitchell's clear professional merit, we're willing to find a compromise."

The compromise, it turned out, involved restructuring the marketing department so that I would report directly to the Chief Marketing Officer rather than Kane, removing the direct chain of command. It wasn't ideal—I would lose some access to Kane professionally—but it allowed us to continue our relationship without either of us leaving the company.

As we left the boardroom, Kane pulled me into an empty office, closing the door behind us.

"We did it," I breathed, still processing the outcome.

"We did." His smile was triumphant as he pulled me close. "I told you I wouldn't let them separate us."

"What happens to Max?"

"He'll be lucky to avoid criminal charges. As for Annabelle..." Kane shook his head. "She was a pawn in his game. She'll retreat to lick her wounds, but she won't be bothering us again."

I leaned into his embrace, the tension of the past twenty-four hours finally easing. "I can't believe you were willing to risk everything for me."

He tilted my chin up, his blue eyes intense. "It wasn't a risk. It was the easiest choice I've ever made."

His kiss was tender yet possessive, a declaration more powerful than words. When we finally broke apart, he rested his forehead against mine.

"The board meeting wasn't the only battle I was fighting today," he said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. My breath caught.

"I wasn't planning to do this here," he said, "but after everything we've just faced, I can't wait another moment."

He opened the box to reveal a stunning diamond ring, elegant and brilliant.

"Ava Mitchell, you've challenged me, changed me, and made me understand what really matters in this life." His voice, usually so controlled, wavered slightly. "Will you marry me?"

Time seemed to suspend as I looked from the ring to his face—this powerful man who had been willing to give up everything rather than lose me. The answer was as inevitable as gravity.

"Yes," I whispered. "Yes, I will."

As he slipped the ring onto my finger and pulled me into another kiss, I knew that what we had found together—this love that had survived secrets, threats, and public exposure—was stronger than any corporate policy or social expectation.

We had faced the ultimate choice between power and love, and discovered that together, we didn't have to choose at all.