Chapter 4 Not interested
Chapter Four
Alessia
“Ma’am, some members of the board are here to see you.”
I look up from the report on my desk.
Iris stands in the doorway, looking slightly uncomfortable. “They don't have an appointment. I've tried to hold them off and asked them to come back another time, but they aren't budging.”
I sigh and massage my temples before closing the report. “Just send them in, Iris.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
She disappears, and I lean back in my chair.
I should have known today wouldn't be easy.
I've been trying to use work to distract myself from replaying the image of Stefano cheating with Diana in my head.
But how could I have forgotten that I have a board who has always made it clear they don't like having a twenty-six-year-old woman sitting in the CEO's chair?
They tolerated me when I was still proving myself, but lately, their little meetings and passive-aggressive comments have become harder to ignore.
The door opens again and three men walk into my office.
I recognize all of them immediately.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Romano. Mr. Bellini. Mr. Conti.”
I stand and walk around my desk to greet them.
Before I can say anything else, Mr. Romano, the oldest of the three and usually the loudest, looks toward the door.
“You should fire that secretary of yours,” he says. “She clearly doesn't understand that members of the board shouldn't be kept waiting.”
I keep my expression pleasant. “I apologize on her behalf. She's new, and I assure you she was only following the proper procedure.”
Romano gives a dismissive hum and walks past me. “I see.”
He takes the chair opposite my desk without waiting to be invited and the other two follow.
I return to stand beside my side of the desk.
“I would have offered you something to drink, but your visit is rather unexpected.” I fold my hands in front of me. “Isn't the next board meeting in three days, or am I mistaken?”
Bellini exchanges a look with Romano.
“We wouldn't be here if what we had to discuss wasn't important,” he says. “Have your seat, Miss Bianchi.”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes before finally sitting down. “I'm listening.”
Romano places a folder on my desk.
“It has come to our attention that you recently approved a major change to one of the company's shipping contracts without consulting the board.”
I glance at the folder. “I changed the distribution route because the old one was costing us more money than it should.”
“That wasn't your decision to make alone,” Conti says.
“I am the CEO.”
“And this is a company, not your personal property.”
My jaw tightens. “I’m aware it's a company, Mr. Conti. One I'm responsible for running.”
Romano leans forward. “You've been making too many decisions without the board's approval. You change suppliers, move people between departments, cancel agreements, and sign new ones without properly informing us.”
“I make those decisions because someone has to keep the company running.”
“You make childish decisions.”
There it is.
I look at him calmly. “I beg your pardon?”
“You're young and inexperienced,” he says, as though that explains everything. “Your father never handled the company this way.”
My fingers curl against the edge of my desk.
Bellini nods. “Your father always consulted the board before making major changes.”
“My father also had a completely different board.”
“That isn't the point.”
“It is exactly the point.”
Romano's expression hardens. “We're trying to protect the company.”
“No.” I sit back in my chair. “You're trying to control it.”
For the first time since they walked in, none of them has an immediate response.
I continue before they can find one.
“Every decision I've made has been based on the company's finances, our clients, and where I want this company to be in the future. I don't wake up every morning trying to find new ways to destroy everything my parents built.”
“That's not what anyone is saying.”
“You keep comparing me to my father.” My voice sharpens. “Well, he's not here.”
The room goes quiet.
I take a breath, but the anger has already taken over.
“He's six feet below the ground, Mr. Romano. So stop comparing me to him.”
Romano's face stiffens.
“My father's decisions belonged to him. Mine belongs to me. I respect the way he ran this company, but I'm not going to spend the rest of my life copying him just to make three men on the board comfortable.”
Conti shifts in his seat. “We only want you to understand that this company needs stability.”
“And it has it.”
“Does it?”
I hold his gaze. “Yes.”
Romano opens his mouth, but I raise my hand.
“No. I'm not finished.”
He falls silent.
“I know what you're doing. You've been questioning my decisions, challenging my authority, and looking for reasons to undermine me since I took this position.”
Bellini looks away and that tells me enough.
“You want me out.”
Nobody answers.
I lean forward. “Well, I'm not going anywhere.”
Romano's jaw clenches.
“As long as I'm CEO and have the authority my parents left me, I will make the decisions necessary to protect this company. If you have a legitimate reason to remove me, bring it to the proper meeting and present it. But I will not sit here every few days while you question my position because you don't like the person sitting in this chair.”
I stand.
The conversation is over.
I walk around my desk and open the office door.
“Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do.”
The three men stare at me.
Conti looks genuinely surprised and Romano looks offended.
Bellini starts to speak. “Miss Bianchi, perhaps we should…”
“I have a meeting with an important investor in five minutes.” I gesture toward the open door. “Please leave so I can prepare for it.”
For a moment, none of them moves.
Then Bellini stands.
Conti follows.
Romano is the last to rise.
He pauses at the door and looks back at me.
“Your father would be disappointed in the way you're handling his company.”
My expression doesn't change.
“Your wife will probably be disappointed too when she finds out you've been sleeping with her sister.”
He freezes.
The other two men stop in the hallway.
Romano slowly turns around. “What did you say?”
I smile politely. “You weren't as careful as you thought you were.”
His face loses some color.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Romano.”
He stares at me for another second before leaving.
I close the door behind them and let out a long breath.
My shoulders drop as soon as I'm alone.
I walk back to my desk and sink into my chair.
These men are becoming bolder.
The fact that they had the nerve to corner me in my own office and openly question my authority tells me exactly how badly they want me gone.
And if they're already this confident, I don't want to know what they'll try next.
By the time I leave the office that evening, my head is pounding.
I make my way through the parking garage, my heels clicking against the concrete as I pull my car keys from my purse.
I press the button and my car beeps from several spaces ahead. I take a step toward it only to find several large men are standing around my car.
My stomach drops because I recognize them almost immediately.
Black suits.
Expressionless faces.
The same men who were standing behind Enzo in the parking garage last night.
I tighten my grip on my purse.
Seriously?
One of them steps forward.
He's not as intimidating as the others, but there's something about his calm expression that tells me he's important.
“Miss Bianchi.”
I don't answer.
He stops a few feet away.
“My name is Dante. I'm Mr. Moretti's personal assistant.”
Of course he is.
“What does your boss want?”
“Mr. Moretti would like to invite you to dinner.”
I let out a tired breath. “I don't think so.”
“He would like to discuss a mutually beneficial offer with you.”
I almost laugh.
After the day I've had, the last thing I need is another powerful man trying to make me an offer.
“No.”
Dante doesn't move. “Miss Bianchi, I strongly suggest you reconsider.”
I unlock my car.
“I've already considered it.” I open the driver's door and look at him. “Tell your Don I'm not interested.”
