Thirty days to love

e stern faces of CrossTech's board members. He'd walked into this room a thousand times before, always in co

t matched her expression. At seventy-three, she commanded the room with the same iron will that had built CrossTech from a

t cultured authority that made grown men squirm. "We have an urgen

ed it as "confidential board session" with unusual urgency. Around the table, familiar faces avoided his

nued, her words measured and deliberate, "about

My personal life has never interf

d ease, looking perfectly at home despite having no official position at CrossTech. His dark hair was styled with just eno

rical precision. "Tech CEO's Wild Night Out. Damien Cross Spotted with Madison Socialite

rge to reach across and wipe that smug expression off Marcus's face. Instead, he kept

-serving member. Her weathered hands folded primly as she spoke. "We've had three ma

hat had ever truly mattered to him. The idea that his reputation-carefully cultivated to k

one brooking no argument. "We need stability. We need a le

e words came out rough

, Damien? When did you last maintain a relationship longer than three months? You've built walls

ople at a distance, of never letting anyone close enough to see past the carefully constructed facade. It had serv

ng?" he asked, though dread w

l relationship with a suitable partner. Something that shows the world-and our

air conditioning. Damien felt the walls closing in, his caref

eone appropriate, get engaged, and show this board that you're read

f I re

no warmth. "Then the board will be forced

f triumph in his cousin's dark eyes. This had been planned. Eve

amien's voice was

ureaucratic precision. "His MBA from Wharton, his experience in strategic consulting, his... stable perso

s. While Damien had poured his blood, sweat, and soul into building the company, Marcus had been playing

e edges. "I've tripled CrossTech's value in five years. Our in

ia cut him off. "The business world is built on trust, Damien. How can our p

er truth beneath Victoria's words cut him to the bone. He had built his entire identity around being untouchable, unre

he repeated, hi

et engaged, and prove to this board that you're ready to be

out with carefully neutral expressions, leaving Damien alone with the two people who'd just disma

y, adjusting his cufflinks with deliberate care, then moved around the t

ays wondered when your little ice prince act would finally catch up with you." He leaned

r conditioning. As Marcus strolled out of the conference room with casual confidence, Damien rema

the world-and himself-that he was capable of letting so

second bringing him closer to losing the onl