He Wants An Open Marriage? Done!

Chapter 24: Why Should We Pick You?

Roxanne looked at her reflection in the polished elevator mirror. She smoothed down her dress, her heart pounding a loud, steady rhythm against her ribs as she waited for the floor bell to chime.

When it finally rang, the steel doors swooshed open. This time, the executive corridor wasn’t empty.

A young woman stood waiting, her fingers neatly interlaced. She gave Roxanne a welcoming smile. "Good morning, ma’am. My name is Libby," she said softly. "Please, come with me. Mr. Vance is waiting for you in the private conference room."

Roxanne offered a polite nod, her heels clicking against the floor as she followed Libby down the hall. The air in the corridor smelled faintly of expensive wood polish and fresh lilies. With every step closer to the door, her mind raced.

She knew she was ready for this, but a tiny seed of doubt still clawed at her nerves.

Libby stopped in front of a pair of heavy frosted-glass doors. "Please, go right in. They are expecting you," she whispered, stepping aside.

Roxanne drew a deep, stabilizing breath. She knocked gently, pushed the door open, and stepped inside the room. The moment she entered, her eyes locked onto Richard. Her heart skipped a violent beat. He sat at the head of a massive mahogany table, his handsome face completely stoic and professional. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

"Please, come in," Richard said, his deep baritone showing no trace of the passion they had shared hours before.

Roxanne nodded, steeling her posture. She noticed two older, sharp-eyed men sitting on either side of him. She forced her stride to remain slow and confident, even though her pulse was hammering in her ears.

"This is Roxanne Westbrook," Richard announced to the room. He turned his dark eyes toward her, his gaze intense but unreadable. "Roxanne, meet Collin and Derek. They are members of our board of directors."

"Hello, Roxanne," Collin said, leaning forward with a polite but cautious smile. "Can you tell us why you are the best person for this role? To be frank, you have no official experience working with a major firm like Vance Enterprises."

Before Roxanne could answer, Derek chimed in, his voice cold. "We don’t actually have a vacancy right now. You come highly recommended by Richard, but we need to be absolutely certain you deserve this. Executive Director is a massive responsibility that requires more than a pretty face."

Roxanne took a slow breath to steady the fluttering in her chest. She looked directly at the two men. "I understand your concern," she said, her voice smooth and clear. "But the truth is, I have already saved and won multiple high-stakes accounts for Vance Enterprises. I did it from the shadows without a title. I have indirectly kept this company from facing major financial losses. Imagine what I can do when I am actually a part of your team."

Derek frowned, a sharp crease forming between his brows. "And how exactly did you get your hands on confidential corporate documents to do that?"

Collin raised a hand, cutting Derek off as he leaned over the table. "I think how she got them is less important than whether she knows what she’s talking about. If she saved us millions, I want her on our side."

He turned back to Roxanne, leaning back in his leather chair. "Tell us exactly which accounts you are talking about."

Roxanne’s gaze flicked to Richard. He hadn’t said a word. His face was a perfect mask, but his dark eyes were pinned to her, tracking her every breath.

She turned her attention back to Collin, her confidence surging. "I personally wrote the proposal strategy that kept the William Oil and Gas group from leaving when they were on the verge of cutting ties. Not only that, but I devised the negotiation tactics for the Stevens Group and MelAir deals. My strategy brought you twenty million dollars more in profit than your initial targets."

Collin and Derek exchanged surprised glances. They both turned to Richard, who gave them a slow, proud nod.

"How did you know the weak points of those critical accounts?" Derek asked, his skepticism shifting into genuine curiosity.

Roxanne could feel the weight of Richard’s intense stare on her, but she stayed completely calm. She held the board members’ gaze head-on.

"You already have the results you need, and the finer details of my methods will remain private," she said smoothly. "What matters right now is the future. With me on your team, you won’t lose another account. I will grow this company beyond your current vision if you are willing to take the leap of faith."

The boardroom fell into a tense silence. The only sound was the quiet murmurs of the two men as they whispered to each other. Finally, they straightened up and looked at Richard.

"We are convinced," Derek said.

A small, victorious smile finally curved Richard’s lips. "Then let’s proceed to the final stage," he said. He reached out and pressed the button on his desk intercom. "Come in, Libby."

The door opened immediately. Libby walked back into the room holding a thick leather folder. She placed it neatly on the table in front of Roxanne and quietly exited.

"It’s time," Richard said, his voice dropping lower as he looked up at her. He opened the folder and slid it across the smooth wood. "Sign the papers, and then Libby will take you down to human resources to finalize your onboarding."

Roxanne nodded. Her fingers trembled slightly with a mix of fear and triumph as she picked up the heavy pen and inked her name onto the dotted line. When she set the pen down, a soft sigh escaped her lips.

The two board members stood up, smoothing their suits. "Welcome to Vance Enterprises," they said, taking turns shaking her hand.

Roxanne smiled warmly. "Thank you. It’s a pleasure."

The moment the two men exited the room, the heavy boardroom door clicking shut behind them, the professional tension snapped.

Richard waited until the door closed, then the corner of his mouth lifted. "Congratulations, Director Westbrook." He leaned back in his chair, his stoic expression melting away. His dark eyes burned with a possessive heat as he looked at her sitting across from him. "Are you truly ready for what this world holds, Roxanne?" he murmured.

Roxanne swallowed the sudden dryness in her throat, her chest rising and falling as she met his gaze. "I’ve been ready for years," she declared, her voice ringing with absolute certainty. "And Christian won’t stand in my way this time."

"Good." Richard rose from his chair. "Because by the end of this week, your life is going to change in ways you can’t imagine."

Roxanne frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Richard smiled.