An Unexpected Engagement

Chapter 38

Steve

This is not how I intended this story to come out.

That morning I woke up knowing I had a long battle ahead of me to get out of the mess I got myself into.

The first thing I should do was confront the shareholders, bringing them up to date on my situation with Natasha. I had some hope that they would be reasonable and in the end I would be able to keep Natasha in the company and in my life.

Of course he knew it wouldn't be easy; the chances were slim, but I had to try. However, I didn't count on Erin going straight out of the clinic to DBS to fuck up my life.

Yesterday I asked Mark to come to the clinic to inform her that she would be fired and to explain the reasons. I knew firing Erin wouldn't solve all my problems, but I couldn't keep her in the company after her blackmail.

And I believed that she would have no chance of carrying out her threats, as I myself was going to communicate to the shareholders about my engagement to Natasha Romanoff.

Apparently, I was wrong.

And now Brady, Collin and Barbara aren't at all happy about the situation. How can I blame them?

- How did you let this situation happen, Steve? - Collin asks as soon as Natasha leaves the room. - I thought he was a man centered, correct, and not the type that gets involved with employees!

- I don't get involved with employees!

- You just told us you got involved with Natasha Romanoff! - Brady cuts me. - And as I understand it, the situation has turned into chaos! With employees assaulting each other and even hurting themselves in the process. It can't be any good for our company!

- Erin didn't get hurt here! She fell. It was an accident.

-According to this email I just checked, she claims that she went to her parents' house and that Natasha Romanoff pushed her-Barbara says, looking at her tablet.

- Did she send you an email?

- I just saw it, it looks like it was at dawn.

- I asked Mark to fire her yesterday. I couldn't accept being blackmailed.

-None of this would be happening if he hadn't gotten involved with her assistant.

- The fact that I get involved with Natasha has nothing to do with Erin.
And Natasha hasn't pushed her, much less is plotting to take her place in the company. It's all a delusion!

"But this girl presented the project yesterday," Brady says.

- Yes, and I can say that it was she who did everything herself. It's not the first time she's done a better job than Erin.

- It's very easy for you to praise her - Barbara ironically. - You're having sex with her.

- I have no reason to defend your competence other than the fact that it is the truth. You know me... I would never leave my
involvement with Natasha influence my assessment.

- Before I would believe you without even batting an eye - Barbara retorts. - Now... You let me down a lot, Steve.

I stare at the three pairs of eyes on me with displeasure, feeling frustrated with myself.

I suspected that this conversation would not be easy, but it was going to be worse than I imagined. That's why I didn't get involved with employees, I knew I could go to shit.

Now it's too late. I'm involved with Natasha Romanoff up to my neck.

- And how are we going to resolve the situation? - Brady asks.

- I'm sorry for all the trouble Erin caused. I didn't think she would do something like that.

- Yes, she's out of her mind and I think you did well to fire her, but that doesn't solve the main issue, Steve. - Barbara fixes the inquiring gaze on me and I keep it.

I will not back down easily.

I didn't come this far by retreating. And Barbara knows it very well.

Okay, time to negotiate.

- What do you suggest? I ask coldly.

Tension hangs in the air.

"This situation is untenable," Barbara says. - You know we have reasons to keep you away from DBS.

- Resign? - I can't believe what I'm hearing, but I remain impassive.

- You more than anyone know that, in our place, you would have already fired a CEO who should be an example and instead gets involved in a scandal of this proportions.

They are right.

I would have been relentless.

- I see you agree with me - Barbara continues. - You are an excellent professional, Steve. That's why I always defended him. Hence my disappointment at your lack of discernment on this matter. I didn't expect that I would fall into such a trap.

- Trap?

- Sex can be a trap for all of us, you must know.
Men, especially, fall for it all the time. I thought you were different, but I see I was wrong. It's like everyone else when it comes
of an attractive woman.

- What do you mean? I'm not a scoundrel who engages in sex with female employees! My involvement with Natasha is not what you think. We're not just having sex. We're engaged.

- Well, maybe it's even worse.

- Worst?

- Steve, if you told us that you're just having an affair... Maybe we could figure it out, fire the girl and try to get over the gossip if you guaranteed it wouldn't happen again...

- AtThe. They're not going to fire Natasha.

She smiles wryly.

- That's what I mean.

- It's not fair to fire her. She didn't do anything wrong. We didn't do anything wrong! I tried to keep our involvement a secret because I knew the implications if it was discovered.

- And now it's turned into chaos.

- It wasn't her fault.

Baba raises an eyebrow.

- Are you taking all the blame?

- I'm trying to make them understand! I dedicate a lot of work to this company. And you know, that's why they chose me for this job.

"You're right, Steve, we don't want to lose him," Brady says. - If you want to continue, you will have to fire Natasha Romanoff.

- You know the situation is untenable. They tried to keep a low profile and look what happened! - Complete Barbara. - You're trying to soften the damage, but you know I'm right.

- What if I broke up with her? - I question coldly.

- Would you be willing to break up with Natasha to keep her in the company?

- Natasha Romanoff is one of the smartest and most competent people I've met. It's not fair to fire her just because she's involved with me.

-Steve, it's her decision-Barbara finally says. - I want to trust you again and it is said that then things will return to normal...

- You're not giving me a choice!

- On the contrary, we are giving you a lot of options. You can fire Natasha Romanoff. Or you can end it all and try to get things back to normal.
with her around here, since she insists that she is so competent.

- What if I don't want either option?

- If you insist, we'll have to fire them both.