Chapter 7 - THE WOMAN THE BOARD DID NOT EXPECT
Charles Sutton's arrest did not restore Grant's company overnight.
The board remained divided.
Shareholders were frightened.
Newspapers treated Lily as a scandal.
MAID AT CENTER OF ASHFORD COLLAPSE.
BILLIONAIRE'S SECRET ROMANCE.
FROM CARRIAGE HOUSE TO PENTHOUSE.
Lily hated every headline.
Grant hated one word.
“Maid.”
“That is my job,” Lily reminded him.
“It was your job.”
“What am I now?”
Grant looked at her.
They were standing in his temporary office.
Grace colored beneath the conference table.
“That depends.”
“On?”
“Whether you accept my offer.”
Lily narrowed her eyes.
“What offer?”
Grant placed a folder in front of her.
Ashford Foundation.
Director of Family Housing Programs.
Lily stared.
“You're joking.”
“No.”
“I clean bathrooms.”
“You managed a household, raised a child alone, survived an abusive man, and identified a criminal conspiracy before my executive security department.”
Daniel, standing nearby, sighed.
“He has mentioned that several times.”
Lily opened the folder.
The foundation planned affordable housing for single parents.
“You designed this.”
“After meeting you.”
Her eyes filled.
“I don't have a degree.”
“I have several executives with degrees. Charles still stole eight hundred million dollars.”
“That is a terrible recruitment argument.”
“Will you do it?”
Lily looked at Grace.
Then at Grant.
“Yes.”
The board hated it.
Which made Grant enjoy the decision more.
Lily's first project opened six months later.
Forty apartments.
On-site childcare.
Legal support for domestic violence survivors.
She stood at the opening ceremony with Grace holding her hand.
Grant watched from the crowd.
A reporter asked him whether Lily had changed him.
“No,” Grant said.
Lily raised an eyebrow.
Grant continued.
“She made it difficult to continue lying to myself.”
The quote went viral.
That evening, Lily found him in the mansion kitchen.
“You embarrassed me.”
“I complimented you.”
“In public.”
“I'll try to insult you next time.”
She smiled.
Grant kissed her.
Grace entered carrying a plastic tiara.
“Wedding?”
Lily nearly choked.
Grant looked at Grace.
“What?”
“You kiss Mommy.”
“That does happen.”
“So wedding.”
Lily covered Grace's ears.
“Do not encourage him.”
Grant looked offended.
“Why do you assume I need encouragement?”
Lily stared.
He smiled.
She suddenly realized the man had been thinking about it.
Her heart began beating faster.
Then the security alarm sounded.
They both froze.
Old fear returned instantly.
Daniel entered.
“No threat.”
Grant exhaled.
“What happened?”
“A woman is at the gate.”
“Who?”
May you like
Daniel looked at Lily.
“She says she's Evan Mercer's wife.”
