The Fake Luna: Marked By The Alpha King

Aria’s POV

The next day, I walked into the boardroom at exactly 2:00 p.m., dressed in a sharp black suit and heels that could double as weapons.

Nathan was already there, leaning back in his chair with a smug smile plastered across his face. The room was empty except for him and my assistant.

"Aria, darling," he said, not bothering to hide his amusement. "I have to say, this is a bit embarrassing. Calling a meeting no one’s going to attend."

I didn’t look up from my laptop as I set it down at the head of the table. "You showed up, didn’t you?"

He laughed, a condescending sound that made my skin crawl. "Only because I wanted to see the look on your face when you realize no one’s coming."

I opened my laptop and calmly checked my email. Nathan glanced at his watch, clearly enjoying himself as the minutes ticked by with no one else arriving.

After thirty minutes, his amusement was starting to wear thin. He shifted in his seat, his smile tightening. "How long are you planning to sit here, Aria? This is pathetic. Maybe we should wait until Mother recovers. I’m sure she’d love to attend."

"Give it another minute," I said without looking up, my voice perfectly calm. "They’re almost here."

Nathan opened his mouth to respond, but then the door swung open.

His entire body went rigid.

Henderson walked in first, his face pale and drawn, his tie slightly askew like he’d dressed in a hurry. Behind him was Morrison, looking equally uncomfortable, his eyes darting between Nathan and me like he wasn’t sure who was the bigger threat.

Nathan’s smile vanished. "What the hell—"

"Gentlemen," I said smoothly, standing to greet them. "Thank you for coming. Please, have a seat."

They didn’t even glance at Nathan as they hurried to sit down. On my side of the table.

Within five minutes, the rest of the senior executives had filed in, one by one, their expressions ranging from nervous to curious to outright terrified.

Nathan’s jaw was clenched so tight I thought it might crack. His knuckles were white where they gripped the armrests of his chair.

I waited until everyone was seated, then nodded to my assistant. "Let’s begin."

My assistant stood and summarized the betting agreement and its outcome in crisp, professional terms. When she finished, I leaned forward, folding my hands on the table.

"Thank you all for joining me today," I said, my voice steady and clear. "I know many of you supported me during the initial vote to approve the betting agreement. That support meant everything to me, and I hope you’ll extend that trust once more."

I paused, letting my gaze sweep across the room. "I’m not here to demand anything from you. I’m here to ask for your partnership. V&A Group isn’t just my company—it’s yours too. And I want to prove that I’m worthy of leading it."

There was a murmur of approval from some of the executives. I saw a few nods.

Nathan looked like he was about to explode.

I turned to him, my expression perfectly neutral. "Mr. Nathan has pointed out that my operational authority requires a board vote. He’s absolutely right. So I’ve brought two core shareholders here today—Mr. Henderson and Mr. Morrison."

Henderson shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Morrison stared at the table.

"With my own vote and Mr. Nathan’s," I continued, "that’s four out of seven. A majority, as required by the agreement."

Nathan’s face had gone from flushed to deathly pale.

"But I don’t think that’s enough," I said, my voice gaining strength.

"V&A Group isn’t one person’s company. It belongs to everyone in this room—every shareholder, every executive, every employee who’s poured their heart into this place. "

"So I’m putting it to a full vote. Everyone here gets a say in whether I should have operational control."

There was stunned silence.

Then, slowly, people began nodding.

The vote was unanimous.

When the results were announced, Nathan looked like he was about to have a stroke.

I stood up, smoothing my blazer. "Thank you all for your support. I won’t let you down."

As I walked out, I paused by Nathan’s chair.

"By the way," I said softly, "please send Sylvia my regards. I hope she recovers soon. I’d love to discuss management strategies with her."

Nathan’s knuckles were white as he gripped the armrests.

I smiled and left.

---

Back in my office, I was finally setting up Jennifer’s team when my assistant knocked.

"Ms. Smith, the meeting summary just came through."

I opened the file on my computer and frowned.

I’d expected four votes from the shareholders—David, Richard, my own, and Nathan’s forced abstention.

But the system showed five.

I pulled up the shareholder registry and felt my heart stop.

There was an eighth shareholder now. Someone who’d been quietly buying up scattered shares over the past few weeks. Someone who’d gained just enough voting power to be notified of today’s meeting.

Someone who’d voted in my favor without hesitation.

The name on the file was **Damian Blackwood**.

I sat back in my chair, my hands trembling.

He’d done this. Quietly. Deliberately. Without telling me.

He’d bought into V&A Group just to vote for me.

My chest felt tight. I wanted to call him immediately, but something stopped me.

A phone call didn’t feel like enough. Not after everything he’d done for me.

I glanced at the clock. It was barely six p.m.

Grabbing my bag, I headed for the elevator.

There was a luxury shopping district downtown. If I hurried, I’d make it before the stores closed.

Damian Blackwood deserved a proper thank you.

And I was going to make sure he got one.