Single Dad Turned Down His CEO Boss Twice—Then She Proposed in Front of the Board
Chapter 12
A year passed.
Sterling Innovations recovered.
The company became more transparent.
Victoria created an independent ethics division.
She publicly released the history of the warehouse fire and apologized to the victims’ families.
Daniel helped rebuild the company’s operations.
But something else had changed.
He no longer left the office every day feeling like two different people.
He was a father.
A man.
An executive.
And somehow, all three parts of his life fit together.
Victoria and Noah became inseparable.
He called her “Vic.”
She pretended to hate it.
She didn’t.
One Saturday morning, Daniel found them in the backyard trying to build a birdhouse.
“You’ve put the roof on backward,” he said.
Victoria looked offended.
“I followed the instructions.”
“You ignored the instructions.”
Noah laughed.
Daniel sat beside them.
The three of them worked until noon.
Later, Victoria pulled Daniel aside.
“I have a question.”
“That’s dangerous.”
She smiled.
“Do you remember the two times you rejected me?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve been thinking about them.”
Daniel laughed.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t think you were rejecting me.”
He looked at her.
“You were protecting something.”
“My son.”
“And yourself.”
Daniel nodded.
Victoria touched his face.
“You don’t have to protect yourself from me anymore.”
He kissed her forehead.
“I know.”
That evening, they attended a charity event.
Daniel noticed Victoria seemed distracted.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“That’s not convincing.”
She smiled.
“You’ll see.”
The next morning, Daniel received an invitation to an emergency board meeting.
He frowned.
“Why?”
“I wasn’t told.”
Victoria only smiled.
When Daniel entered the boardroom, every director was seated.
Victoria stood at the front.
He immediately knew something was different.
She wasn’t wearing her usual business suit.
She wore a simple black dress.
There was a folder on the table.
Daniel looked at her.
“What is this?”
Victoria smiled.
“Sit down.”
He did.
The board chairman spoke first.
“Daniel, you’ve transformed this company.”
Daniel nodded.
“Thank you.”
“You’ve also become one of our most trusted executives.”
Daniel looked at Victoria.
She remained silent.
The chairman continued.
“The board would like to appoint you Chief Operating Officer.”
Daniel stared.
“That wasn’t why I’m here.”
“No.”
Victoria finally stepped forward.
“There is another reason.”
Daniel’s heart started beating faster.
She walked to the center of the room.
Then she turned toward the board.
“I asked you all to come because I want to make something clear.”
She looked at Daniel.
“This man has turned me down twice.”
Several directors smiled.
Daniel covered his face.
Victoria continued.
“He turned me down because he was careful with his responsibilities.”
She took a breath.
“He protected his son.”
“He protected his heart.”
“And somehow, he became the man I trust most in the world.”
Daniel stood.
“Victoria…”
She raised one hand.
“Let me finish.”
The room became completely silent.
Then she reached into her pocket.
And pulled out a small ring box.
Daniel froze.
