Page 63 of Her Alien Owner
CHAPTER 26
VALEN
Iread the headline again, the words burning into my mind like acid: "Axiom Mining Hires Kevin Jordan as New Marketing Specialist; Accuses Valen Industries of Misappropriating Resources." I lean back in my chair, my gaze narrowing at the holo-screen. Kevin’s smug face accompanies the article, his eyes gleaming with malice.
Ariana enters the study, her footsteps light and hesitant. She pauses when she sees my expression. “Valen, what’s wrong?”
I turn the screen toward her. “This,” I say, my voice tight with controlled fury.
She reads quickly, her brow furrowing. “Kevin? He’s working for your rivals now?”
“Not just working for them,” I reply, standing up and pacing the room. “He’s trashing me in the press. Accusing me of using business resources for personal use.”
Ariana’s eyes widen. “He means...”
“Yes,” I cut in, stopping to face her. “He’s talking about when I reassigned security personnel to protect you.”
Her hand flies to her mouth, a mixture of shock and guilt in her eyes. “Valen, I’m so sorry?—”
“Don’t,” I interrupt, stepping closer to her. “Don’t apologize for something that isn’t your fault.”
“But it’s true,” she whispers. “He’s not lying.”
My jaw clenches, teeth grinding. “It doesn’t matter if it’s true. What matters is how we respond.”
She looks up at me, her chocolate eyes filled with concern. “What are you going to do?”
“I need to think,” I say, running a hand through my hair. “This is a calculated move to destabilize us.”
Ariana places a hand on my arm, her touch grounding me. “We’ll figure this out together.”
Her words bring a semblance of calm to my stormy thoughts. I nod slowly. “First, we need to control the narrative. If we can’t deny it outright, we need to spin it in our favor.”
“How?” she asks.
“By highlighting our security measures as necessary precautions given recent threats,” I explain, my mind racing with possibilities.
Ariana nods thoughtfully. “And what about Kevin? He won’t stop here.”
“No,” I agree grimly. “He won’t.” My eyes meet hers, and for a moment, everything else fades away. Her presence is a reminder of why I’m fighting this battle.
“We need allies,” she says softly.
“Yes,” I murmur, pulling her closer. “And we’ll find them.”
Her arms wrap around me in a comforting embrace, and for a moment, the world outside this room doesn’t matter. We stand there in silence, drawing strength from each other.
“I trust you,” she whispers against my chest.
“And I won’t let anyone harm you,” I vow.
Soon enough, I find myself standing at the head of the long, polished table, my arms folded across my chest. The room is filled with the most influential suppliers, investors, and businessallies of Valen Industries. Each of their faces displays a mixture of curiosity and concern. Ariana stands beside me, her presence a quiet strength.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," I begin, my voice steady. "There have been some troubling accusations against me and my company recently."
Murmurs ripple through the room, but I raise a hand to silence them. "I want to address these accusations head-on." I nod to my aide, who activates the holo-projector. The room dims as the screen flickers to life.
The footage begins with a shot of Ariana at the market. Kevin's sneering face appears next, his hand gripping her arm tightly. His words are inaudible, but his aggression is unmistakable.