Craving My Ruthless Ceo novel Chapter 206

Chapter 206

ROMAN’S POV

95

55 vouchers

Hell, I’d enjoyed that.

Watching Laurent Beaumont squirm in his seat in front of the entire global advertising team. And his father, Maison Beaumont, who sat across from me with that stern expression that had probably made Laurent piss himself as a child.

His usual confidence had crumbled with every passing second. Better than any whiskey I’d ever tasted.

The irony wasn’t lost on me. I was the one who’d orchestrated the whole damn thing. Laurent’s secret grand plan to unveil Anna as the face of the campaign had gone up in smoke.

And he had no idea.

My eyes drifted to Anna seated beside me. She’d barely made eye contact with me since the meeting started, still mad at me for forcing her to work for me, trapping her in that contract.

Her gaze fixed on her notepad like it held the secrets of the universe.

She probably saw me as the monster in her story. Maybe I was. But I was on a mission to save her from herself.

She was too naive to understand the dangers of this world, too trusting to see what men like Laurent really wanted from her.

And all of this, this entire charade, was because Anna had gone behind my back after I’d explicitly told her no. She’d defied me and gone to that photoshoot anyway.

After seeing those pictures, after reading his messages with the photographer, I knew I’d been right. The way he’d looked at her, the way he’d directed those shots… it wasn’t professional. It was hunger.

I cut the thought off. I wasn’t ready to examine what the hell that meant.

I leaned back in my chair, fingers drumming against the armrest. “So, Laurent. The lingerie line launch is in a few weeks.”

I let the silence stretch. He shifted in his seat.

“Where’s the billboard campaign? The cover image?”

Laurent’s jaw tightened. Even now, there was that flash of rivalry in his eyes when he looked at me.

We both knew this was more than just business.

Laurent’s voice came out tight as he addressed the room, though his eyes kept shifting to Anna. That alone made my blood boil. “I apologize. To the board, to everyone here. There was an incident with the campaign.”

9:44 Thu, Apr 30

Chapter 206

I let amusement color my tone. “An incident. Care to elaborate?”

3(0)

65 vouchery

He swallowed hard. “The photographer was robbed leaving the studio three nights ago. All the files, raw images, edited shots, backup drives, everything… stolen. We lost the entire campaign.”

Maison’s expression darkened. His knuckles went white as he gripped the edge of the table. “Laurent…”

Laurent continued quickly, desperately. “I had a plan. I was working with the photographer to unveil a new fresh and young face for the Beaumont line, but this unforeseen complication…”

I interrupted smoothly. “Complications? That’s your explanation? ‘Complications’?”

I leaned forward, elbows on the table. “You assured me you could handle this, Laurent. You went out of your way to convince everyone you were the right person for this project.”

His eyes met mine. That spark of competition flashed between us. He knew. Maybe not about the robbery, but he knew this was personal.

“Roman, I understand your frustration…”

I cut him off again, my voice dropping lower. “Do you? Because from where I’m sitting, all I see is incompetence. You had one job. Get the model, shoot the campaign, deliver the images. And somehow, you’ve managed to fail spectacularly.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Anna’s reaction. Her shoulders stiffened. She refused to look at me.

She was furious. She knew exactly what I’d done, and she couldn’t say a damn word about it.

Instead, she sat there shooting daggers at me with those beautiful eyes whenever she thought I wasn’t looking.

But that fury, that resistance… it only made me want her more.

Laurent’s face turned red. Anger and humiliation warred across his features. “The robbery was beyond my control…”

I shot back. “Everything is within your control if you plan ahead of contingencies. That’s what separates people who succeed from people who make excuses. Which one are you?”

Maison slammed his palm on the table. The sound echoed through the room like a gunshot. “Laurent, this is unacceptable. You told me you had this handled.”

“Father, I do…”

Maison’s French accent thickened with his anger. “Do you? Son, this is our first launch in the US market. Do you understand what that means? I did not fly across the Atlantic to see mock-ups and prototypes. I came to see a finished campaign, ready to roll out. Instead, I am met with excuses and incompetence as Roman pointed out.”

He shook his head. Disgust written across his weathered face. “I am disappointed.”

That word… disappointed. It hit Laurent hard. His face went pale.

9:44 Thu, Apr 30

Chapter 206

99

55 vouchers

Laurent insisted, but his voice had lost its earlier conviction. “I can fix this. Give me a few weeks. I’ll have the cover image ready. I’ll make this right.”

I let the room stay silent, savoring every second of his desperation. This was what happened when people touched what was mine. This was what happened when they defied me.

Call it obsessive or psychotic. I didn’t care what anyone called it.

I said finally, as if I were being generous. As if I hadn’t planned this entire conversation. “A few weeks. But if you fail again, Laurent? I’m reassigning this project to someone more competent who can actually deliver. Am I clear?”

His eyes flashed with rage and humiliation. His hands clenched into fists on the table. “Crystal.”

I stood, buttoning my suit jacket. I waved my hand toward the door in a dismissive gesture. “We’re done here.”

The team started gathering their things.

Fay shot me a quick nod as she hurried out. The junior executives practically tripped over themselves rushing for the exit. No one wanted to be caught in the crossfire.

Within seconds, the conference room emptied.

Maison stood slowly. His age showed in the careful way he rose from his chair. He walked around the table toward me. Laurent watched his father with a look of dread.

Maison extended his hand. “Roman.”

I shook it. His grip was still firm despite the years. “I apologize on behalf of my son. This is not the Beaumont standard. You have my word.”

“I appreciate that, Maison.”

The older man continued, lowering his voice. “Laurent needs time to prove himself. He is talented, but young and impulsive. Give him this chance to make it right. I trust you to handle everything in the meantime, keep the launch on track and the investors confident. You have always been reliable.”

I nodded. “Of course. The launch will proceed as planned.”

Maison nodded, then turned to give Laurent one last look. Warning and disappointment mixed together before he walked out of the conference room.

And then there were three.

Laurent remained by the window. His back rigid.

Anna was still gathering her things, moving slowly, like she was trying to become invisible.

Laurent turned. I could see the barely restrained fury in his eyes. “I know I messed up Roman, but did you really have to drill me like that? Make me look incompetent in front of my father? And the entire team?”

9:44 Thu, Apr 30

Chapter 206

95

55 vouchers

I raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t make you look incompetent, Laurent. You did that all by yourself when you failed to deliver.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify