Chapter 4 - The Ultimatum
The news of the DNA test did not stay a secret for long. In a house full of staff, whispers traveled faster than Wi-Fi.
Victoria paced her bedroom, her mind spinning with venomous calculations. Her private investigator, Marcus, had sent her Elena’s background file. It was frustratingly clean. No criminal record, no massive debts, just a tragic history of a mother dying young and a life spent working minimum-wage jobs to survive.
But Victoria was not someone who needed facts to destroy a person; she only needed perception.
She marched down to Alexander’s home office, bypassing his security detail with a glare that could freeze water. She threw open the double doors. Alexander was at his mahogany desk, reviewing trust fund structures for Lily.
"We need to talk," Victoria demanded, crossing her arms.
"I told you to be packed by noon, Victoria. It is now 3:00 PM."
"You can't just throw me away, Alexander! My father’s company is the primary supplier for your new microchip division. If you break this engagement over a maid, he will pull the contract. Your stock will plummet. The board will vote you out."
Alexander leaned back in his leather chair, steepling his fingers. "Are you threatening me, Victoria?"
"I am stating facts. You marry me, we merge the companies. The girl can go to a nice boarding school in Switzerland. The maid gets a generous payout. Everyone wins."
Alexander stood up, his towering frame casting a long shadow across the room. The air grew dangerously cold.
"Let me explain something to you," Alexander said, his voice a lethal whisper. "I built this empire from a dorm room. I don't need your father's microchips. I already bought a controlling stake in his competitor three hours ago. If your father pulls his contract, I will bury his company by the end of the fiscal quarter."
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Victoria’s jaw dropped. The color drained entirely from her face.
"As for my daughter," Alexander continued, walking around the desk until he was inches from her. "She will not go to Switzerland. She will stay right here, in her home. The engagement is officially broken. You have one hour to vacate my property, or I will have security carry you out by your ankles."
