Heiress Revenge Contract

A New Beginning - On Our Terms

“Marry me.”

Selena froze for a second. Just as she started to pull away, Dale drew her back into his arms, spun her once, and laughed like he hadn’t just dropped a bomb on her.

She frowned.

“What? Marriage? I’m not ready to get married yet.”

She said it, but he only chuckled.

“Not a real marriage. A contract marriage. One year. We merge assets, merge influence. Combine our brains so it becomes impossible for Jacob and your brother to touch either of us once we start going after them.”

She frowned again and shook her head.

“Then consider me useless, because I have nothing, Dale. Didn’t you see what happened? He gave everything to that Mexican boy. Like I meant nothing to him. And now he expects me to marry some old man just for more influence.”

She looked down. That thought actually stung, but Dale’s smile didn’t falter. He paused, then lifted her chin gently until their eyes met.

“When I said assets, I didn’t mean physical ones. I meant the ones in here.”

He tapped a finger to the side of her head.

“You’re the only person who can get through to him, Selena. Without you, it’ll be difficult. So no, you’re not useless. In fact, you’re the most vital part of our plan.”

His words, his smile, the way he touched her—it made her smile back.

It had been a while since anyone spoke to her like she was human. Usually it was people talking to her out of fear of her father’s influence, or her father and brother ordering her around like she didn’t matter.

“And when this is over, my father and Carlos will be ruined.”

She murmured it, and Dale nodded.

“But we need to sign a contract. I’ll handle that.”

“An actual contract? Don’t we already know what this is?”

She asked, and he eased back slightly.

“We do. But I only work with contracts. Otherwise, I can’t tell how serious someone is.

This marriage isn’t just to spite your father. It’s to bring justice for mine and to help you take back your dignity. That’s why it has to be a contract. This marriage doesn’t end until both of them go down. No matter what.”

Selena should have hesitated. This was insane. This was her life. And it was something she’d never done before.

She glanced back and saw her father and Carlos greeting influential men in the industry, and anger surged through her.

That should have been her. She should have been the one walking beside her father, not the Mexican.

She turned back and held out her hand.

“Deal.”

Dale smiled and shook it. “Wonderful!” he muttered, a sly look crossing his face that she didn’t catch.

He didn’t wait. He turned her toward the crowd, where Jacob and Carlos were greeting people, and before anyone could stop them, he cupped her face and kissed her.

Jacob and Carlos froze, but Jacob’s hands clenched into fists.

It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t romantic. It was a declaration. A detonator.

Selena knew exactly what was happening, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, kissing him back.

The ballroom went silent.

For three seconds, no one breathed.

Then Jacob slammed his glass down hard enough that it shattered.

“You’re coming with me!” he shouted, voice shaking with rage as he strode over and pulled her away. Carlos followed.

She turned and smiled at Dale, who looked up proudly, licking his lips, his composure back at a hundred.

“Let go of me!”

She yelled once they reached the hallway.

“That boy of all people? What happened to your marriage? You told me you’d marry River. What is this? Some kind of childish rebellion?”

Selena laughed—really laughed, from shock.

“Can you even hear yourself? Wait, you don’t feel any remorse for what just happened, and you still want me to do something to please you?”

“Selena!”

“No, you listen to me, Father! I agreed to marry that old man because you promised me Laurent Corp. That was the deal. You said he could expand our business, wasn’t it? And now that you’ve broken your promise to give what’s rightfully mine to that…” she pointed at Carlos, standing at the ballroom entrance.

“You think I’d still hold up my end? You’re a liar, Father!”

She went on, furious.

“Come on, Selena. You know Father hates that boy. Why is he the one you want to go against him with?”

Carlos’s voice irritated her more than she thought it could. She turned, and Carlos stopped short, slowly shifting his gaze away from hers.

Then she turned back to her father without acknowledging him.

“Once you broke your promise, you don’t get to tell me who I can or can’t be with. Is that clear?”

Her voice was low but firm.

Jacob paced, frustrated.

“Just tell me one thing—has this been going on all along? Because that kiss didn’t look like something that just happened.

So all along, you’ve been betraying me with this man?”

Selena laughed, a bitter laugh.

“You don’t want to know, Father. You really don’t.”

She shot back, arms folded, lips curved into a wide smirk.

“You know what, this is over. End things with him and I won’t disown you otherwise , I’ll cut off all your allowances.”

Jacob tried to bargain, but it sounded weak. Even Carlos could see it on his face.

“Good. I don’t want anything from you after what you just did.

First my mother, now me… I honestly thought you’d be better after her death, but I think you’re just worse!”

Jacob’s face went pale. Not because of the insult. Because of who she mentioned—his late wife… Sarai.

Dale stepped forward slightly, voice low but steady.

“Babe, are you ready to go back inside? The party’s still happening without us.”

Jacob’s face flushed with anger, but Selena looked back past Carlos, meeting his gaze.

She smiled and walked toward him, her fingers lacing with his slowly, deliberately.

He moved forward a step, his body shielding hers without making it obvious, smiling right at Jacob.

By this time, people started walking out for the extra telenovela series.

“She’s Mrs. Farmington now, Jacob. If you want to touch her, you go through me.”

The name hit like a slap. Farmington.

The name Jacob had buried fifteen years ago was coming back, and now it had his blood written all over it.

Jacob’s hands trembled. He knew. He knew what Dale had been waiting for. He knew what giving Dale legal access to the Laurent family through marriage meant.

He panicked.

“Security! Get them out!”

Dale didn’t move. His arms stayed locked around Selena’s waist as the guards closed in.

“Let them come,” he said quietly to her. “We’re done here.”

They walked out together, the entire room watching, cameras flashing, Jacob screaming behind them.