The Untouchable Ex

The offer

Leah

The tension in the lobby was thick enough to suffocate.

For a few seconds, no one spoke.

Samantha Carter studied me carefully, her sharp eyes moving slowly from my face… to my stomach… then back to my eyes again.

She was analyzing me. Deciding whether I was still the same weak woman she had heard about.

Beside her, Rebecca looked ready to explode.

“This is ridiculous,” Rebecca snapped suddenly. “Lucas divorced her today. She has no right to act like she belongs anywhere near this company.”

Her voice echoed across the quiet lobby. A few employees who were passing by slowed down, pretending not to listen.

I kept my expression calm. But inside, my heart was pounding.

Ethan stepped forward slightly. “Mrs. Miller,” he said coolly, “if you raise your voice again in this building, security will escort you out.”

Rebecca glared at him. “You can’t threaten me.”

Ethan gave a faint smile. “I just did.”

Lucas finally stepped forward between them. “That’s enough,” he said firmly.

Rebecca turned toward him in disbelief. “You’re defending her now?”

Lucas ignored her. Instead, his gaze returned to me. “Leah,” he said quietly, “we need to talk.”

His tone had changed.

Earlier today, he had spoken to me like I was someone beneath him. Now there was something else in his voice. Something cautious and careful.

But before I could answer, Samantha suddenly spoke. “Actually,” she said smoothly, “I came here to talk to Leah too.”

Her voice was calm, elegant… but there was something sharp hidden underneath it.

I crossed my arms slowly. “About what?”

Samantha smiled faintly. “Business.”

Rebecca scoffed loudly. “Business? With her?”

Samantha didn’t look at her. Her eyes remained locked on mine. “You own twenty percent of Hayes Conglomerate,” she said.

“And twenty percent of Miller Industries.”

The way she said it made the numbers sound heavier. More dangerous.

“And?” I asked.

Samantha took a slow step closer. “That makes you… very valuable.”

Ethan’s posture instantly stiffened beside me. Lucas’s eyes narrowed slightly yet Samantha continued calmly. “Easton Group has been trying to acquire Hayes Conglomerate for years.”

I felt my stomach tighten. “So I’ve heard.”

She tilted her head slightly. “But now the situation has changed.”

Her gaze sharpened. “You’re the key piece on the board.”

Rebecca frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Samantha finally looked at her. “Simple,” she said.

“If Leah sells her shares…”

Her eyes returned to me. “…Easton Group gains control of Hayes Conglomerate.”

The words hit the room like a bomb. Ethan’s voice turned cold. “That’s not going to happen.”

Samantha didn’t even glance at him. She kept watching me. “Easton Group is willing to offer you a deal,” she said calmly.

My chest tightened. “What kind of deal?”

Samantha smiled again. “One hundred million dollars.”

The number made everywhere completely silent. Rebecca gasped. Lucas’s head snapped toward Samantha.

“You’re offering her WHAT?”

Samantha didn’t seem bothered by the shock. “One hundred million dollars for her shares,” she repeated.

My mind spun for a moment. That kind of money could change everything.

Pay for my security, give me a new life and a safe future for my child.

But something about Samantha’s calm confidence made my instincts scream. She expected me to accept.

Lucas suddenly stepped closer. “You’re not selling,” he said sharply.

His voice carried an authority he used to use on me all the time.But something inside me had changed.

I turned slowly to him. “Excuse me?”

Lucas realized his mistake immediately. His tone softened slightly. “That company belongs to your father.”

“And now it belongs partly to me,” I replied.

Silence stretched between us. Samantha watched the exchange with interest like someone enjoying a chess match.

Finally, she spoke again. “One hundred million dollars,” she repeated softly.

“You walk away with money, safety, and freedom.”

Her eyes looked briefly toward my stomach again. “No pressure.”

Ethan’s jaw tightened. Lucas looked furious. But they both stayed silent.

Because, the decision… was mine.

I looked at Samantha for a long moment. Then I smiled. The first real smile I had given all night.

“You’re right,” I said calmly. “I am very valuable.”

Samantha’s eyes gleamed slightly. She thought she had won. But then I added quietly—

“And that’s exactly why I’m not selling.

She froze looking at me with absolute disgust.