CONQUERING My Enemy's WIFE

Chapter 7

That morning, the CEO's office of Apex Capital felt calm. Aksa sat in his grand chair, checking the financial reports of the Belmont Group that had just fallen into his hands last night. Viera stood beside his desk, brewing black coffee. The woman was now wearing a professional blazer suit, completely discarding her old socialite style.

"The entire board of directors of the Belmont Group has requested an emergency meeting this afternoon, Aksa," Viera reported, placing the coffee cup on the desk. "They are panicking."

"Just let them panic. Cancel the meeting," Aksa answered without looking away from the document. "I am the one who decides when we speak."

The office door was knocked on quickly. Leo stepped inside with a tense look on his face.

"Mr. Aksa, Miss Valerie Belmont is in the lobby downstairs," Leo reported. "She brought her legal team and is forcing her way up. Security is trying to hold her back."

Aksa raised an eyebrow. A crooked smile appeared on his lips. "Valerie? Victor's only daughter who graduated from a European business school?"

"That's correct, Sir. She refuses to be stopped."

"Tell her to come up alone. Hold her lawyers outside," Aksa ordered casually. "I want to see what this genius child can do after her father surrendered."

"Yes, Sir."

Less than five minutes later, the office door was pushed open roughly. Valerie Belmont stepped inside. She wore a bright gray women's suit with a sharp cut. Her face was beautiful, cold, and radiated an aura of high-class intellectual arrogance. She stared at Aksa with a sharp gaze.

Valerie walked straight to Aksa's desk and slammed down a thick folder.

"My father might have been stupid to walk into your trap last night, Aksa. But I am not," Valerie hissed sharply.

Aksa didn't even glance at the folder. He leaned back casually in his chair, interlocking his fingers. "Then? What are you going to do, Miss Belmont?"

"Cancel your illegal acquisition," Valerie answered full of confidence. "My legal team has already found a legal loophole in last night's coerced contract. Furthermore, I have secured a bailout fund injection from Geneva Global Trust."

Valerie leaned her body forward, staring at Aksa with a condescending smile. "At two o'clock this afternoon, my father's debt to Horizon Investment will be paid off. Apex Capital does not have a single penny's right over the Belmont Group. You lose."

Aksa stared at Valerie's arrogant face expressionlessly. "You are very confident in your plan?"

"It's not a plan. It's an execution," Valerie replied coldly. "You underestimated your opponent, Aksa. You might be cunning, but legally and financially, your strategy is full of holes."

Aksa turned his face away for a moment. "Viera."

"Yes, Aksa," Viera answered softly. She immediately stepped forward and stood obediently beside Aksa's chair.

Valerie glanced at Viera with a look of disgust. "So the rumors are true. Dirga's ex-wife has now become a pet dog here. Disgusting."

Viera clenched her fists, but she restrained herself. She knew Aksa did not like other people taking over his stage.

"Turn on the television, Viera. The international business news channel," Aksa ordered.

Viera took the remote and turned on the large screen on the office wall. A breaking news report immediately appeared in bold letters.

"...Geneva Global Trust surprisingly froze all of their assets and investment plans in Southeast Asia today. This decision was made following the sudden acquisition of 51% of their parent company's shares by an anonymous consortium earlier this dawn..."

The blood drained completely from Valerie's face. Her eyes widened as she stared at the television screen. "I-impossible... Geneva Global Trust is a giant company. How..."

"That anonymous consortium is mine," Aksa cut in flatly. He gestured to Viera to turn off the television. "I already knew you flew to Switzerland three days ago to lobby them. Do you think you are one step ahead of me, Valerie? You haven't even realized you are playing on my chessboard."

Valerie's body began to tremble. The business strategy she had carefully put together all night was shattered to pieces in just a matter of seconds. Her rational brain refused to accept this reality.

"A-about the contract's legal loophole..." Valerie's voice began to waver, trying to find a final foothold. "I have already reported Horizon Investment's anomaly to the Financial Services Authority!"

"The chairman of the FSA's supervisory board just had breakfast with me this morning," Aksa answered, killing the rest of Valerie's hopes. "He liked my cigars. Your report was thrown into the paper shredder at eight o'clock earlier."

Valerie took a step back, her breathing ragged. She stared at Aksa as if looking at a monster. Her genius brain could not find a single way out. Aksa had closed all doors, burned all bridges, and destroyed all her allies before she even started fighting.

"Checkmate, Miss Belmont," Aksa said lowly.

Aksa got up from his chair, stepped slowly around the desk, and then stopped right in front of the Belmont Group heir. Their distance was very close, forcing Valerie to look up into Aksa's eyes, which were as cold as ice.

"What... what do you want now?" Valerie whispered. Her aristocratic defenses and arrogance were destroyed without a trace.

"I need a strategist who understands the internal workings of European boards of directors," Aksa answered. "You will work for me. You will be the one managing the Belmont Group on a daily basis, but all final decisions, signatures, and absolute control are in my hands."

"I am not willing to be your subordinate!" Valerie refused with her remaining pride. "I am a top graduate! I am not—"

Aksa immediately gripped Valerie's jaw with one strong hand, stopping the woman's words instantly.

"You have no choice," Aksa hissed right in front of Valerie's face. "Submit to me, or this afternoon your father will enter a holding cell to accompany Dirga, and you will live on the streets without a single penny. Just like me five years ago."

Valerie swallowed hard. Cold sweat dripped down her temples. Aksa's murderous gaze paralyzed all of her common sense. She realized she had lost completely, defeated by a man who not only possessed power, but also a demonic intellect that went far beyond any business school theory.

"Understand?" Aksa pressed, tightening his grip slightly.

"U-understand..." Valerie whispered, trembling. She lowered her gaze, surrendering.

Aksa released his grip, then patted Valerie's cheek softly twice, a gesture of absolute condescension.

"Good. Starting tomorrow morning, move your office to this floor," Aksa ordered. "I want you ready to receive my orders whenever I want."

Aksa walked back toward his chair. He glanced at Viera, who had been watching in silence the whole time.

"Take her out, Viera. Show her where her desk will be," Aksa said.

Viera nodded obediently. She approached Valerie, who was still in shock and frozen in place. A faint smile of victory now appeared on Viera's lips.

"Come, Miss Valerie," Viera said softly, her tone sounding very sweet yet piercing. "Let me show you how you serve our superior."

Valerie stared at Viera with hatred, but she could not argue. The two women from the elite caste walked out of the room. Valerie with her genius strategy that had shattered to pieces, and Viera with her arrogance that had died earlier on. Both of them were now bound in the same chain, under the control of the predator.