The Devil's Clause

Chapter Three: Marry Her? Never!

Cain's POV

I slammed the door to my office, the sound reverberating through the sleek, modern space. My heart raced with a mix of fury and humiliation. I had been challenged in front of my own people, made a fool of by a woman who had the audacity to stand up to me. Elara Voss. The name echoed in my mind, a bitter reminder of the past I couldn’t escape.

"Send the legal team rep up," I said into the telecom in the most restrained voice I could muster. A few minutes later, a soft knock sounded on my door.

“Get in here!” I barked, summoning my legal team. The door swung open, and a young associate, Mark, stepped in, his face pale. I could see the nervousness in his eyes, and it only fueled my anger.

“Did you or did you not put a date on that contract?” I demanded, leaning over my desk, my fists clenched.

“Yes, sir, but—”

“But what?” I interrupted, my voice rising. “I was made to look incompetent today! You let someone like her find a loophole in a contract that should have been airtight!”

Mark swallowed hard. “The fault lies with the printing company. They failed to include the date in the final version. It was an oversight.”

“An oversight?” I scoffed, pacing the room. “This isn’t a game, Mark. This is my reputation on the line. I can’t afford to have people think I can be outsmarted by a mere journalist!”

He opened his mouth to respond, but I cut him off again, my frustration boiling over. “You’re all fired. Every last one of you who had a hand in this embarrassment. Get out!”

The shock on his face was almost comical, but I had no time for sympathy. I watched as he stumbled backward, almost tripping over himself to leave. The door closed behind him with a soft click, and I sank into my chair, rubbing my temples.

I needed to regain control. I pulled out my phone and called my assistant, Jenna. “Find everything you can on Elara Voss. I want to know if she’s related to the same Voss family that caused my parents’ deaths.”

“Right away, sir,” she replied, her voice steady.

I hung up, my mind racing. I had spent years building my empire, and I refused to let some journalist with a vendetta tear it down. But the fire in her eyes when she confronted me — it was intriguing, captivating even. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to her than just another rising thorn in my side.

As I waited for Jenna’s report, I leaned back in my chair, staring out the window at the city skyline. The sun was setting, casting a golden hue over the buildings, but all I could see was the darkness that had haunted me for so long. My parents were killed in a fatal accident that seemed to revolve around an argument they had with the Vosses. That loss seared me deeply, and there was no forgiveness for that crime.

Jenna returned, urgency in her voice. “Mr. Ashford, I have the information you requested. Elara Voss is indeed the daughter of Mike Voss, granddaughter of Walt Voss, the same ones responsible for your parents’ deaths.”

A surge of anger coursed through me. “So, she’s the one. Just great.” I slammed my fist on the desk, the sound echoing in the silence of my office. “What else?”

“She’s also been in the news recently for exposing corporate corruption and defending small businesses. It seems she has a reputation for being relentless,” Jenna continued.

“Relentless,” I muttered, the word tasting bitter on my tongue. “She challenged me in front of everyone today. Does she think she can just waltz in here and take me down?”

“There’s more,” Jenna said, her tone shifting. “Walt Voss’s lawyer, Bennett, has managed to retrieve a handwritten will that includes Elara as the beneficiary.”

I felt my blood run cold. “What? How is that possible?”

“I’m not sure, but it seems he’s been laying low, waiting for the right moment to come forward. This could complicate things, Mr. Ashford.”

“Complicate things? This is a disaster!” I shot back, my frustration mounting. I had worked hard to keep every document belonging to Walt Voss hidden from both the lawyer and Elara. “Make sure every other document remains secured. I don’t want anything falling into her hands.”

“Understood,” Jenna replied, but I could hear the doubt in her voice.

---

The day wore off, and everything seemed to keep adding to my anger, I just decided to stop everything and head home for the day. I finally left the office, my mind still racing with intense anger. I needed to call Pete. The fact that I left him in charge of Walt Voss’s property, and he lost some and couldn't be the one to inform me first drove me crazy beyond words. I dialed his number, my irritation bubbling to the surface as the line connected.

"Mr. Ashford, I was expecting your call--" he began but I cut him short.

“Pete, why the hell did you let the lawyer lay hands on the will?” I demanded.

“Cain, listen,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “You know the court ruling, if nobody came to claim them after a year, they would be fully yours."

“Right,” I snapped, pacing my apartment. “And now this lawyer has come forward with proof that Walt Voss indeed had a surviving family member. This could reverse everything!”

"Bennett has provided irrefutable proof that you lied about Walt Voss not having any surviving family. And because of that, I had to grant him access to the properties.”

"You didn't have to do anything without contacting me first," I retorted. "You made a decision you thought was wise. You caused me a major loss!"

He sighed deeply. “Cain, I had to allow Bennett to get what he wanted to keep things safe. If the matter gets to court, it could jeopardize everything we’ve worked for,” Pete explained.

I ran a hand through my hair, frustration boiling over. “This is unbelievable. The Voss estate was funded by the Ashfords. It belongs to me!”

“Cain, you don’t need to worry,” Pete said, his tone shifting to a more reassuring note. “Elara will need you soon enough.”

I laughed bitterly. "Pete, you haven't met this woman. She's dangerous. She's not like the other women who would throw everything at the sight of wealth. In fact, she made it her life's mission to target wealthy businessmen and embarrass them all in the bid to play saviour for smaller business owners that obviously do not have what it takes to run a successful business."

"It doesn't matter who or what she thinks she is, Cain, believe me when I say she would need you sooner than later." Pete repeated. He sounded so confident that I started to calm down a bit.

“Pete, that woman is wild. She is way too fiery and confident, why would she need me?” I asked, my curiosity piqued amidst my anger.

“Because, Cain, she can’t access any of her grandfather’s inheritance unless she marries you. You’re the only one standing in her way.”

I scoffed. “Me? Marry her? Never!”