Alpha's second chance bride

10percent

Chapter 7POV: Celeste Sebastian“Ten percent of Jason Group?” I scoffed. “Xavier, you think throwing around marriage proposals makes up for years of betrayal?”Viv’s eyes flared. “Xavier!”She stepped forward, voice rising, but the soft click of a teacup lid snapped the room into silence. It wasn’t loud, just precise—commanding. Her mouth froze mid-word. We all knew better.Clara blinked rapidly, forcing a quiver in her voice. “Xavier… how can you say you’ll marry her, just like that?”I almost felt bad. Almost. For someone who had schemed in designer heels for a decade, Clara sure looked fragile now.Xavier’s jaw was tight. “Celeste, fine. I’ll marry you. But forget the shares.”I smiled slowly. “Oh, sweetheart. You want to marry me… but I don’t want you.”He swung toward Enzo like a drowning man to a rope. “Mr. Cole, you heard her. It’s not me backing out—it’s her. So compensation isn’t necessary, right?”Enzo didn’t answer right away. He simply raised a brow, then leaned back slightly, as though amused. “Is this the character your mother passed down to you?”That shut Xavier up.Enzo’s tone was mild, but the meaning behind his words hit harder than a slap.“You drugged her. You orchestrated that night. You betrayed her—and your fiancée. Why should she marry someone like you?”Clara’s head jerked slightly. That wasn’t just a blow to Xavier. That was aimed at her too.Enzo didn’t pause. “This is over. The engagement is void. Celeste gets her ten percent.”No hesitation. Just like that.Xavier’s face turned a shade redder than I thought humanly possible, but he didn’t dare argue. Even his parents wouldn’t cross a Cole decision. Especially one made by this Cole.I wasn’t sure what shocked me more—his decisiveness or how thoroughly he shut them down. I’d walked in expecting resistance. Instead, Enzo Cole had delivered justice like it was an afternoon chore.He turned to me. “Are you satisfied?”I straightened. “I am. My mother’s debt to the Jasons is closed.”But I wasn’t done.I turned to Connor, lifting my chin. “That said, I have another matter to settle.”His face fell like he knew what was coming. “Celeste, don’t push your luck.”“I’m twenty-three. My mother’s will states that I inherit 26% of Alpha Ventures upon adulthood. You’ve held onto my shares long enough. It’s time to hand them over.”The twitch in his jaw gave away his panic.I knew he’d do anything to keep those shares, even if it meant framing his own daughter.“I won’t bring up the past,” I added coolly, “as long as you do what’s right.”Connor turned to Enzo with a half-bow. “This is a personal matter, Mr. Enzo. Family business. You understand.”Enzo tilted his head, unreadable. “Yes. This isn’t a Jason affair. I’ve overstayed.”Relief washed over Connor’s face like a flood. I could practically hear the gears in his head turning, planning his next move to corner me the moment Enzo left.He stepped forward, hand out. “Allow me to escort—”Enzo didn’t move. Instead, he turned to me and said quietly, “Some men don’t negotiate. They lie, stall, and silence. Use a lawyer.”I blinked. “Wait, what?”He reached into his pocket and handed me a sleek white card.Owen Sterling – Corporate LitigationI stared at the name. I’d heard of him. He wasn’t just a lawyer. He was a scalpel. Precise. Lethal.“Thank you,” I said sincerely, curling my fingers around the card.Connor’s expression soured instantly. His gaze darted to Xavier, silently asking, Didn’t you say he was here for us?Honestly, that made two of us.“Since we’re done here,” I said, turning toward the exit, “I won’t hang around for more ‘family moments.’ I’ll let the lawyer handle the rest.”I took a few steps, then stopped beside Enzo. “I’ll walk you out.”Connor stammered, “You’re leaving?”You bet I was. The last thing I needed was to give him a second chance to turn this into another trap.I caught Viv and Xavier exchanging nervous glances, clearly signaling each other to do something—anything.Xavier stepped forward, but Enzo moved with quiet precision and placed himself between us. “We’re going.”That was it. No discussion. No argument. The air around him made resistance feel… impossible.No one stopped us.Outside, the sun had started to dip, casting long shadows across the driveway. I exhaled and broke into a laugh. “Did you see their faces? I’ve never seen my dad look that humiliated.”Enzo looked sideways at me, lips twitching ever so slightly. “You enjoyed that.”“You didn’t?”He didn’t answer, but the slight curve of his mouth said enough.I was giddy. I hadn’t expected today to end with Liamy. The plan had been to fight, claw, and maybe survive. But I got everything I wanted—and left standing tall.I turned to him with a grin and tapped his shoulder lightly. “Thank you, sir.”He stopped.“Sir?” he echoed.I blinked. “Yeah… from the airport, remember? ‘Sir, you dropped something.’”His eyes narrowed, then flicked to the hand still resting on his shoulder. “Xavier calls me Mr. Cole. You and he are the same age, aren’t you?”I smirked, lowering my hand. “Well, I call people what they earn.”And just like that, we walked off, the air crackling with an energy I couldn’t quite name—but I knew this wasn’t the last chapter between me and Mr. Cole.