جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 130

"What do you mean by a stranger, Mr. Maman?" Alexander asked, his voice tightening as his fingers gripped the phone harder.Selena sat up straight beside him, pulling the thick blanket to her chest as she watched her husband's expression turn grave."Well, Sir, there is a neatly dressed man claiming to be an international legal courier," Mr. Maman's voice came through the receiver, still sounding slightly out of breath. "He brought an important package from overseas that he says must be delivered directly to you tonight, Sir."Alexander let out a long breath, the tension in his shoulders instantly easing. "Why were you panicking so much?""I thought it was one of Uncle Richard's men trying to cause trouble again, Sir," Mr. Maman said softly, filled with regret. "I am so sorry for interrupting your rest.""It's all right," Alexander said. "Have the courier leave the documents with the front guard. I'll inspect them tomorrow morning.""Very well, Sir. My apologies once again," Mr. Maman

"Please make sure these acquisition files are on my desk before three o'clock this afternoon," Alexander said, closing the financial report document at the far end of the conference table.The board members and department heads nodded in unison. One by one, they gathered their paperwork and filed out of the main boardroom of the headquarters building.Sitting two seats to his left as the new chief operating officer, I began packing up my presentation drafts as well. The form-fitting black work dress I wore felt a little snug as I bent over to pick up my pen. I could feel Alexander's intense gaze tracing my every move, just as it had since the meeting started two hours ago."I have organized all the operational division reports, Alexander," I said softly once the room was finally clear, leaving just the two of us.Alexander stood up from his chair and walked toward me without making a sound. Once he was behind my seat, he leaned down slightly and gripped both armrests, trapping me from

"Please straighten the collar of your shirt, Alexander," I said, stepping toward him in front of the vanity mirror in the executive suite.Alexander paused, his hand halting as he adjusted his cufflink. He turned around, gazing down at me with a warm spark in his eyes. "Come here, help me."I smiled, running my hands along the line of his broad shoulders as I gently smoothed the collar of his black suit jacket. The spacious atmosphere of our office still held a lingering, peaceful quiet after we had spent the past few hours finishing the rest of our work together."There, now you look very sharp and distinguished," I said, giving his chest a soft pat.Alexander wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest before landing a swift kiss on my forehead. "Thank you, sweetheart. We have a very packed schedule today, but seeing you standing by my side makes all the exhaustion disappear.""You are welcome. Don't forget, in half an hour we have the draft investment revie

"When did you realize you were just a piece in his business expansion plan?"Clarissa placed a thick brown envelope on the glass table. The soft clink of the glass colliding with the tips of her red-manicured fingernails made Selena flinch. The café in the corner of the city was quiet, decorated only with the clinking of spoons and soft instrumental music that failed to soothe the tension between them.Selena stared at the envelope, then turned her gaze to Clarissa’s calm, unruffled face. "What do you mean, Clarissa? Don't start your new games here."Clarissa chuckled softly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Just open it. Don't pretend to be blind simply because you enjoy playing the role of a successful businessman's wife."Selena's fingers trembled slightly as she slid the envelope closer. She untied the string and pulled out the stack of papers inside. The contents consisted of stock transaction documents, a draft of a prenuptial agreement she had never seen before, and records o

"Our stock has dropped twelve percent in thirty minutes, sir!"Marcus hurried into Alexander's study, disregarding etiquette. He thrust forward a tablet displaying a sharp red graph plunging downward. At the top of the screen, a bold headline dominated the national business news portal.Asset Fraud Scandal: Utama Group CEO Allegedly Falsified Acquisition Documents and Exploited Marriage for Shares.Alexander stood up from the sofa, quickly adjusting his trousers. His face darkened as he read the headline. "Who leaked this to the public media?""The major news portals received those fake documents early this morning, sir," Marcus answered, his voice trembling under the strain. "Not only that. Rumors regarding an investigation by the authorities have already spread among key investors."Selena, still sitting on the sofa, pulled a thin blanket up to cover her chest. She stared at the tablet screen from a distance, then shifted her gaze to Alexander's expression. The tension that had brie