After signing, Elena slid the folder across the mahogany desk with a chilling calmness. Alex didn't even look at the signature. He leaned back, his tall frame radiating authority, a victorious smirk playing on his lips.
"Welcome to my world, Elena. Now you are officially my wife—Mrs. Elena Valois. Or should I say... Freya Valois?" He stood up, the expensive fabric of his suit rustling as he moved toward her like a predator. "The public wedding will be held as soon as possible. Until then, stay in your house. I'll send my men to collect you soon."
Elena didn't flinch. Instead, she let out a low, mocking laugh that made Alex's smile vanish.
"Isn't it a bit too soon for a celebration, Alex? I didn't think the Great Mafia King would be foolish enough to claim a victory without checking the evidence first."
Alex's brows shot up. He snatched the papers and flipped to the last page. His eyes darkened instantly. Where her signature should have been, two words were written in bold, aggressive ink: 'FUCK YOU.'
"So," Elena whispered, her voice dripping with sass, "Neither Elena nor Freya . No one is a freaking Valois. " She said as Alex's eyes turn cold " Can you clarify your fooliness now " he roared.
The air in the room turned icy. Alex slammed the folder onto the table, the sound echoing like a gunshot. "What is this, Elena?"
Elena took a slow, predatory step toward him. She didn't stop until she was inches away from his chest. "What did you think? That I'm some dumb girl who would see a 'hero' in you just because you offered to help me? You think I'd blindly help you get that Chairmanship?"
She poked a finger at his chest, hard. "You could have picked any girl in New York to marry. But you chose me. Why? Because you love me? No. It's because you want to control me. You are obsessed with winning, and since you couldn't buy me with money or make me bow with power, you tried this marriage trap. Poor Alex... so desperate."
Alex's jaw tightened. He let out a dark, mocking laugh and suddenly stood up to his full height, towering over her like a giant. He stepped into her personal space, forcing her to look up at a sharp angle.
"And what makes you think I can't buy you right now?" his voice was a dangerous growl. "You are nothing in front of me, Elena. A single phone call from me could erase your empire."
"Then why don't you try it?" she challenged, her eyes burning with a fire that matched his. "If you can get what you want so easily, why are you begging me for a contract? Why are you creating hurdles for yourself?"
The tension was suffocating. They were so close that their breaths mingled. For a moment, the world stopped. Their lips were inches apart—a mix of pure hatred and a strange, undeniable spark.
"I was leaving you alone because I didn't want to break a woman," Alex whispered, his voice a low vibration. "But since you are begging for a war... I'll show you what real power looks like."
"Try as much as you can," Elena spat back, her heart hammering against her ribs. "But I will never surrender to a man. Especially not to you."
She turned on her heels and marched out, her heels clicking like a war drum on the marble floor.
As Elena reached the lobby of the Valois Empire building, she was stopped by four men in black suits. They blocked the exit like a wall.
"Step aside," Elena commanded, her eyes cold.
"Mr. Valois hasn't dismissed you yet, Ma'am," one of the guards said firmly.
Elena pulled out her phone and started a 10-second timer. "In ten seconds, I will call the national media and tell them the 'Mafia King' is holding the CEO of Ora & Olio hostage. Let's see how that affects your stock prices."
The guards hesitated, looking at each other. Just as the timer hit zero, Jimmy's voice came over their earpieces. "Let her go. Let her run while she still can. The boss has spared her for now. "
The men stepped back. Elena walked through them, head held high, though her pulse was racing. She wasn't just fighting a man; she was fighting an army.
As she sat in her car, Elena's hands were shaking on the steering wheel. "Why is my heart beating so fast?" she cursed herself. "It's anger. It has to be anger." she murmured.
She drove off fast, her mind a blur of Alex's smirking face. Because she was so lost in thought, she didn't see the figure crossing the street.
SCREECH!
Elena slammed the brakes just in time. Her chest hit the steering wheel as the car jolted to a stop. Gasping for air, she saw an elderly lady standing just inches from her hood. Elena rushed out of the car.
"Oh my god! Ma'am, are you okay?" Elena helped the lady steady herself.
The lady passed her a soft, mysterious smile. "I am alright, my child. Don't worry." She looked into Elena's eyes, her gaze deep. "But why such a hurry? Did something big happen to your heart?"
Elena froze. "No... no, Aunty. Everything is fine. I was just stressed. I am so sorry."
Elena bowed formally, but as she watched the lady walk away, a chill ran down her spine. "Why does she look so familiar?" she taught.
Before Elena could get back in her car, a black sedan pulled up next to her. The window rolled down to reveal Jimmy, Alex's right-hand man. He tossed a small red envelope onto her seat.
"A gift from the Boss," Jimmy said with a pitying look. "He said that you should be prepared from now on or else your state will also be like the gift."
He drove off before she could respond. Elena opened the envelope. Inside was a single chess piece—a white Queen, broken in half. Her blood ran cold.
As she sat on her car her phone buzzed. It was Chloe. "Elena! Did you sign it? Are you officially a Valois?"
"No," Elena said firmly. "I gave him exactly what he deserved."
Really? Oh thank god!" Chloe cheered. "I was worried my boss had lost her mind. By the way what did you do ?? " She asked.
"I gave him a 'Fuck You' instead." Elena said proudly. " Oh my God! Girl you are literally fire. But Elena... he still has the 4 billion dollar debt over us. He can use that."
"I know," Elena looked at her reflection in the window. "But we will find a way. We always do."
~At the terrace ~
On the terrace, the wind was howling, but it couldn't cool the fire in Alex's blood. He downed a glass of expensive whiskey in one gulp.
"What the hell does she think of herself?" he growled.
Jimmy, his right-hand man, sighed while pouring himself a drink. "She has a point, Alex. Why her? Thousands of girls are literally dying to be your wife. Pick one, get the Chairmanship, and we can deal with Elena Vane later."
"It's not about Elena, Jimmy. It's about my father," Alex stared at the city skyline. "The company rules say the Chairman must be married to ensure 'stability'—to stop him from clubbing and wasting time. I could marry anyone, but my father is a fox. If I pick a random girl, he'll know it's a fake setup and block my promotion."
"And Elena?"
"Elena is different," Alex's eyes darkened. "She is exactly my type. My father knows I like women with fire. Even if he digs into her background, she has no records—she's a ghost. Plus, a merger with her company benefits the Empire. I thought it would be a perfect business deal... no emotions, no strings. I can still live my life as I waned and so can she. "
"But she said no," Jimmy reminded him.
Alex crushed the ice in his glass. "She thinks she's powerful. She thinks she can play games with me." He turned to Jimmy, a predatory smirk returning to his face. "I always have a Plan B. If she won't help me by her own will, I will make her do it exactly as she feared."
"How?"
"By Force. The 'Golden Mask' is about to slip, Jimmy. The real show is just beginning."
[Author's POV]
Oh. My. God. Can we just take a second to breathe?! I honestly didn't think Elena would actually go through with that "Fuck You"
signature, but our girl just proved she's not here to play! She really just stared down the most dangerous man in the city and walked out like a Queen.
But did you guys see Alex's eyes at the end? That wasn't just anger—that was a predatory hunger. He's already calling in Plan B, and I'm literally shaking while writing what comes next. The "Golden Mask" is officially slipping, and I have a feeling Elena's world is about to turn upside down .
Who do you think that mysterious lady was? And is Elena ready for the storm Alex is about to unleash? Don't go anywhere, because the real war has only just begun! See you in the next chapter! 🔥💨