On the other hand, Alia stared worriedly at Matteo, who towered over everyone. He stood right in front of the screen while the others were seated, causing the height difference to be all the more jarring.
Very quickly, the sound of clacking keyboards filled the room. There were so quiet groans and muffled curses, but everyone stared fixated at their work, sparing only certain glances at the screen.
"You shouldn’t have brought your charity project over to X’el," Caleb Walton slinked over to Alia and hissed as Matteo spoke, distracted. The forr made sure to watch the latter from the corner of his eyes, moving away the mont Matteo threw a glance their way.
"And you should keep your nose out of X’el’s business," Alia shot back. "Last I checked, you are the future leader of W&W Industries. I will need to have a talk with the security personnel who let you into the building. Last I checked, W&W staff had no business coming here to X’el."
She pursed her lips. Matteo could very easily throw Caleb and his father out of X’el’s property, but after what they had done, this wasn’t as simple as trespassing.
Carlo’s capabilities needed to be proven, and Matteo and Alia had a reputation to upkeep. If any of the staff mbers present spread the news of them helping a student to cheat — even if that was untrue — it would cost their reputation and the company stocks.
"I actually did make an appointnt," Caleb said with a roll of his eyes. "W&W Industries has a business opportunity to discuss with X’el."
"I didn’t realize the business opportunity was so unimportant that it could afford a detour to bully our newest intern," Alia retorted.
"It is not unimportant," Caleb said. "And it also concerns you."
Alia frowned. "?"
Once Matteo had set the question and left the stage for the interns who were tested, he adjusted his suit before making his way over to where Alia and Caleb were. He reached forward, quickly pulling Alia into his embrace, tucking her safely out of Caleb’s reach. The latter’s face turned as dark as coal, a scowl quickly forming on his lips.
"What is this about a business deal?" Matteo asked, his tone chilly. "If there was anything legitimate, shouldn’t proper etiquette be to first discuss this over email?"
"It concerns your new... relationship," Caleb said, casting Alia a glance. He then gestured to the couches a certain distance away from the tables so that they could be given so privacy away from the interns who were being tested and the onlookers.
Matteo held out a hand, and they made their way over. Will Walton, on the other hand, paid his son no mind. His eyes were fixated on Carlo and the other interns, his eyebrows furrowed as he watched the digits on Carlo’s screen.
Away from the crowd, Caleb cleared his throat. He still made sure to keep his voice soft enough that no one could eavesdrop, but Alia and Matteo could catch every word.
"W&W Industries is the official partner of Rutherworkes for the developnt of a new holiday resort in Dubai in the second half of next year," Caleb started. "As I understand, X’el Incorporated tried to bid for the opportunity but failed."
"No thanks to your friendship with the heir of the Rutherfords," Matteo said unflinchingly. "My father was not far-sighted enough to see that it was a rigged event. What of it?"
"We would like to offer X’el this opportunity instead," Caleb said. "W&W Industries will step out of this project and give way to X’el Incorporated. On one condition."
Matteo’s eyebrows tightly knitted together. He kept quiet and waited for Caleb to continue.
Caleb said, "I know your relationship with Alia is a farce. If Alia remarries , the developnt project will belong to X’el."
Everyone’s heads lifted temporarily from their screens when a loud slap rang across the room.
Alia was on her feet, her hand poised in the air, and her palm stinging and red. The color matched one of Caleb’s cheeks, which stood out jarringly like a red apple against his pale skin tone.
"I must’ve been not only blind back then but also a royal idiot to have even liked soone like you," Alia hissed coldly. Whatever love she had for Caleb had died long ago, and for so ti, it had turned into indifference. Now, it had evolved into pure hatred.
With the room so silent, every word she said could be easily heard as long as one strained their ears.
"You tried selling out once at the club to your friends before our divorce, and now you’re trying to sell out again?"
Caleb’s jaw clicked as he raised his hand to his cheek. His fingers gently grazed the injured skin, taking in a deep breath when he felt it sting upon contact.
"Buy you over, actually," he corrected. His gaze shifted from Alia to Matteo. "Think about it, Montgory. This deal will rake in billions of dollars for X’el Incorporated. Surely you wouldn’t give it up just for so woman?"
"You―!"
Alia raised her hand, ready to land a second slap on Caleb’s smug face, but she was promptly stopped by Matteo’s hand. He gently held hers, reaching into his suit pocket to pull out a neatly folded handkerchief. Gently, he wrapped her hand with it, pressing a kiss to the back of his hand.
"There might be a misunderstanding here, Walton," Matteo said.
When he gazed at Alia, his eyes were soft and filled with unmistakable adoration. He held her hand in his and looked up at her as though she was a goddess and he her loyal servant. The second he turned to Caleb, his gaze turned cold― akin to the image he had always portrayed on the battlefield of the business world.
"I am not Charles Montgory. Unlike my father, I will not be so quick to sell out my wife for so petty cash."
Even though Matteo still sat down, the aura that radiated off of him was suffocating. Caleb felt his throat go dry as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"I can make billions in a matter of weeks," Matteo said. "Why would I care about this project of yours that I never wanted in the first place?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)