Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 81

Chapter 81: Striking A Deal

A muscle in Adam’s jaw tightened as he glared at Stella, irritation simmering beneath his gaze. “What sort of nonsense question is that?” His tone cut through the air like a blade.

Stella took a step back, momentarily thrown off by his sudden outburst. She hadn’t expected such a sharp reaction.

“I am the head of this family, Stella,” Adam continued, voice laced with cold authority. “What gives you the right to question my decisions?”

Realizing he was on the edge of a full-blown tirade, Stella stayed silent, enduring his scolding without a word. Only when he finally turned on his heel to leave did she dare breathe again. But just as Adam rounded the corner into the main hallway, he collided with a passing waiter. The tray rattled, and a splash of leftover cocktails and champagne drenched his white shirt.

“Can’t you watch where you’re going?” Adam growled, his face twisting into a scowl as the waiter stumbled back, bowing repeatedly, words of apology spilling out. But the apologies did nothing to quell Adam’s anger.

Seeing the commotion, Stella stepped forward and took in the sight of Adam’s now-stained white shirt, entirely splattered in the vibrant colours of spilt drinks. But before she could step in, Adam glowered at the waiter, his tone venomous. “If you can’t do the simplest part of your job, you’re not needed here.”

Without another word, he fired the waiter on the spot and stormed off, leaving the waiter gaping in shock.

With a sigh, Stella watched Adam disappear down the hallway, his anger trailing behind him like a dark cloud. She then turned her attention to the unfortunate waiter, who was now crouched on the floor, gathering the shattered glass pieces. “Look at me,” she ordered quietly.

The waiter paused, setting down the tray before rising to face her, his expression tense.

Stella studied him for a moment, her eyes sharp. “I have a job for you tonight. Are you interested?”

—

Back at the reception hall, Major Walker leaned closer to Xander, giving him a scrutinizing look. “It appears you’re rather close to that young woman.”

“Yes,” Xander replied, meeting the Major’s gaze without hesitation. “I rescued her from a dangerous situation her stepmother set her up with a few weeks back. Since then, our connection has grown strong.”

Asher stifled a chuckle, glancing away to hide his amusement. Xander had painted Stella in the darkest colours for the Major’s benefit, just so he’d understand the true character of the woman he was associating with.

The Major took the hint, his expression unreadable as he nodded in understanding. After a moment, he checked his wristwatch. “I’ve been here ten minutes too long,” he muttered, glancing back to Xander. “I think you have recovered well enough. Come in on Monday. We will need your report on your recent assignment.”

“Yes, sir,” Xander responded, rising to his feet alongside Asher as they offered their farewells.

Once the Major had left, Asher resumed his seat, picking up a dessert spoon to sample the blueberry muffin Aurora had brought over. “Seems like he got your message loud and clear.”

“He’s the Major; he’d better,” Xander murmured, his eyes drifting across the room to where Aurora was now leaning in to whisper something to her aunt.

“Aunt Stephanie, I’m just taking a short bathroom break. I’ll be back soon,” Aurora murmured before slipping away from the table. She glanced discreetly over at Xander’s table, noting that the Major had indeed left, and caught Xander’s eye with a subtle, reassuring smile before heading toward the restroom.

From the far side of the hall, Casey had been waiting for an opportunity to speak with Aurora privately. Seeing her leave, she quickly followed.

Aurora emerged from a stall in the restroom and approached the sink to wash her hands, only to notice Casey emerging from another stall to stand beside her. “Hello, Aurora,” Casey greeted, a pleasant smile fixed on her face.

Aurora caught her reflection in the mirror and nodded curtly, recognizing her as Olivia’s best friend—the one who’d been caught in that compromising photo with Owen. Aurora’s silence spoke volumes, and Casey seemed to pick up on it, though she continued washing her hands, notwithstanding Aurora’s cool demeanour.

As soon as Aurora dried her hands and exited the restroom, Casey rushed after her, calling out, “Aurora, I have something for you.” Hearing the unexpected offer, Aurora paused, turning around to meet Casey’s gaze.

Just as this exchange took place, Olivia was on her way to the restroom. Rounding the corner, she stopped short when she heard Casey’s voice addressing Aurora and instinctively stepped back, positioning herself just out of sight to listen.

“You have something for me?” Aurora asked with a touch of doubt, raising an eyebrow. “We have no business together. Are you sure you aren’t mistaken?”

Casey smiled confidently, stepping closer. “No mistake at all. I do have something for you—and I’d like us to strike a deal.”

Aurora narrowed her eyes. “I’m not interested in any deal, but if I must hear it, tell me what you have before I consider anything.”

Casey nodded, lowering her voice as she opened her purse and took out her phone. “Earlier, I went to the balcony for some air,” she explained, her eyes glinting with intent. “While there, I happened to overhear a rather intense argument between Olivia and Owen. They discussed some things… things involving you that I thought you’d want to hear.”

Hidden behind the wall, Olivia’s breath hitched as her heart hammered in her chest. Casey had been on the balcony during the argument? She heard everything? A chill of realization washed over her.

Aurora’s expression shifted, hinting at a spark of interest. “What exactly did they say?”

Casey’s gaze was calculating as she continued, “For starters, I recorded the whole confrontation. Olivia revealed exactly why Owen left you and chose her instead. She said something to him—something that pushed him to make that choice. And there’s more.”

Aurora’s gaze grew colder as Casey raised her phone, waving it slightly as she dangled the offer in front of her. “This recording could be very useful to you. Imagine your father learning the truth about what Olivia and her mother did… What do you say, Aurora? Do we have a deal?”