Chapter 245
“Alright, Marissa, I know this has all been hard on you,” Braiden said as he walked over to his wife, gently placing an arm around her shoulders. “If he held onto those shares, Luciano and Marshall would essentially be working for him.”
“Paying 10% over market value was Nicolas’s condition. Now that he’s finally agreed to sell, paying a little extra is worth it.”
“Still calling him Nicolas like you’re close?” Marissa scoffed, clearly annoyed. She shrugged his hand off and sneered, “Don’t tell me you still have feelings for that tramp Amelie. Is that why you’re indulging her bastard’s ridiculous demands?”
Braiden let out a humorless chuckle, a shadow flickering across his face. “The media’s already running wild with the story. Everyone thinks Nicolas committed some serious blunder, which is why he’s being forced to sell. We’ll let that narrative spread. The bigger his supposed mistake, the more generous we look for ‘graciously buying him out.’”
“And anyway,” Marshall chimed in, voice calm but eyes cold, “even if he gets the money–he’ll never get the chance to spend it.”
Marissa turned sharply toward her son, “Marshall, what do you mean by that?”
A chilling smirk spread across Marshall’s face. “I’ve hired someone. After the transaction’s complete, he’ll be eliminated. The money will be ours again in no time.”
Marissa’s eyes widened in shock. She immediately glanced at Braiden, wondering if he’d be outraged. But Braiden didn’t even flinch. Instead, he looked at his son, expression unreadable. “Are you sure this time? The last top-tier assassin you hired got wiped out by Nicolas’s people before he even got close.”
“This one’s different,” Marshall said confidently. “I’ve seen their skills firsthand. These people aren’t your average killers–they’re monsters. Nicolas’s security is good, sure, but they’re just human. These guys? Something else entirely.”
“I hope you’re right,” Braiden muttered. “If this goes wrong again, Nicolas will suspect us for sure. And if he turns it back on us…”
“Trust me, Dad. This time, it’s foolproof.”
Marissa looked between the two of them, still shaken. “So you knew about this, Braiden?” she asked in disbelief. “You’re actually okay with Marshall’s plan to kill your own son?”
Braiden wrapped an arm around her again, smiling darkly. “Marissa, Nicolas is nothing more than a parasite–living off the family’s wealth, contributing nothing, and taking a third of the profits every year. You think I don’t resent that?”
His words seemed to soothe her. She smirked, “You’re not worried you’ll suddenly get sentimental? After all, he’s Amelie’s son.”
Braiden gave an exaggerated sigh, his tone coaxing. “How many times do I have to say it? I only ever loved you. You faked your own death to help this family scam Amelie out of her fortune. Everything you’ve done–I saw it all. Nicolas? He was just part of the con. To me, he’s not even worthy of carrying Luciano or Marshall’s shoes.”
Finally satisfied, Marissa softened. Though she was in her forties, she giggled like a girl, giving Braiden a playful punch in the chest. “You still know how to sweet-talk a woman.”
“Always,” Braiden said, giving her a theatrical wink. “I always love you, Marissa.”
“Oh, stop it. Your son’s still here.”
“What’s the big deal? It’s just Adriel. He’s seen worse.”
“You’re awful,” she giggled.
Chapter 246
Because Braiden was so desperate to reclaim control of the Sawyer Group, he scraped together the massive funds needed for the buyout. The headlines went wild. Speculation was everywhere–most assumed the Sawyer Group would skyrocket now that the power was consolidated. The public was optimistic, believing the company was about to expand its empire.
But in a private office, a small, doll-like girl sat curled up in the lap of a tall, elegant man. Noelle’s cheeks puffed in frustration as she scrolled through social media.
“Nicolas! Everyone online’s saying the Sawyer family is about to rise again—and some of them are talking trash about you!”
Nicolas chuckled softly and took her phone away. He popped a piece of beef jerky into her mouth. “Stop reading comments, sweetheart. The show’s only just begun. Don’t let irrelevant people get you upset.”
Noelle munched her snack, still pouting. She looked back at him, complaining, “Radiance Media’s PR team is so slow. They still haven’t released anything?”
Nicolas had already laid everything out. The moment the contract was signed, the next step would begin—all the dirt on the Sawyer family–the lies, the schemes, the way they trapped his mother–would be exposed to the world. That same day, it would all go public.
But Nicolas wasn’t in a rush. He held Noelle’s hand in his, absentmindedly tracing circles on her palm as his eyes glinted with a dangerous light. With a slow, wicked smile curving his lips, he murmured, “Let them celebrate a little longer. Do you know how to truly destroy someone, darling?”
“How!” Noelle blinked, curious.
Nicolas’s grin deepened. “Give them hope. Then crush it right in front of them.”
Right now, the Sawyer family was probably over the moon. They thought they’d regained control of everything. They were dreaming up grand new visions for the future. But soon those very shares would end up back in Nicolas’s hands, and the money they paid? It would fund their own downfall.
“When they find out,” Nicolas whispered, “when they realize they funded their own demise… imagine how furious they’ll be. How helpless.”
Just the thought sent a shiver of satisfaction down his spine. In that moment, Nicolas’s dark, vengeful side fully emerged. The hatred had been boiling inside him for years. He couldn’t forget his mother’s devastation. He couldn’t forget how she died, broken and alone, while the Sawyer family went on living like heroes. His own father had tried to kill him more than once. Amelie’s family hadn’t helped. He learned early on never depend on anyone.
So he planned. He built an empire with the shares his mother left behind–so that one day, he could destroy the very people who fed off her. Now, the day had come. He would show no mercy.
Maybe the intensity of his aura was too much–because Noelle, sitting quietly in his lap, was staring at him, wide-eyed and silent. Her gaze was so hot it felt like it might burn a hole right through him.
Noticing her silence, Nicolas blinked and snapped out of his thoughts. He looked down and saw her still staring. Was she afraid? Had he shown her too much of the real him? He’d always hidden this side from her, giving her only gentleness and warmth. But now…maybe he’d gone too far.
With a soft sigh, he lowered his head and brushed his fingers along her cheek. His voice dropped, soft and sweet. “Sweetheart, did I scare you?”
Noelle still didn’t blink, still stared at him.