The Billionaire’s Sudden Bride
Chapter 105
Brandon’s POV
I adjusted my tie as the face of Edward Blackwell, CEO of one of London’s largest investment firms, stared back at me from my laptop screen. The poor bastard looked exhausted unsurprising given it was nearly midnight in London. But that was his problem, not mine. When Stark Group called, you answered, regardless of the hour.
.
“As I was saying, Brandon,” Edward continued, his British accent more pronounced with fatigue, ‘the regulatory changes present some challenges, but nothing insurmountable if we
A soft knock interrupted us. I glanced up to see the door crack open slightly.
“Sorry, come in!” I called out, turning back to the screen. “Edward, let’s call it a day.”
“Something urgent?” I asked, leaning back in my chair.
“Mr. Stark, this is regarding Victoria’s contract,” James replied, his expression carefully neutral as he placed a folder on my desk,
I flipped it open to see Victoria Taylor’s signature scrawled at the bottom of our most stringent talent contract. “She signed? Without pushback?”
“She was absolutely livid,” James’s lips twitched slightly. “Didn’t even read it before signing. When she finally did, she nearly had a meltdown right there in the conference room.”
I couldn’t help but smirk. “I expected at least some negotiation. Handle the rest as you see fit.”
“Yes, Mr. Stark.” James hesitated before continuing. “I met someone today who might interest you.”
“Who?”
“Victoria’s manager, Maya Coleman. She was with Horizon but wasn’t included when Victoria terminated her contract there.” James’s efficiency was evident as he continued without prompting. “Horizon released Victoria. However, they left Maya hanging without any direction. Since she’s already familiar with Victoria’s… peculiarities, I thought she might continue serving as Victoria’s manager
under our umbrella.”
I waved dismissively. “Use your judgment on these trivial matters.”
“Of course.” James straightened slightly. “There’s one more thing.”
“Go on.”
“Regarding Mrs. Stark’s former apartment… she never officially terminated her lease, so the landlord has been holding it for her.” James shifted his weight slightly – a tell that what he was about to say required my attention. “The landlord contacted me today inquiring about Mrs. Stark’s whereabouts. I’d previously instructed him to alert me of anything unusual. He reports someone has been loitering around Mrs. Stark’s apartment frequently.”
My fingers stilled on the desk. “What exactly did the landlord say?”
“He asked if Mrs. Stark might have ‘gotten into trouble with someone. He’s taken photographs and wanted to know if he should call the police next time.”
“Absolutely call the police,” I said, my tone hardening. “Unidentified individuals lurking around private property should be handled by law enforcement. That’s what taxpayers fund them for, after all.”
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“I’ve already instructed the landlord accordingly, James paused, clearly weighing his next words. “There’s more. Elizabeth Taylor- Mrs. Stark’s mother–also visited the apartment.
When she didn’t find Mrs. Stark there, she apparently left in a rage, pewing quite vicious remarks about her daughter,”
My jaw tightened. “Noted.”
I shifted gears, turning the conversation to another pressing matter When is Alexander and Victoria’s wedding scheduled?
James looked surprised by the question. “I don’t believe Alexander has made any concrete plans yet.”
“Then give him the motivation to do so. I want them married immediately.”
James’s momentary hesitation spoke volumes about his opinion of Alexander Stark, but he simply nodded. “I’ll handle it, sir.”
A soft knock interrupted us again, and Summer’s head peeked around the door, her expression curious as she took in the scene.
“Am I interrupting? Are you still working?” she asked, her eyes moving between James and me.
“Not at all, James replied quickly, gathering his papers. “I was just finishing my report.”
He suddenly straightened as if remembering something urgent. “Actually, I just recalled another matter that needs my attention. Mr. Stark, Mrs. Stark, I should be going.”
“Wait,” Summer called as he headed for the door. “I made dinner. James, you’re welcome to join us before you leave.”
“You’re too kind, Mrs. Stark,” James declined with practiced politeness, “but I really must attend to this matter immediately. Please enjoy your meal without me. Good evening to you both.”
I caught the flash of confusion on June’s face as James made his hasty exit. She turned to me with a puzzled expression once the door closed behind him.
“Was he in a hurry for a reason? Did you assign him something urgent?” she asked, approaching my desk.
“Nothing out of the ordinary,” I answered, watching as her eyes fell on the open folder.
“Is that Victoria’s contract?” She picked it up, eyes widening as she scanned the contents. “I’m not reading this wrong, am I?”
“What do you think?” I couldn’t help but smile at her shocked expression.
“But… Victoria is one of the shrewdest people I know. This is clearly an unequal contract. How did she possibly agree to this?”
“What’s unequal for you might not be for her,” I said simply, rising from my chair and placing my hand at the small of her back.
“What did you make for dinner?” I asked, guiding her toward the door.
“Just some light dishes,” she replied, momentarily distracted. “I noticed you’ve been coughing lately. You refuse to go to bed early or take medicine, so I figured I’d at least try to help through your diet.
“Don’t change the subject,” she added quickly, her sharp mind returning to our previous topic. “What do you mean it might not be unequal for Victoria? What’s her situation?”
“Think about what position she’s in right now,” I suggested as we made our way downstairs.
The dining room was impeccably set, with several dishes laid out – al noticeably bland and healthy–looking, I couldn’t help but
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grimace slightly.
“June, this meal looks… extremely light.”
“If you’d just take your medicine like a normal person, I wouldn’t have to resort to this,” she retorted, a hint of challenge in her
eyes.
I laughed softly, pulling out her chair. “Perhaps I should start considering what a married man needs to pay attention to.”
Her eyebrow arched delicately as she sat down. “Oh really? And what might that be?”
“That when your wife starts monitoring your diet,” I said, leaning down to kiss her forehead, “it means she genuinely cares about your health.
She blushed slightly but met my gaze directly. “Someone has to look after you, since you clearly won’t do it yourself.”
Later, as June described her progress learning the entertainment industry through James’s reports, I realized I’d been absentmindedly rubbing my thumb over her knuckles. These small intimacies had become second nature, happening without conscious thought. Perhaps that, I reflected, was what a married man should truly notice – not just when his wife was trying to improve his health, but how fundamentally his life had changed for the better with her in it.
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