Chapter 97
Chapter 97:
Cole Compton’s supposedly useless, gold-digging wife was the hidden genius the entire pharmaceutical world had been hunting. She was a walking billion-dollar empire.
June did not wait for him to recover.
She picked up the takeover binder, carried it to the heavy-duty industrial shredder in the corner, and dropped it in. The machine roared to life, tearing the multi-million-dollar offer into thin strips of paper.
“Apex Bio is not for sale,” June said over the noise. She pointed toward the glass doors. “The exit is behind you. Do not come back p>
Declan stood frozen for three full seconds. He looked at her. The mockery in his eyes was gone entirely, replaced by something darker — a burning, predatory fascination. Then he turned and walked out, his analysts scrambling to follow.
𝘙е𝗰о𝗆𝘮е𝘯𝗱 g𝖺𝘭𝘯𝘰vеlѕ.𝘤о𝗺 t𝗈 yоu𝗿 𝘧r𝗶еո𝘥𝗌
The afternoon sun beat down on the busy streets of Midtown Manhattan.
Declan sat in the driver’s seat of his silver Aston Martin, parked outside the Apex Bio building. He drew a thick Cuban cigar from his pocket, clipped the end, and lit it. His hands were trembling slightly.
He could not get the image of June out of his head — the way she had stood there, dismantling his elite financial team with nothing but raw data and absolute composure.
He pulled out his tablet and brought up the financial background check his team had compiled on Cole Compton’s marriage. He looked at the monthly allowance Cole deposited into June’s account. It was a pathetic, insulting sum — a fraction of a fraction of what she was actually worth.
A dark laugh escaped his lips.
He picked up his phone and dialed Cole’s private number.
High above the city, in the penthouse office of Compton Tower, Cole sat buried under a mountain of SEC compliance documents, his head throbbing. His phone buzzed. He saw Declan’s name and answered on speaker.
“Cole,” Declan said, taking a slow drag of his cigar. “I’m calling about the Compton Group’s secondary manufacturing plant in New Jersey. Sterling Pharma might be interested in taking it off your hands for the right price p>
Cole’s hand went still. A business proposition from a shark like Declan demanded complete attention. “We aren’t actively selling. But I’m listening p>
Declan chuckled — a sound thick with irony and deliberate misdirection. “Good. Because I just walked out of a meeting at a place called Apex Bio. Routine scouting for minor acquisitions.” The mention of that name made Cole’s blood run hot. His professional composure cracked.
“What were you doing there?” Cole growled. “Did you go see that pathetic loser Vance p>
“Just some routine probing,” Declan said smoothly, setting the trap with care. “It’s a small operation, Cole, but it hides some surprisingly sharp talent. You should pay closer attention to the assets floating around in this city p>
The heavy oak doors of Cole’s office burst open.
Alycia ran in, clutching her left index finger, her eyes brimming with large, dramatic tears. “Cole!” she cried, her voice high and trembling. “I was opening a package you sent to the apartment and the glass frame broke. I cut my finger. It hurts so much p>