Married to the Billionaire Who Betrayed Me novel Chapter 85

Chapter 85 Buying Out Her Biggest Ally

Elias sat on a thick woven rug a few feet away. He stacked three wooden blocks. He possessed immense focus for a child his age. He placed the final block on top of the tower. He looked up at me. His gray eyes crinkled at the corners. He offered a wide, bright smile.

A tight knot formed in my throat.

I set the coffee mug on a side table. I knelt on the rug. I pulled Elias into my arms. I buried my face in his dark hair. He smelled of

baby lotion and clean cotton. He felt warm. He was mine. He belonged to me.

Frederick Langley looked at this beautiful, perfect boy and saw a corporate asset. The Johnston board of directors wanted to strip

him from my arms. They wanted to raise him in a sterile mansion, surround him with private tutors, and mold him into a ruthless

executive. They wanted to teach him to value stock prices over human lives.

They threatened to freeze my bank accounts. They threatened to drag me through the family courts. They believed their old money

granted them the right to take whatever they desired.

I closed my eyes. I pressed a kiss to my son’s temple.

I refused to play defense. Waiting for their next strike meant living in a state of terror.

I stood up. Lucia entered the room, carrying a fresh bottle of milk. I handed Elias to her,

“Keep the deadbolts engaged,” I instructed. “Do not open the door for anyone but Marcus or Leo.”

‘I understand, Minerva, Lucia replied. She held Elias close to her chest.

I left the penthouse. Leo drove the black town car through the morning traffic. We arrived at the Aegis headquarters.

I stepped out of the elevator and walked straight to the main conference room.

Diego Morales waited for me. The head of my acquisitions department stood at the head of the long glass table. He wore a sharp

navy suit. He looked exhausted. He spent the past forty-eight hours negotiating the most aggressive buyout in the history of our

young company.

A massive stack of legal documents rested on the glass surface.

“We secured the target, Miss Hayes, Diego announced.

I took the chair at the head of the table. “Walk me through the final terms.”

Diego opened a slim leather folder. He read the summary numbers.

“Ashcroft Boutique Holdings,” Diego began. “They operate thirty-two premium retail locations in the capital’s historic district. They

possess exclusive distribution rights for a dozen legacy brands. The current CEO is Richard Ashcroft. He is Penelope Ashcroft’s

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Chapter 85 Buying Out Her Biggest Ally

cousin. He ran the company into the ground through gross mismanagement and obsolete marketing strategies. The holding firm

carries massive debt.”

“We are assuming the debt, I confirmed.

“We are assuming all liabilities, Diego said. He paused. He looked at the paperwork. “To force an immediate, uncontested sale, we offered double the current market value for the controlling voting shares. The Ashcroft board panicked and accepted the buyout at three in the morning.”

I reached out and touched the edge of the thick contract. The paper felt heavy.

“We liquidated the entire Series A funding round from Redford Capital, Diego continued. His voice carried a note of genuine warning. “We emptied the Aegis expansion accounts. We utilized every cent of our liquid reserves to cover the premium. We own

Ashcroft Holdings, but we possess zero safety net. If the market dips, we cannot cover our own operational overhead.”

“Safety nets breed complacency, Diego,” I replied.

I picked up a heavy gold pen.

I did not buy Ashcroft Holdings to expand the Aegis retail footprint. I bought the company because of its alliances. The Ashcroft

family stood in lockstep with the Whitmore family. Richard Ashcroft provided premium shelf space for Celeste Whitmore’s vanity

charity lines. He hosted Johnston Group subsidiary brands.

By acquiring the controlling shares, I became his boss. I gained absolute authority over thirty-two prime retail locations. I possessed the power to evict Celeste’s products from the shelves. I possessed the power to severe the Johnston distribution contracts. I bought

a weapon capable of bleeding their profit margins.

I unscrewed the cap of the gold pen. I signed my name on the final page of the contract.

“The funds will transfer in ten minutes, Diego stated. He gathered the signed documents. “The acquisition is official. You own the

company.

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