Nine Hot Therians and Their Only One Queen novel Chapter 502

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley**
**Chapter 502: A Deal**

“Just go right ahead,” Damian said, his voice steady, a hint of defiance lacing his words. “What’s the worst that could happen? I’ll simply start over. Money is a fickle friend; it comes and goes as it pleases. As long as I draw breath, I’ll always have opportunities to earn more.”

However, as he spoke, a shift occurred. His tone turned sharp, like ice shattering underfoot, and his gaze bore into the others with a precision that felt like a blade poised to strike.

“But what about you?” he continued, his words now laced with a steely edge. “Do you genuinely believe that the woman named Dahlia Lane will dance to the tune you’ve envisioned? Don’t be shocked if you end up inviting chaos into your lives, only to find you’ve shot yourselves in the foot. That would be quite the punchline, wouldn’t it?”

His words landed like heavy stones, causing ripples of discomfort among the executives present.

“Damian, do you honestly think your threats still carry any weight?” one of the executives retorted, his voice dripping with disdain. He slammed his palm onto the polished table, the sound echoing in the tense atmosphere. “You’re overestimating your own importance.”

A cruel smile twisted Damian’s lips, a reflection of his inner fury. “Allow me to share a little insider knowledge with you,” he said, his voice low and mocking. “Even in your absence, Dahlia has options. We have another young fox male, eager and ready to step into your shoes and take the reins of Nexus Prime Tech. Once that happens, the company will remain securely under our control, and you? You’ll be out for good.”

Damian shrugged, an air of indifference surrounding him.

“Then go ahead and do it now,” he replied, his voice laced with boredom. “I’m honestly exhausted from pandering to you people.”

With that, he turned on his heel and strode out of the conference room, a sense of triumph swelling within him.

Pathetic, he thought, shaking his head as he walked away.

Do they really think they can intimidate me?

As he exited, his assistant, who had been anxiously waiting just outside, rushed over, his face a mixture of urgency and excitement.

“Mr. Voss,” he said, leaning in close and lowering his voice, “I just received a message. Marshal Calum is willing to assist—but he wants forty percent of Nexus Prime Tech’s annual profits in return. He promises complete freedom for you.”

Damian halted, the weight of the assistant’s words sinking in.

“Calum Jenkins?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.

The assistant nodded fervently. “Yes! I checked. He’s not hiding his identity. He’s from the Aurelia clan and serves His Highness. This must be his ideal opportunity.”

The thought ignited a spark of hope within Damian.

“Mr. Voss, His Highness and Marshal Calum are Emma Tibarn’s mates. Could this be part of her plan? Perhaps she realized how desperate your situation is and asked them to step in.”

Damian shook his head, dismissing the idea.

“No. If it were her idea, His Highness wouldn’t have demanded forty percent of Nexus Prime Tech’s profits.”

A small, amused smile crept onto his face as he contemplated the situation.

“But cutting a deal with Calum and Lucien is still preferable to handing everything over to those fools.”

Damian leaned closer, carefully choosing his words.

“Based on your proposal, I’m willing to increase the offer by an additional twenty percent. Sixty percent of Nexus Prime Tech’s annual profits will be yours, Marshal Calum.”

Nexus Prime Tech was the lifeblood of the Empire’s economy, and the stakes were high.

He had previously extended an offer to Calum, but the man had never shown interest. What had Lucien promised him to make him consider this now?

Calum raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Given your generosity, I suppose I have no reason to decline. But tell me—what do you want in exchange for this increased offer?”

With a confident smile, Damian replied, “What I require is nothing too demanding for you. I simply need you to fulfill your promise and eliminate every influence the Empire’s executives and the Fox Clan Elders have over my affairs—swiftly and completely. I want them to lose both the nerve and the power to ever interfere with me again. In return, you can take your profits, but I ask for no demands from you. I want absolute freedom for myself and for Nexus Prime Tech.”

For years, Damian had been a pawn in the games played by the Empire and the Elders.

He had harbored many plans, yet he had never found the courage to act on any of them, stunting Nexus Prime Tech’s growth in the process.

On the battlefield, Calum was a force to be reckoned with.

Yet in the realm of business, he was less adept.

While he might not care about Nexus Prime Tech itself, Damian’s wealth? That was a different story altogether.