The CEO's Contractual Wife (Olivia and Alexander) novel Chapter 254

Chapter 254

Alexander

Olivia sat quietly in the passenger seat, staring out the window.

“You okay?” I asked once we’d cleared the estate gates.

“I’m fine,” she said softly. “That was intense. She really thinks we’re faking this.”

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I glanced at her. “She thinks everything is a scheme because that’s how her mind works. She can’t imagine genuine feelings or honest motivations.”

“Do you think she’s behind the photos?”

“Probably. Or she paid someone who is.” I merged onto the highway. “Doesn’t matter. We’ll handle it.”

Olivia turned to look at me. “You seemed pretty confident back there. About everything coming out in the end.”

“Because it will. Victoria’s not as clean as she pretends. None of them are.”

“What kind of secrets are we talking about?”

I kept my eyes on the road, merging onto the highway.

“Victoria’s been busy,” I said finally. “More than just spreading gossip and making snide comments at family dinners.”

“Busy how?”

I glanced at her briefly before returning my attention to the traffic. “She’s been embezzling from Carter Enterprises. Large amounts. Using company funds to bankroll her own ventures.”

Olivia shifted in her seat, turning to face me fully. “You’re serious?”

“Completely. She’s been at it for months, maybe longer. Siphoning money through fake vendor accounts, inflating project budgets, and pocketing the difference. Very sophisticated operation.”

“And nobody caught it?”

“I caught it.” I changed lanes, passing a slow–moving sedan. “About three weeks ago. My financial team flagged some irregularities in our quarterly reports. Started digging, found the trail.”

“How much are we talking?”

“Seven figures. Maybe eight by the time we uncover everything.”

“That’s not just embezzlement. That’s major fraud.”

9:52 Thu, Jan 22

Chapter 254

“Exactly. Which is why I haven’t moved on to it yet.”

“Why not? If you have proof-”

“Because timing matters.” I accelerated, the engine purring smoothly. “Victoria thinks she’s untouchable right now. She’s got Thomas feeding her inside information from his investment firm, she’s got connections on the board, and she genuinely believes she can undermine my position enough to take over the company?

“So you’re letting her dig herself deeper.”

“I’m letting her feel confident. Overconfident people make mistakes.”

Olivia was quiet for a moment, processing. “What about Thomas?”

“Thomas is running his own game. Securities fraud, insider trading. He’s been using information from board meetings to make trades ahead of major announcements. Made himself quite wealthy doing it too.”

“And you have proof of this?”

“Every transaction. Every suspicious trade. Every conversation he thought was private.” I smiled without humor. “Grandfather may be old, but he didn’t build an empire by trusting people blindly. We have security measures Thomas doesn’t even know exist.”

“So you’re sitting on evidence that could destroy both of them.”

“Not just evidence. Documentation that would send Thomas to prison and strip Victoria of everything she’s worked for.” I exited the highway, heading toward the estate. “But like I said, timing matters.”

“When are you planning to use it?”

“When it’ll do the most damage. When Victoria’s feeling most secure, most certain she’s winning. That’s when I’ll pull the rug out.”

Olivia leaned back against the seat. “That’s pretty cold.”

“It’s strategic. There’s a difference.”

“Is there?”

I glanced at her. “You think I should just expose them now? Let them lawyer up, drag it through courts for years while they continue undermining the company?”

“No, I guess not. But sitting on it while they keep breaking the law…”

“They’re not hurting anyone except themselves right now. Victoria’s stealing from a company I control. Thomas is making illegal trades that will eventually catch up to him. Meanwhile, I’m documenting everything.” I turned onto the road leading to the estate. “When the time comes, when Victoria makes her final move, I’ll have enough evidence to bury them both. Completely. No appeals, no second chances.”

“And nobody else knows about this?”

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Chapter 254

“Just me and a handful of people I trust.”

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Olivia shook her head slowly. “So you’re all just waiting. Watching Victoria and Thomas commit crimes while you build your case.”

“That’s how these things work. Rush in too early, and they slip away on technicalities. Wait until you have everything, and they have nowhere to hide.”

“It still seems risky. What if they figure out you know?”

“They won’t. Victoria’s too focused on trying to prove our marriage is fake. Thomas is too busy congratulating himself on his cleverness.” I parked in front of the main house, killing the engine. “They think they’re winning. That’s their fatal flaw.”

“So all of this, the gossip, the articles, Victoria’s constant attacks-”

“Are desperation plays. She knows the clock’s ticking on Grandfather’s ultimatum. If my marriage holds for another few months, she loses her chance at controlling Carter Enterprises. So she’s throwing everything at the wall, hoping something sticks.”

“And when it doesn’t?”

“She’ll escalate. Make bigger moves, take bigger risks. That’s when she’ll make the mistake that gives me the opening I need.”

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