THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: Marry To Rival's Son novel Chapter 3

Chapter 3

He held her gaze firmly, though irritation flickered briefly across his features. “Mia, let’s not make this personal,” he said, his tone carefully tempered. “It’s not about your capability. You’ve proven yourself time and again. This is about the bigger picture. Strategy.”

Samuel paused, shifting slightly to meet her eyes. “You’ve seen Jeremiah Sterling’s announcement, haven’t you? Naming his second son as his heir just days ago?”

Mia frowned, her brows knitting together as she thought back. She had seen the announcement, it had been all over the business news. Sterling, Samuel’s longest-standing rival, had publicly declared that his youngest son, Harrison, would take over Sterling Enterprises. It had been bold, calculated, a move designed to shore up his company’s reputation while sending a clear message to the market. "The Sterling legacy was unshakable."

A cold knot began to form in Mia’s stomach as realization crept over her. Samuel continued, his words slicing through the room with surgical precision.

“Jeremiah is showing strength,” Samuel said bluntly. “He’s putting forward a male figure who will be perceived as strong, decisive, capable of standing toe-to-toe with me in the market. We can’t afford to look weak beside him. Investors, partners, they look at these things. They judge. They weigh who they believe has the most formidable leadership. Perception is everything.”

Mia stared at him, her chest tightening with every word. It was clicking into place now, and it was colder, sharper than anything she’d anticipated. “You don’t think I can do that,” she said quietly, disbelief creeping into her voice alongside a raw, undeniable hurt. “You don’t think I’m strong enough.”

Samuel sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over his forehead. “It’s not about my belief, Mia. It’s about perception. Sterling will exploit your gender to make us look weak. He’ll frame you as vulnerable, as someone he can outmaneuver. I won’t let him gain that advantage.”

From the corner of the room, Ethan shifted uncomfortably, his voice breaking the tension. “He… explained some of this to me,” Ethan said, his words cautious, careful not to provoke. “He believes that having a male figure at the forefront right now is… crucial for the company’s image.”

“Crucial?,” Mia repeated slowly, the word bitter on her tongue. “So all my work, my years of dedication, everything I’ve sacrificed, comes down to my gender being a liability in your petty war with Jeremiah Sterling?”

“It’s not petty!” Samuel snapped, his calm demeanor cracking for the first time. “This is about protecting everything I’ve built, everything our family has worked hard for! Sterling wants Meyers Industries to falter. I need someone at the helm who projects power, someone Sterling will see as a threat.”

“And that someone is him?” Mia gestured sharply toward Ethan, her anger no longer simmering but boiling over.

Samuel nodded firmly, his tone resolute. “Ethan understands the stakes. He’s willing to learn. He’s eager to fight for this company. He’ll be a strong front against Sterling.”

Mia didn’t even try to hide her disdain. She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. “And what about me? The woman who has spent her entire life*preparing for this moment? You expect me to just step aside and what? Cheer him on from the sidelines?”

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