THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: Marry To Rival's Son novel Chapter 97

Chapter 97

The press was already waiting by the time they stepped outside.

Cameras clicked. Voices shouted.

“Mia, how did it feel taking over such a massive project for once?”

“Mr. Sterling, is this the first time MSS will be working with the government?”

They kept walking, eyes ahead, hands intertwined. Calm and composed.

They’d both didn’t agree, but none of them paid attention to the numerous questions flying around.

But then a voice cut through the noise. Sharper. Louder.

“Mr. Sterling, isn’t Mia just a tag-along? A pretty face with your last name?”

Stefan stopped walking.

The air shifted. Mia’s brows drew together, but she didn’t look at the reporter…. she looked at Stefan.

His back had gone stiff, jaw tight. He turned slowly. The crowd quieted, cameras zoomed in.

Stefan’s eyes found the reporter, and the look he gave him could’ve frozen blood.

“Mia is not a tag-along,” he said, voice low but clear. The reporter’s hand faltered around the mic.

“We’re not just a married couple,” Stefan continued, “we’re partners. With equal rights. This contract……” he motioned back toward the building “…… is proof of her ability. Her brilliance. Her work.”

Then came the smile. Not the charming one. Not the polite one. The one that warned people to stop talking while they still had a job.

He gave the reporter a nod….. small, tight, and then turned away.

Even though he had turned away, the effect of his stare still lingered on the reporter’s mind. Was he going to lose his life? Because that look was a not just a warning look, it was a definite look.

Mia didn’t need to say anything. Her walk said enough. They disappeared into the car together.

Across the sidewalk, Samuel watched.

He stood slightly off to the side, unnoticed by the press. His hands were clenched into fists, the muscles in his jaw twitching.

All his life, he’d known who his rival was. Jeremiah Sterling…. sometimes smart, stubborn and bold. That was the one man who ever came close.

But now? Now it was his daughter. And worse… Stefan was right beside her.

He hadn’t seen it coming. That girl… had beat him at his own game. On his turf. In front of the world.

And Stefan, that quiet, calculated boy, had chosen her. Had stood beside her. That stung more than anything else.

A few feet behind, Jeremiah saw the same scene unfold.

But unlike Samuel, he didn’t react. No clenched fists. Just a harrowed eyes, and a soft smirk.

Let them have their moment, he thought.

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97 BECAUSE HE TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING HE KNOWS

It wouldn’t happen again. This wasn’t a loss…. it was a fluk. A loophole. One moment where things slipp he wouldn’t let it happen again.

He turned and walked away, already thinking ten steps ahead.

Let them taste victory. Just this once.

Samuel stormed into his office, slammed the door shut, and just stood there for a moment…. silent, seething.

Then he lost it.

With one sweep of his arm, everything on his desk crashed to the floor. Files scattered. His glass paperweight shattered. A pen rolled off the edge and hit the ground with a small click.

He ran a hand through his hair, pacing.

A woman. His daughter. She’d succeeded in outplaying him. In front of the same people who once looked to him as the standard.

He could still see the look she gave him. That brat. He’d brought her into this world, taught her all she knew… And she came back to bite him?

He dropped into his chair and stared blankly at the wall, his jaw clenching so tight a muscle ticked near his temple. The door creaked open. “Sir?” Paul, his assistant, poked his head in.

He took one look at the mess and froze. “Are you…… Okay…. Sir?” Samuel didn’t answer right away. Then slowly, he looked up….. and smiled. It was tight. Cold and dangerous.

Paul’s spine straightened, every nerve suddenly on alert. That smile only ever meant one thing.

Trouble. Real trouble.

He cleared his throat, unsure whether to step back or stay put.

“Get someone to clean up this mess” He pointed around his office, before turning his gaze back to Paul “Follow me.” He said, his voice calm. Too calm.

Paul forced a shaky nod, but inside, he was panicking.

Because when Samuel got quiet like this? That’s when people needed to start worrying.

And Paul couldn’t help it… he felt sorry for Mia.

He then followed Samuel out while making typing on his phone, making sure the office is clean before they return from wherever they’re heading to.

Samuel and his assistant, Paul, were just stepping out of a meeting. They hadn’t even reached the car before the press cornered them.

Microphones shot forward. Cameras flashed. Voices came from every direction.

“Mr. Meyer! How does it feel to lose?”

“Do you think your daughter only won because of your name?”

“Is it true you let her win out of guilt?”

Samuel kept walking, like he didn’t hear the questions being thrown at him. Paul leaned in, trying to guide him away, but the reporters weren’t stopping.

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972ECAUSE HE TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING HE KNOWS

“What are your plans now?”

“Do you see Mia and Stefan as competition?”

Samuel suddenly stopped. The reporters fell silent for a second, surprised.

Then he turned. Calm, cold and unbothered. He looked straight into the nearest camera and spoke clearly.

“No one is sure they’ll actually keep that contract.” Confusion rippled through the crowd.

“What do you mean, sir?” one reporter asked. “The contract’s been signed. The photos are everywhere.” Samuel’s eyes narrowed, his voice steady.

“Paper doesn’t build a company. A signature doesn’t build legacy. The government won’t risk a major project on a company that hasn’t proven itself.”

He let that sink in, then added, “They may have the deal… for now. But let’s see if they can actually deliver.” Then he gave a small smile that’s both cold and confident.

Mia leaned back on the couch, a soft smile tugging at her lips, a glass of water in her hand as the video replayed on

the screen.

Samuel’s face had just flashed across the screen, his voice still fresh in all their ears.

“No one is sure they’ll actually keep that contract…”

“The government wouldn’t hand over a huge project to a company that’s barely known…”

Stefan stood near the window, arms crossed, a small smile that’s well hidden on the face. Mose sat at the edge of the armrest, quiet. Elena was the first to speak.

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