Semua Bab The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride : Bab 151 - Bab 160

"You're serious about this?"Jessica’s voice cut through the quiet hum of Alexander’s office, her usual scepticism laced with something close to disbelief.Alexander leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled, his expression unreadable as he studied the proposal in front of him."Completely." His tone was even, but I saw the glint in his eyes. The certainty.Jessica exhaled. "Okay, just checking. Because the Alexander Hawke I met years ago didn’t exactly scream philanthropy."His smirk was slow. "Maybe I’m evolving."I sat beside him, my pulse steady but my chest warming in a way I hadn’t expected. Because of this?This wasn’t just a business move.This was him—choosing to be more than power. More than steel and dominance.This was him choosing something beyond himself.Jessica sighed, flipping through the pages. "So let me get this straight—Hawke Foundation is going to fund educational scholarships, business grants, and mentorship programs for underserved entrepreneurs?"Alexander no

"You remind me of myself."The words left my lips before I could stop them. They settled in the quiet space between us, heavy with truth.Across from me, Mira Hastings blinked, her hands tightening around the leather portfolio she had clutched against her chest like a lifeline.She was young.Sharp.Hungry.Exactly how I had been when I first stepped into the world of power and control when I had been desperate to carve out my place in an empire that wasn’t built for me.Mira inhaled sharply. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"I smirked, leaning back in my chair. "That depends. Are you willing to fight for what you want?"She lifted her chin. "I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t."Jessica had brought her to me a few weeks ago, tossing a folder onto my desk with a knowing smirk."Meet Mira Hastings. She’s twenty-six, a startup founder, and she’s terrifying in a boardroom. Kind of reminds me of you when I first met you."I raised an eyebrow. "Flattery?""Observation," Jessica corrected.

"You’re out of your mind."Jessica slammed the folder onto the table, eyes flicking between me and Alexander like she was waiting for one of us to crack and admit this was a joke.Alexander?He just smirked, completely unfazed, fingers tapping against the armrest."Not the first time someone’s told me that," he said smoothly.Langley exhaled sharply, his frustration obvious. "Alexander, we spent years rebuilding Steele Industries. We fought off Calloway, expanded globally, dominated every sector we touched. And now you want to—""Invest in something completely outside the model." Alexander finished for him. "Yes."I stared at him, waiting for an explanation. A real one. Because this wasn’t like him. He was precise, calculated. He hated uncertainty. He despised variables he couldn’t control.This wasn’t a move that made sense.Langley scoffed. "Tech startups burn cash faster than they make it. You’re putting millions into something that hasn’t even launched yet."Jessica groaned, flip

"You’re asking me to do what?"Alexander’s voice was sharp, controlled—but I knew him too well. There was an edge beneath it. A tension that told me he wasn’t just surprised. He was unnerved.Good.Because for once, I wanted him to feel what I had felt when he had blindsided me.I folded my arms, lifting my chin slightly. "You heard me."His jaw flexed. "Tell me why."I exhaled, stepping closer. "Because you’ve spent your whole life making calculated decisions. Playing only when the odds are in your favour. But this? This is about believing in something before it’s guaranteed."His gaze darkened. "Leila.""You did it for me." I held his stare, refusing to back down. "Now I’m asking you to do it for yourself."It started with an idea.A big idea.One that went against everything Alexander Hawke had built his empire on.He played in known markets. Safe, strategic. He took big risks, but only when he had already calculated the outcome.But this?This was different.This was about creatin

"You’re not wearing that."Alexander said it casually, but the second I turned around, I caught the gleam in his eyes. The one that meant he’d picked a fight on purpose.I narrowed mine. "It’s a black turtleneck, not a crime scene."He tilted his head, a slow grin forming. "Looks like you’re about to interrogate someone over a bad merger.""Which is exactly how I plan to treat this dinner if you keep making comments."He didn’t flinch. Just walked over like he had all the time in the world and smoothed a hand down my arm. "Trust me. You’re going to want to change.""Why? You taking me to a five-star takee situation?""Not tonight." He kissed my cheek and whispered, "Tonight’s about something else."And just like that, I was listening.The car was already waiting. The manila envelope on the seat was new.My name was written in black ink across the front. I looked at him.He just nodded. "Open it."I did.Inside was a single card, thick and weighted. No logos. No branding.Just a short