She Was Never Just the Billionaire’s Wife (Natasha and Chase) novel Chapter 8

Chapter 8 The Terms of Engagement

(Chase)

Silence stretches between us.

Staring at the woman in front of me, her boldness is shocking.

She actually believes she can threaten my company.

Everyone in this room sees a woman who failed. Making Jeffrey Bauer see the same thing will be easy.

Natasha was just a temporary player in the business world. 1

If that wasn’t true, she wouldn’t have allowed her pregnancy turn her into a weak liability.

It’s time to remind her of how things really work.

“You want to play games, Natasha?”

Stepping closer, I force her to look up to meet my eyes.

“Prove you belong in this business. You want me to take you seriously? You want me to discuss your terms for our divorce? Fine. Prove that you can actually impress Jeffrey Bauer.”

Her eyes narrow slightly. It’s the only sign that she’s paying attention.

“Get him to agree to sign with your little consulting firm,” I challenge her, keeping my voice smooth and mocking.

“Until you do that, you’re not a threat. You’re just a pest distracting me from my work.”

Looking past her, I stare at Mason Stein.

He’s standing far too close to my wife and his presence is highly annoying.

A violent, possessive feeling coils in my stomach.

It has nothing to do with jealousy, of course. It’s just the principle of the matter.

She still carries my last name.

“And you do it completely alone,” I tell her, bringing my attention back to her face.

“No help from Stein. You don’t see him, you don’t speak to him, and you don’t hide behind him until Bauer gives you his word. Let’s see if you can actually win, or if you’re just trading one man’s protection for another.”

“Deal.”

The word leaves her lips without a single second of hesitation.

She doesn’t try to negotiate. She doesn’t step back from the impossible task.

A sudden rush of excitement hits me.

The feeling is very familiar, bringing a dangerous smile to my face.

“You know,” I murmur studying her stubborn jaw.

“This reminds me of the first time we met. That boardroom in London. You were just as stubborn back then,

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arguing over that shipping company like your life depended on it.”

The look in her eyes instantly turns freezing cold.

Her fighting spirit vanishes. It’s replaced by an empty look that makes me feel strangely uneasy.

“That wasn’t the first time we met, Chase.”

Before I can ask what she means, she turns around.

Mason falls into step beside her. The two of them leave the dark corner, leaving me standing alone in the shadows.

Three days later, my quiet office offers no peace.

Staring out at the city buildings, my mind constantly turns over the puzzle she left behind.

That wasn’t the first time we met.

Searching my memories doesn’t help. Nothing comes to mind before that London meeting. It makes absolutely no

sense.

A thick brown folder sits right in the middle of my desk.

Opening it, I read the latest report from the private investigator watching my wife’s every move.

The report paints a very annoying picture.

She’s working herself to the bone.

Between planning meetings, looking up Bauer’s weak spots, and learning everything about his company, she works until midnight nearly every day.

And she hasn’t seen Stein once.

She’s actually following the rules of our bet. She’s trying to gain enough leverage to take my child and leave this marriage.

Taking the divorce papers from my drawer, I stare at her sharp signature at the bottom of the final page.

She didn’t hesitate here, either.

Signing away billions of dollars was easy for her, just for the chance to erase me from her life.

Gripping the edges of the thick paper, I rip the entire stack in half. Then again. And again.

Throwing the torn pieces into the trash, a dark certainty settles over me.

I will win this bet.

I have to.

Making sure she fails to win Bauer is my top priority. When she loses, she’ll be forced to accept my rules.

There’s absolutely no way Natasha will beat me.

The loud ringing of my eell phone breaks the quiet.

The screen shows my head of security.

mari

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