The Billionaire's Offer

Chapter 25

Asher

The signed documents in front of me should've brought me some sort of relief. Instead, a wave of nausea washes over me as I see Emma's signature neatly displayed on the paper.

She's ready to proceed with the wedding.

I should be happy about it. This is what we wanted from the start. Yet, here I am alone in my bedroom, wondering how we went from cake tasting and celebrating living in a place that means something to us to entering a cold business deal.

I spent the night tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. My body begged me to get some rest, but my mind was having none of it.

Morning came quickly, and before I knew it, Max and his team were already waiting for me downstairs so we could go to the office for an emergency board meeting.

As expected, the news of Milo Montgomery's decision to fund my future father's in-law's political campaign sent shockwaves through the business world, triggering a cascade of reactions and a wildfire of speculation, with analysts and observers scrambling to dissect the implications of this unexpected alliance.

The financial markets, ever sensitive to political affiliations and their potential impact on business, responded quickly to the perceived uncertainty surrounding our family name. And investors, anxious about the potential ramifications of this connection, hastily reevaluated their positions, leading to a temporary downturn in our stock value.

The air of instability that now envelops our family name is palpable and the once-solid reputation we enjoyed in the business community is now under scrutiny.

The board was furious, and Henry, seizing the opportunity, convinced them it was best for me to leave. After a tense meeting and Max's persuasive skills, though, we managed to change their minds. We got the green light for a damage control plan, putting our business strategy back on track. Which included keeping the wedding.

According to Max, the wedding would not just be a celebration, but a tangible representation of our ability to weather storms and emerge stronger. It would send a message to stakeholders and the business community alike that, despite the challenges, we were standing firm.

"Hey..." Max raps on my bedroom door, making his way in. We got back home a couple of hours ago, desperately needing some rest, but I knew he'd want to talk before the wedding.

"She signed the papers..." I say, meeting his gaze.

He nods, studying me. "How do you feel about that?"

"This is for the best, right?" I shrug. "We made sure she doesn't have any kind of participation in our business, which made the board happy."

"And it doesn't allow her to speak with the press alone or to enter any business deal with her father without talking to us first," Max says. "It sure gives me some control about things..."

"Right..." I walk to the window, looking down at my mom's garden.

"You did well with the board today," I hear Max saying. "They were all impressed with how you handled damage control."

"Yeah..."

"Despite the mess, I think you'll be able to transition to permanent CEO smoothly after the wedding," Max says tentatively, making me turn to him.

"Did Emma say something when she signed the papers?" I ask since he was the one to negotiate the new terms with her.

He raises his eyebrows. "She asked me why you didn't come to talk to her yourself."

My eyes close involuntarily, and I rub my face before looking back at him. "I love her, Max. I've always had. But she's hiding something."

He swallows hard, and I see some sort of resignation on his face. "I had no idea you guys were together back then... You never said or implied anything until you packed your things and left, Ash."