Chapter 11: The $50 Million Ultimatum

The nuclear bomb dropped the very next morning.

Alexander was sitting in the formal dining room, drinking his black coffee and staring blankly at the financial section of the newspaper. He hadn’t slept a single wink.

The dining room doors flew open. Eleanor Montgomery marched in, flanked closely by Victoria Sterling. Both women wore expressions that promised absolute corporate warfare.

“Good morning, Alexander,” Eleanor stated coldly, taking the seat directly across from him.

“Mother. Victoria,” Alexander nodded warily, setting his coffee cup down. “To what do I owe this incredibly early ambush?”

Victoria smiled, but it was a shark-like baring of teeth. There was a triumphant, venomous gleam in her perfectly lined eyes.

“Alexander, darling,” Victoria began smoothly. “I spoke to my father late last night. He is officially willing to invest fifty million dollars into Montgomery Tech for your Asian expansion.”

Alexander froze. Fifty million. It was exactly the capital he had been aggressively hunting for over the last six months.

“That is… incredibly generous of Richard,” Alexander said cautiously.

“Yes, it is,” Eleanor cut in, folding her manicured hands on the table. “But, of course, that massive investment will only happen if our two families are officially and legally united.”

Alexander let out a harsh breath, leaning back in his chair. “Excuse me?”

“It is very simple mathematics, Alexander,” Eleanor said, her voice dripping with condescension. “Your company desperately needs this capital to survive the upcoming fiscal year. The Sterling family is willing to provide it. All you need to do is formalize the engagement.”

“I already told you, Mother. I am not marrying Victoria.”

Eleanor slammed her hand flat against the mahogany table, making the silverware violently rattle.

“You will stop this immature, pathetic nonsense right now, Alexander!” she barked. “This ridiculous little roleplay game you are playing with the cleaning staff has gone on long enough!”

“It is not a game!” Alexander shouted, rising to his feet.

“My responsibilities to this company do not include legally binding myself to a woman I do not love!” he continued, glaring at Victoria.

“Love?” Eleanor laughed, a cold, sharp sound that echoed off the walls. “Love is a luxury for the middle class, Alexander. Strategic business is an absolute necessity for people like us.”

“And if I completely refuse?” Alexander challenged, crossing his arms.

Eleanor stood up, matching his aggressive posture.

“Then I will personally withdraw the family’s financial support from the board. I will sell my majority shares to a hostile bidder. I will use every ounce of my influence to ensure no serious investor ever does business with you again.”

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Alexander stared at his mother in absolute horror. She was fully prepared to burn his entire life’s work to the ground just to maintain social appearances.

“You’re completely serious,” he whispered.

“Deadly serious,” Eleanor confirmed without blinking. “You have until Monday morning, Alexander. Choose your family’s legacy and your corporate future, or choose a romantic whim that won’t even last the winter.”

Just outside the dining room, hidden in the shadows of the hallway, Mia stood frozen, clutching a stack of fresh towels.

She had heard every single word.

Every syllable felt like a physical punch to her gut. This was exactly what she had feared. This was the brutal, inescapable reality of Alexander’s universe.

Victoria kept speaking, her voice dripping with faux sympathy. “Be reasonable, Alex. We are socially compatible. We share common goals. Your little phase with the maid is understandable rebellion, but it is time to wake up.”

“It is not a phase,” Alexander ground out, his voice thick with exhaustion.

“We will have our answer by Monday,” Eleanor declared, turning on her heel. “If you refuse, I will assume you have chosen to bankrupt this family, and I will act accordingly.”

As the two women marched out of the dining room, Mia pressed her back flat against the wall, hiding until they passed.

When the coast was clear, she peeked into the dining room. Alexander was standing alone, leaning heavily against the table, his head hanging in sheer defeat.

Fifty million dollars. Hundreds of employees’ jobs on the line. His entire family legacy.

Mia knew exactly what she had to do.

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