She Rejected the Heir, I Married Him Chapter 06

She Rejected the Heir, I Married Him Chapter 06

His grip tightened around my hand.

“Crescent won’t merely suspend every Whitmore Design Group project.”

“Starting tomorrow, Mercer Capital will terminate every contract with either company that presents a conflict of interest or a compliance risk.”

“What other banks, investors, and boards make of your behavior tonight is their decision.”

In Alderhaven’s business world, that was a death sentence for both families.

Nathaniel looked as if he’d been struck.

“You can’t do this, Julian Mercer! You’re using company business to settle a personal score!”

“And?”

Julian looked down at him.

“Someone has to make you answer for what you did to my wife.”

“Security.”

His voice remained quiet.

“Show these two out.”

Several broad-shouldered guards approached immediately.

Under the eyes of the city’s elite, Nathaniel and Vivian were escorted out without ceremony.

Her shrill sobs carried through the doors.

Silence returned to the room.

Julian led me to the head table.

That night, I became the most envied woman in Alderhaven.

By the following day, the city’s private clubs were buzzing.

The news that Julian had hidden his power was everywhere.

But another story spread with it.

“You really think Clara’s made it?”

“I heard she’s just a stand-in.”

“Julian’s only using her to keep his grandfather off his back.”

“She had sticky fingers when she lived with the Whitmores, too. And she chased anything in pants.”

“Once he gets bored, he’ll throw her out.”

Vivian was flooding every group chat she could find with those rumors.

Desperation had made her reckless.

She couldn’t accept that the hell she’d shoved me into had turned out to be a gold mine.

I was pruning roses in the garden when the estate manager brought me screenshots.

“Would you like us to deal with this, ma’am?”

The question was cautious.

“No.”

I clipped a red rose in full bloom.

“Let her keep going. The higher she climbs, the harder she’ll fall.”

That afternoon, I went to a downtown café to meet a former client.

I’d barely sat down when someone took the seat across from me.

Nathaniel.

He looked exhausted. His eyes were bloodshot, and his suit was wrinkled.

His old, superior composure was gone.

“Satisfied now, Clara?” he asked hoarsely.

I took a sip of coffee.

“What are you talking about?”

“The Whitmores are out of cash.”

His jaw tightened.

“The banks are cutting our credit and calling in loans. Our partners are pulling their investments.”

“One word from Julian, and eight years of my work is gone.”

“And?”

I set down my cup.

“You came here to ask me to beg for you?”

He searched my face for pity.

“Eight years together, Clara. Is that worth less than a few days of Julian Mercer’s charity?”

Coming from him, it was almost laughable.

“Eight years.”

I held his gaze.

“Have you forgotten what you did with those years, Nathaniel?”

“You used my career to clear a path for Vivian.”

“You trampled my dignity and tried to make me take responsibility for her negligence.”

“You took everything I gave you, then handed me over without hesitation to a man you thought was

a useless disaster.”

He grew paler with every word.

“I didn’t…”

He tried to defend himself.

“I knew the Mercer family was a nightmare, but you were always reasonable. I thought you could

handle it…”

“You’re right. I’m reasonable.”

I cut him off.

“That’s why I’m sitting here as Mrs. Mercer, watching you all go under.”

He sprang to his feet, knocking over the water glass.

Water spilled across the floor.

“You’ve changed, Clara! You never used to be like this!”

“You were never this heartless!”

He was almost shouting.

“I haven’t changed.”

I took a napkin and slowly wiped the water from the back of my hand.

“You never knew me.”

“Go home. Julian knows about Vivian’s rumors.”

“Both your families should get ready for what’s coming next.”

I stood and picked up my bag without looking at him again.

At the door, he rushed after me and grabbed my wrist.

“Tell me the truth, Clara.”

His bloodshot eyes held an almost obsessive desperation.

“Did you already know who Julian Mercer really was?”

“Did you set me up just to make a fool of me?”

I pulled free and looked at the wreck of a man who couldn’t bear to lose.

“You give yourself far too much credit, Nathaniel.”

“You’re not even worth laughing at.’