Chapter 53
At that moment, Cora calmly turned to Williams, her expression steady and resolute. She held his gaze firmly, making sure her message was unmistakably clear.
"Well, Williams," she began, her tone gentle yet firm, "when I first asked for the contract to be awarded to James, it was for a specific reason. But that reason no longer exists. Things have changed—drastically. So now, the decision about that contract doesn’t concern me anymore. Feel free to hand it over to whoever you deem worthy. Do whatever due diligence you need to do; it’s your choice now."
She paused briefly, drawing in a slow breath, and then continued even more decisively, "Honestly, I couldn’t care less who gets it now. The person I trusted messed up—badly. So, it’s no longer my business or my concern. I’d prefer to step away completely."
Williams opened his mouth as if to interject, but Cora quickly raised her hand to signal the conversation’s definitive end. "This discussion is over, Williams. I really must be going now."
Without another word or even a glance in Oliver’s direction, Cora turned gracefully and walked out the door, her posture tall and poised, leaving a lingering silence in the room.
In the heavy quiet that followed her departure, Oliver slowly turned to face his brother. His eyes were narrowed, a simmering anger still evident in his clenched jaw and tense posture. Williams met Oliver’s eyes calmly, almost arrogantly, unfazed by the tension.
Oliver stepped closer, keeping his voice low yet sharply accusatory. "You know what you just did, right? You know it was completely uncalled for, completely inappropriate. Why would you go this far? Why would you stalk me to this restaurant—to deliberately ruin the evening I planned?"
Williams tilted his head slightly, a cold smirk playing on his lips, but Oliver’s voice hardened even more, cutting him off before he could speak. "If you’re this desperate to win Cora’s attention, try impressing her on your own merits, Williams—not by stalking me and paying for our meal. You’ve crossed a line, and it’s honestly pathetic."
For a moment, Williams didn’t respond. He stood there calmly, absorbing Oliver’s anger with an almost amused expression. Then he finally spoke, his tone casual yet tinged with challenge:
"Well, Oliver, since you’ve made it abundantly clear you’re not interested in her, I don’t think you’re in any position to judge my approach—or my strategies." He paused, stepping slightly closer to Oliver, lowering his voice deliberately. "So, you keep playing the good boy. Keep pretending you’re just friends. But as for me? I’ll keep pushing—I’ll do whatever it takes—until I’m the one married to her."
At that moment, Oliver’s expression shifted abruptly, a spark of defiance appearing in his eyes. He took a step closer to Williams, the air around them thickening with tension.
"I’m not stopping you from doing anything," Oliver said slowly, clearly emphasizing each word. "Chase after whoever you want, William. Pursue your desires however you please. But this attitude you just showed, what you just did in there—do not repeat it. Don’t ever try something like this again."
His voice was quiet, steady, and filled with unmistakable resolve. "This should be the last time you belittle me in front of anyone—especially someone important to me. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can treat me as worthless or insignificant again. Consider this the last warning I’ll ever give you."