Chapter 3

The contract Mark had mentioned, the one that bound us, wasn't just a marriage certificate. It was a complex business and prenuptial agreement designed by our families to merge the future of Vance Construction with Mark' s own ambitions. In my first life, I saw it as a symbol of our partnership. Now, I saw it for what it was: a cage. But every cage has a key, and I intended to use it to lock him in with the monster he' d brought home.

The contract stipulated that major leadership roles and project allocations within the firm had to be decided by a family council, a council headed by my grandfather.

The next morning, I requested a meeting with my grandfather in his private library. The room smelled of old books and leather, a scent I had always associated with wisdom and stability.

"Grandfather," I began, getting straight to the point. "Mark is irrational right now. Fighting him directly will only push him further away and cause a scandal that could damage the company's reputation."

He nodded, his eyes weary. "He is my grandson, but he is acting like a fool."

"I have a proposal," I said, my voice steady. "The new city center development project is the biggest contract we've vied for in a decade. The leadership for that project is a coveted position. Let's open it up. Let's make it a competition."

My grandfather leaned forward, his interest piqued. "A competition?"

"Yes. Let anyone in the family who believes they are qualified put together a proposal and a team. They will present their plans to the board. The best plan wins the project and the leadership position. It' s transparent, it' s fair, and it gives Mark a chance to 'prove' himself. He won't be able to claim the family is holding him back."

I was framing it as a way to appease Mark, a strategic concession. But it was a trap.

The news of the competition spread through the family and the upper echelons of the company like wildfire. My cousins, all with their own ambitions, were immediately interested. The city center project was a legacy-maker. The board room buzzed with speculation and the quiet forming of alliances. The stakes were suddenly very, very high.

I knew Mark wouldn't be able to resist. The moment he heard the news, he strode into the main office, a triumphant look on his face. Emily was trailing behind him like a shadow. He thought this was his idea, his victory over his grandfather's rigid traditionalism.

"I accept the challenge," he announced loudly, ensuring everyone could hear him. He saw it as his fast track to the top, a way to seize control and prove his superiority once and for all. His reborn knowledge, he believed, made him invincible. He already knew which land to buy, which permits would be fast-tracked. He thought he had a cheat sheet to the future.

He turned to our cousins, David and Michael, who were discussing their own potential bids.

"Don't even bother," Mark said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "None of you stand a chance against me. This project is mine."

His arrogance was astounding. My cousins, who were both competent in their own right, exchanged annoyed glances. They were proud men, but they were also cautious. They knew Mark currently had my grandfather' s reluctant, and my public, support. They saw a difficult fight ahead, one that could cost them political capital within the family firm.

"Fine, Mark," David said, his voice tight with resentment. "It's all yours. We won't compete."

Michael nodded in agreement, though his glare lingered on Mark. They backed down, unwilling to engage in a public and messy family feud.

Mark smirked, victorious. He had cleared the field, just as I knew he would. He was so focused on the prize, so blinded by his own self-importance, that he didn't see the real competition. He didn't see the one person I was actually betting on.

He was looking at the throne, but I was looking at the quiet kingmaker in the corner.