I punched in the number for Grant, my procurement lead.
“Grant, I need you to lock down contracts with every single one of our suppliers.” sir, we already have a
“Not good enough!” I snarled. “I want exclusivity agreements in place by the end of the week. Sweeten the deal if you have to extended contracts, bonuses, whatever it takes! Just make sure Kex and his pack of vultures don’t get a sliver of what we have.”
Grant hesitated for a moment too long.
“Did you hear me, Grant?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll get on it immediately.”
The phone call ended with a click, but the pressure in my chest only grew heavier. I flung my phone to the floor in anger.
I had to take these precautions before I decided on what to do to that subhuman!
…We have a marketing plan to convert your top clients into ours…”
I snatched my phone from where it had landed after I’d thrown it. The screen was cracked, but it still worked. I punched in the number for Julia, my head of client relations.
“Mr. Kester?” Julia’s voice was bright and professional, as always, but I wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries.
“Julia, get on the phone with our top clients-all of them. Starting now.”
“What should I-“
“Offer them incentives,” I interrupted, “Five percent discounts on their next four purchases. No-make it ten. And add a free upgrade on their current systems. Whatever they’re using, I want them to feel like gods when they use it.”
“That’s… generous,” she said cautiously.
“It’s necessary,” I growled. “Kex is coming for them. He’ll promise them the moon, but you’ll make them feel like they already have it.”
“Understood, sir. I’ll have my team start contacting them immediately.”
“And Julia?”
“Yes?”
“Make it personal. I don’t care if you have to invite them to lunch, dinner, or a damn spa day. I want every single one of them to feel like they’re family.”
“Yes, sir.”
I ended the call, tossing the phone onto the desk as I leaned forward, my breathing uneven. My heart hammered against my ribcage like it was trying to break free..
Kex wasn’t just coming for my company. He was coming for my reputation, my legacy, and the people who believed in me.
He wanted a war?
Fine.
I’d burn his empire to the ground before I let him take what was mine.
KESTER.
“What in Selene’s name did I just hear?” My father’s voice thundered through the phone, sharp enough to cut through the mounting headache I’d been nursing all day.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to keep my composure as the words came pouring out.
“Here we go,’ I thought bitterly, bracing for the inevitable onslaught.
“Talk to me, Kes! The news is all over the place! How could you lower the price of one of the company’s most valued products just to match Kex’s games?”
I exhaled, staring out the window of my office at the city lights glittering below. My patience was wearing thin, and I had no interest in justifying myself to a man who acted like he would have single-handedly solved all the world’s problems if he were still in charge.
“What would you have had me do, Dad?” My voice was laced with frustration. “Stand back and watch while Kex poached every single one of our clients? Let him tear Zamfort apart while I did nothing?”
“Over twenty-five purchases have been made in the last four hours, Kester!” he barked, ignoring my question entirely. “Do you even know how much of a loss that means for us?”
Of course, I knew. The cost of production for the Sentinel 12X Quantum Server was $61,279 per unit. I’d brought the price down to $56,000. Every sale was a $5,000 loss. But he refused to see the bigger picture: retaining our clients now meant long-term loyalty, and loyalty would always pay off.
And I couldn’t let Kex have the last laugh. Not when I have more ways to recover my losses and make him pay up my sleeves.
I rolled my eyes toward the ceiling, biting back the retort sitting on my tongue. “Don’t worry, dad. We’ll recover our losses. I promise you,” I said, picking up my briefcase, ready to step out of the office.
I looked at Kasmine, who seemed to choose closing hour as the best time to get busy with whatever she was After spending almost all her day in the restroom with that dimwit whom I’d kill soon. doing.
She thinks I didn’t know. Well, I’d let her think so for now. Soon, she’d be paying for every single lie she’d ever told me because of him.
Tonight would be a good time to start her punishment.
“Alpha Mellors is very upset with you. He has refused to help, even though he is in the best position to help us right now,” My father said, ruining the mood I was already trying so hard to lighten.
I froze, my fingers tightening around my phone, “What does he want this time? My balls?” I asked, irritated, as I gol Kasmine’s attention, signaling her to meet me in the car.
“Language, young man,” My father snapped in disgust, “He doesn’t like how you’ve been treating his daughter.”
I felt a sharp pang of irritation, the vein in my temple pulsing in rhythm with my rising anger. “I’ve been good to June,” I bit out, “I let her visit whenever she wants-my house, my office. She comes and goes as she pleases. What else does he expect from me?”
“It’s not enough,” my father countered, “Alphia Mellors wants more commitment from you. This isn’t just about personal feelings, Kester. This is about alliances, influence You need to give him what he wants.”
I laughed bitterly, running a hand through my hair. “And what exactly does he want? A ring on her finger?”
“Yes,” my father said bluntly. “That’s exactly what he wants. And don’t act like this is some shocking revelation. You’ve been betrothed to June since you were twenty-three and she was twenty.”
There was silence.
“I don’t fucking care, Dad. I’ve told you before,” I gritted my teeth, “I do not want to be with her!”
“You knew this was coming. Mellors Corp. is one of the most powerful corporations in the business world. If we want to survive Kex’s onslaught, we need their support. Your personal preferences don’t matter here.”
My jaw tightened, the anger simmering just beneath the surface threatening to boil over. “I won’t make June my chosen mate. That’s final, Dad.”
“You don’t have a choice,” my father said, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. “Now, listen carefully. Tomorrow, you’re going to pick her up and bring her to your house. She’ll spend a few days there. Take her shopping. Dinner. Lunch. Whatever it takes to win her heart again after the last time you dismissed her like some insignificant doll.”
I slammed my fist against the seat in front of me as I entered the car, “I’m not some puppet you can dangle in front of Mellors,” I snapped. “In just three years of taking over from you as CEO and as the Alpha of our pack, I have had tremendous success in every ramification. Have you ever stopped to imagine what I would do on my own in another two years? Why do you have such little faith in me?”
“Kex won’t wait another two years before bringing your company to the ground. Think about today, Kester. Tomorrow is a long time.” With that, he ended the call even before I could say another word.
“Fuck!” I yelled, punching at the seat before me again.
I reclined in my chair, savoring the calm after dinner and a hot shower. The tension of the day hadn’t fully dissolved, but the scent of sandalwood from my cologne lingered on my skin, grounding me.
I felt fresh and better after spending a little time with my stepmom. She did a great job cheering me up, and now, she was fast asleep. It was already 10 pm and I was sure as hell Kasmine was already sleeping, too,
I hope she heeded my instructions, though.
Kasmine had avoided me all evening. Did she think it would save her from what was to come tonight? I almost laughed at the thought of it.
She had dinner in her room, pretending to be sick and needing rest.
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