The Contract

Chapter 48- The Alpha Uprising

I gently tucked my hair behind my ear as the camera flashes continued to blind me. People were taking their seats while Travis and his crew made their entrance.

Rising from my seat, I walked over to greet him. We shared a brief kiss before I turned to face the family-Mrs. Ferrari, Raquel, Lorenzo, and, surprisingly, Trent. With everyone present, we took our seats, and the event began.

This was my first time at Alpha 3. The conference room was packed, and a board member stood at the podium delivering a speech. Applause broke out periodically, a polite acknowledgment of the speaker's key points.

It was Saturday, a formal day marking the culmination of everything we had worked for this past month. I had dressed accordingly in gray pants paired with a matching blazer jacket.

Then came the moment we'd all been waiting for-the vote was cast, and the new CEO was announced.

"Travis Ferrari."

The room erupted into cheers. Adrian gave Travis a congratulatory pat on the shoulder, though his expression remained stern. Travis rose to his feet, and so did everyone else, clapping enthusiastically. He embraced his mother first before turning to me.

For the first time in a long while, a genuine smile graced my lips. "Congratulations," I said, leaning closer to place a kiss on his lips.

He exchanged pleasantries with more people before heading to the stage. We continued clapping as he ascended. I felt a swell of pride as he began his speech, cameras flashing wildly. The family moved to his side, and as Travis expressed his gratitude to everyone, he reached out to pull me close.

By evening, the after-party was in full swing. We mingled, talked, and were introduced to new faces. I even met more of Travis's family, particularly those who couldn't attend the wedding.

"Aunt Giovanni!" I exclaimed, spreading my arms wide as we embraced.

"Look at you!" she praised, making me laugh.

"Hillary?"

I turned, surprised to see her.

"Hey, Pearl."

"What's up?" I asked as we stopped at the open bar.

"Nothing is up."

"Oh, don't give me that. Everyone knows about you and Justin!" I teased.

She grinned mischievously. "There are no labels," she replied as our drinks were placed in front of us.

"Okay," I sang, taking a sip from my champagne flute. "I love this dress. Let me see!" I twirled for her.

For tonight, I wore a silver floor-length bodycon dress, intricately embellished with sequins from the open shoulders down to the hem. My hair was styled in a sleek ponytail.

"Wow, how long did it take to make that?"

"Three months," I replied.

"I love it."

"How's work?" I asked.

"So stressful. My mom insisted I come since she couldn't make it herself."

"I'm glad you're here."

"Me too. Where's Travis? I want to go congratulate him," she said, and I pointed toward the direction he had gone.

"I'll be back," she said, and I nodded as she walked away.

Taking another sip from my glass, I sighed contentedly. Everything was falling into place. Almost too perfectly. It was hard to believe things were going this smoothly.

A glance to my side confirmed Jeffrey's ever-present watchful eye. Even at an event like this, he was always nearby. Turning back to the bar, I placed my empty glass down.

"Scotch," someone ordered beside me, and I glanced up.

Trent.

Straightening up, I instinctively stepped away from the counter. He picked up his glass, turning to face the crowd.

"It's a good evening, isn't it?" he asked without looking at me.

"Yes," I replied quietly, picking up my freshly refilled glass.

"I'm proud of him," he said, a small smile forming on his lips.

For a moment, I felt an odd sense of unease. That smile was wrong-too sinister. He turned to face me fully, his gaze pinning me in place.

"He's worked hard. Now he has the company in his name."

I stayed silent, taking another sip.

"You must be his good luck charm," he added, stepping closer, now blocking my view of the party. I looked up at him, confused.

The smile never left his face. "Can you pass a message to your husband for me?"

My brows furrowed in confusion, but I said nothing.

He leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Tell him... I'm going to take everything."

My eyes widened as I turned to face him fully.

"...He should enjoy all of this while it lasts."

"Step away from her," Jeffrey's voice cut in, sharp and commanding.

Trent stepped back, but the smirk remained plastered on his face. "You're going to need more protection," he said before finishing his drink and walking away.

I exhaled shakily, realizing I had been holding my breath.

He had just threatened me-no, us. He threatened to take down his brother.

What the hell?

Placing the champagne flute down, I walked out of the room, my thoughts racing. Should I tell Travis? What would that do to their already fractured relationship?

One thing was clear: I had miscalculated. Travis taking over Alpha 3 had opened a door to an entirely new set of problems.

I needed to figure this out-fast.